Confused and Dazed in Eugene

If you have employees in Eugene, recent changes in the law can leave you feeling confused. No, this is not another article about dazed employees due to recreational marijuana becoming in legal in Oregon. But it in many ways it is a similar situation due to conflicting laws at different levels of government. 

Sick leave advocates have used municipality elections as a battleground to advance their cause. In Oregon, Portland passed a sick leave ordinance in 2013 and Eugene followed suit the following year. But just days before Eugene was able to pass their law, Lane County preempted it with a series of ordinances that nullified Eugene’s ability to pass laws pertaining to sick leave. Undaunted, the Eugene City Council moved ahead with passage of a leave law and is in the development of rules phase. You can view the particulars of the Eugene sick leave law here.

New Years Resolution Checklist

1. Get a HR checkup - This is a proactive approach to ensure the legal compliance and effectiveness of your entire HR program before a crisis happens. Ask our HR experts for a consultation!
2. Review and update Employee Handbook - We recommend this be done on an annual basis. Many new laws come into effect at the beginning of each year, so the earlier you get this update done, the better. What policies need to be updated? Social Media, Drug and Alcohol, and Family leave, for starters.
3. BOLI required postings - Make sure your 2015 postings are in compliance. The only required posting change for this year is the new Oregon Minimum Wage which went up to $9.25 per hour. Need to update your poster ... Request here!
4. Make your stance on marijuana known - Provide a written notice to employees on marijuana use reminding employees that recreational use of marijuana is not currently legal because they may think differently. Your communication should clearly tell employees your position on use and the impact on their jobs. For most employers, it is business as usual.
5. Affordable Care Act - Have you been staying up to date on Affordable Care Act (ACA) changes and regulations? Did you know that the employer mandate is effective 1/1/15?

Holiday Party Tips: Ho Ho Hold the Liability

Tis the season for Holiday Parties
You want to get your employees together for a bit of holiday fun -- but how can you share some holiday cheer without opening yourself up to potential liabilities.

The  Do's and Don'ts for successful & safe company parties:

Post-Incident Drug Testing

Cardinal sent out an email alert on November 7, 2014 regarding Oregon Ballot Initiate 91, which decriminalized recreational marijuana. In the alert, we advised reviewing your drug testing policies and following some suggested best practices. This article focuses on best practices surrounding post-incident drug testing.

Recreational Marijuana and the Employer

Ballot Measure 91 Passed. Now What?

On November 4, 2014, Oregon voters passed Ballot Measure 91, legalizing the non-medical possession and use of marijuana for adults age 21 and older.   The law goes into effect July 1, 2015.

See Oregon: Recreational Marijuana FAQ

 

Background: Should you still drug test? 

Oregon Health Exchange - Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment begins on November 15, 2014
Open enrollment for individuals begins on November 15, 2014 and is open until February 15, 2015.  During open enrollment individuals may buy a health insurance plan from the exchange for the first time or shop around for a different plan. 

Once purchased, the new plan can go into effect in as little as 30 days. In reviewing the CoverOregon.com website it appears that individuals shopping for private health plans will go to the CoverOregon website to make sure that they qualify for a non-employer plan.  If they do qualify they will be directed to the Federal exchange website, HealthCare.gov, to see if they qualify for a subsidy, shop for a plan and to purchase coverage. 

Veterans Day - What Employers Should Know

Employees who are veterans as defined by Oregon law and are scheduled to work on Veterans Day may ask for that day off. They must provide 21 days’ notice of their intent to take the day off and document their status as a qualifying veteran.

Upon receipt of the request, an employer must determine whether providing the time off would cause “significant economic or operational disruption,” or whether allowing time off is an “undue hardship” as described in Oregon discrimination law. If so, the employer is not required to provide the day off.

At least 14 days before Veterans Day the employer must tell the employee whether time off will be provided and whether it will be paid or unpaid.