On January 1, 2016, Oregon’s mandatory paid sick leave law will take effect. Nearly all employers with workers in Oregon will be affected by this new law in some capacity. How will these new regulations affect you and your organization? Here is a brief overview of the upcoming changes:
Who: Employers with 10 or more employees (6 in Portland) will be required to provide all employees who work in Oregon with up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year. This ordinance applies to full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal employees and applies to private and public-sector employers.
(Certain exclusions apply to Independent Contractors and employees in specific programs or industries.)
Employers with fewer than 10 employees (fewer than 6 in Portland) will be required to provide their employees with up to 40 hours of sick leave per year, but this leave time can be unpaid.
Employers who already provide their employees paid sick time or paid time off (PTO) do not have to provide additional sick leave, so long as the amount they are providing all employees meets the set criteria.
What: Employees can use their paid sick leave for: their own illness, injury, or serious health condition; to care for a sick or injured immediate family member; for any purposes allowed under the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA); for any purpose under Oregon’s law on domestic violence, stalking, harassment, or sexual assault; to donate paid sick leave to another employee to use for a qualifying purpose; or in the event of a public health emergency.
Where: The new law will apply to employers throughout the state of Oregon. Employers in Portland have been adhering to the city-wide sick leave law since January 1, 2014.
When and How: Employees will begin to accrue sick leave on January 1, 2016, but will not be permitted to use it until they have completed 90 days of employment. Sick leave will accrue at the rate of one hour per every thirty (30) hours worked, for up to forty (40) hours per year. Employees will be permitted to carry over up to forty (40) hours of paid sick leave into the subsequent year.
Make certain that your organization is adequately prepared for these changes and that policies and procedures are up to date meet the requirements of this new law for the new year. HRCentral specializes in ensuring employers are compliant with applicable state and federal laws. Contact us today to get started on updating your policies and procedures to ensure compliance and ease this transition.
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