New Study Shows Oregon Small Businesses Can Thrive With A Higher Minimum Wage

Contact: Rose King, 503-863-­1363, Rose@brinkcomm.com  

Small business owners, Fair Shot for All Coalition call on Oregon Legislature to give hardworking Oregonians a raise  

Portland, Ore. – Oregon Center for Public Policy released today A Higher Minimum Wage Works for Small Businesses, a new study that shows small businesses in Oregon could benefit from a higher minimum wage. The Oregon legislature is currently considering a number of proposals to increase the minimum wage, including House Bill 2009 and  Senate Bill 610 which would raise the wage to $15 an hour by 2018. 

"This study shows that raising the minimum wage can go hand in hand with strong job growth for small businesses," said Senator Sara Gelser. "With multiple proposals on the table right now, it's critical that we give real thought at what it will take to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Oregon families."

Key findings from the report include:

+ Experience shows small businesses do fine with higher minimum wages. Oregon raised the minimum wage three times from 1989 to 2002, not counting the annual inflation adjustments that began in 2004. During that time, the small business sector showed mostly uninterrupted growth, with contractions seemingly tied to the business cycle, not to minimum wage increases. Between 1988 and 2007, right before the start of the Great Recession, businesses with fewer than 20 employees grew by more than a third, as did jobs in those businesses. 

+ Small business jobs paying under $15 account for a small share of all Oregon jobs. There are about 1.9 million jobs in Oregon. There is no universal definition for the term “small business,” though a common definition is businesses that employ fewer than 50 people. Under that definition, there are about 292,000 small business jobs in Oregon that pay less than $15 an hour. That amounts to about 16 percent of all jobs in the state.  

+ Most workers who would receive a wage increase work at larger businesses. Of all jobs in the state paying under $15 per hour, what share corresponds to larger businesses? The answer is the majority of such jobs—62 percent—assuming that small businesses are those with fewer than 50 employees. Therefore, most workers who would see a wage increase as a result of a $15 per hour minimum wage in Oregon work at a larger business.

+ Employers experience productivity gains from a higher minimum wage. Researchers have found that a higher minimum wage yields savings to employers in the form of higher productivity and other efficiencies. Oregon small business owners can expect such benefits from a higher state minimum wage.

Small business owners from across the state have joined proponents in calling on the Oregon Legislature to pass a higher minimum wage. 

"Better wages make for more satisfied, more motivated, and overall more productive employees," said Mark Kellenbeck, Co-owner of BrainJoy in Medford, and Co-Chair of The Main Street Alliance of Oregon. "We have consistently found that better wages both attract and retain superior employees."

"Investing in our employees sends the message that they are worth a fair wage," says Deborah Field, Co-owner of Paperjam Press in Portland, and Executive Team member of The Main Street Alliance of Oregon. "A higher wage allows my staff to have a better quality of life and enhances their confidence and pride, all while developing a more robust consumer base.”

"When it comes down to it, we need to ask ourselves what kind of Oregon we want to live in," voices Sabrina Parsons, Owner of Palo Alto Software in Eugene, and Executive Team member of The Main Street Alliance of Oregon. "I can tell you the kind of Oregon I want to raise my family in—an Oregon that supports investment in our communities, economy-boosting jobs, and creates opportunities for all Oregonians to succeed. That's why we need to raise the Oregon minimum wage."

The release of the Small Business Report follows The High Cost of Low Wages in Oregon, a report from the University of Oregon’s Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) released earlier this year, which details the growth of low wage work in Oregon and illuminates the financial crisis that low wage, no benefits jobs have created for working families and Oregon taxpayers. 

The LERC report finds that 197,000 Oregonians who received public assistance in January 2014 worked the previous year. And the cost of providing this assistance is breaking the bank—taxpayers provide $1.7 billion each year to subsidize corporations’ reliance on a low-wage workforce.

"Higher wages mean fewer Oregon families living in poverty while working full-time. It's that simple," said Andrea Paluso, Executive Director of Family Forward Oregon and Chair of the Fair Shot For All Coalition. "It’s time for elected officials to give Oregonians a real raise that will enable them to pay their bills and even save a little for the future. If they don't, too many Oregonians won't have a path out of poverty, now or in the future." 

Fair Shot For All—a broad coalition of community and labor organizations from across Oregon—has been pushing for real policy solutions that address economic inequality, give a better future for all Oregonians and strengthen Oregon’s economy, including: raising the minimum wage; ensuring all Oregonians earn paid sick days; ending profiling; making saving for retirement easier; and creating opportunities for people with prior convictions and arrests to find work. 

Fair Shot for All includes Family Forward Oregon, SEIU, AFSCME, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, CAUSA, Center for Intercultural Organizing, Oregon AFL-CIO, Oregon Education Association, PCUN, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, Rural Organizing Project, UFCW, and the Urban League of Portland, Oregon and an ever-growing coalition from across Oregon.  

Community leaders, law enforcement from across Oregon testify in support of legislation to end profiling

Contact:
Dahlia Grossman-Heinze
(562) 212-2999
dahlia@brinkcomm.com

Legislation is designed to end profiling by defining the problem, collecting better data, and providing path for reporting complaints   

Salem, Ore. – Community leaders, law enforcement officers, and Oregonians who have experienced profiling testified at a legislative hearing Monday in support of three bills designed to put an end to profiling in Oregon by clearly defining the problem in statute, collecting better data, and providing a path for reporting profiling complaints.

“Profiling is an issue across the country, and in Oregon as well,” said Rep. Peter Buckley, House District 5. “We have a moral obligation to do everything we can to ensure equal justice for all in our state, and the legislation we are proposing will help clarify the extent of profiling in Oregon, and take the steps needed to eliminate it. Every Oregonian should feel safe and respected in their community.”

“Profiling goes beyond the outcome of any one encounter,” said Rep. Lew Frederick, House District 43. “Over time it leads to buildup of resentment based on lack of respect, and that resentment leads to increased tension carried into the next interaction with officers, and that isn’t good for citizens or officers. Profiling damages the police due to lost credibility, and damages the community due to lost trust. It’s past time to put a stop to it.”

A broad coalition submitted testimony in support of the bills, including: Urban League of Portland, Basic Rights Oregon, UCC, NAACP, Center for Intercultural Organizing, SEIU, AFL-CIO, NAACP, and PCUN.

Legislation to End Profiling

Together, HB 2001, HB 2002 and HB 2003 work to define profiling, collect better data and provide a path for reporting profiling complaints.

HB 2001 — HB 2001 requires law enforcement agencies to collect data on profiling and adopt procedures for accepting complaints about law enforcement officers who engagein profiling. The bill also directs law enforcement agencies to investigate profiling complaints and submit copies of complaints to Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.

HB 2002 — HB 2002 requires the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to establish independent procedures for receiving and recording profiling complaints. The bill also gives the Criminal Justice Department within the Department of Justice the authority to collect profiling complaints against law enforcement and publish reports on their findings.

The Attorney General may give notice to the violating law enforcement agency and investigate if they think an agency or individual has a systemic issue.

HB 2003 — HB 2003 defines profiling and clearly bans law enforcement from using profiling as a tactic in Oregon. The bill prohibits law enforcement agencies and law enforcement officers from profiling people by solely using someone’s race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, national origin, language, housing status, sexual orientation or gender/gender identity as a basis to stop, question, or search them.

More information on the effort to end profiling in Oregon is available online: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pzturmu1k97f541/EndProfiling_OnePager.pdf?dl=0

If you have questions about the legislation, please contact Salome Chimuku with the Center for Intercultural Organizing at (503) 754-0413 or Mary Beth Williams with the office of Rep. Peter Buckley at (207) 318-3224.

Paid Sick Time Bill Passes Senate Committee on Workforce, Heads to Ways and Means Committee

Contact: Lisa Frack, lisa@familyforwardoregon.org

SB 454 will ensure all working Oregonians have access to a reasonable amount of paid sick time every year

(Salem, Ore.)—The Senate Committee on Workforce today passed Senate Bill 454  The proposed legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Steiner Hayward of Beaverton and Representative Vega Pederson of Portland, will promote public health and the economic security of Oregon families by ensuring all working Oregonians have access to a reasonable amount of paid sick time where they work. It will also contribute to the health and productivity of our economy. The bill now moves to the Ways and Means Committee for further consideration. 

“This important policy gives every worker in Oregon the opportunity to earn paid sick time. It’s the right thing to do,” said Senator Michael Dembrow, Chair of the Senate Committee on Workforce. “I’m proud of this legislation and grateful to my colleagues for their support.”

Last month, more than 300 people attended the public hearing on SB 454, with a strong showing among supporters —including workers, business owners, public health experts, community members, social justice organizations, schoolteachers, nurses, and more.

“Today, we are one step closer to strengthening the economic security of Oregon families. We must ensure that workers across the state have the basic human dignity at work that goes with being able to take a paid sick day to recover from illness or care for a sick child." said Andrea Paluso, Everybody Benefits Coalition Chair and Family Forward Oregon Executive Director.

“I work hard but still can’t get ahead,” said Kim Eggleston, a single-mom from Aloha who lacks paid sick time. “When my son or I get sick and I have to stay home, I do not get paid. Just eight hours of lost pay leaves me struggling to cover my bills.”

According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), 47 percent of private sector workers in Oregon have no access to paid sick time where they work. There’s an even larger gap in access among Hispanic workers in Oregon, with 62 percent having no paid sick time. Low-wage workers are also less likely to have access to paid sick time than higher-paid workers. In Oregon, 82 percent of those earning more than $65,000 annually have access to paid sick time compared to 29 percent of Oregonians earning less than $20,000 annually.  

“Ensuring everyone can earn paid sick time is a common sense solution for families still struggling from the lingering recession, including low-wage workers and families of color who are hurting the most,” said Representative Paul Holvey, Chair of the House Committee on Business and Labor, which also heard HB 2005 last month— the House’s counterpart to the paid sick time bill.

SB 454 and HB 2005 will create a statewide standard so workers across Oregon can both provide for and responsibly care for their own and their families’ health. Both bills will allow workers to accrue one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours (about five days) in a year. Sick time can be used for the diagnosis, care or treatment of the worker or a member of their family or in instances of domestic violence. Both bills also protect employees from retaliation or discrimination for the use of sick time.

Paid sick time has gained support all over the country in the last few years as three states and 18 cities have now passed laws and approved measures granting workers access to paid sick days. The City of Portland and the City of Eugene are among those that have passed their own city ordinances. For more than four years, the Everybody Benefits Coalition has been organizing in communities across Oregon to build momentum for the issue.

The bill now awaits its next hearing in the Ways and Means Committee. 

House Committee on Business and Labor Holds Public Hearing on Legislation to ‘Ban the Box’

Contact: Rose King, (503) 863.1363, rose@brinkcomm.com    

HB 3025 will give qualified job applicants who’ve paid their debts to society
a fair chance at rebuilding their lives

(Salem, Ore.)—March 25, 2015—Community advocates, labor leaders and small business owners testified today at a public hearing held by the House Committee On Business and Labor in support of a proposal to ‘ban the box’. The proposed legislation would make it illegal for all employers in Oregon to use job application forms to ask about criminal history or disqualify an applicant from employment because of a prior conviction, unless the conviction is job-related.

The bill is backed by The Fair Chance for All coalition, a group of more than 50 organizations in Oregon.

A broad group submitted testimony in support of the legislation, including: Tom Chamberlain, President of Oregon AFL-CIO; Midge Purcell, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy for Portland Urban League; Patrick Gihring, Director of Adult Workforce Services for Worksystems, Inc.; Theresa Sweeney, an Oregonian with personal experience transitioning from incarceration to the community; and Jim Houser, owner of local small business Hawthorne Auto Clinic.

More than 32,000 people in Oregon are currently incarcerated or on community supervision and face barriers to housing and jobs. Almost 11 percent of incarcerated Oregonians is African American, despite that fact that the state’s overall population is just 2 percent.

“Our criminal justice system convicts and incarcerates African Americans and other people of color in numbers that far exceed our percentage in the state. This inequity is compounded by employment barriers that impact those with criminal histories,” said Purcell.

Employment is one of the most important influences for decreasing recidivism. Two years after release, twice as many employed people with records had avoided running into trouble with the law, compared to their unemployed counterparts. A steady job provides not just financial resource, but also connections to a new community that can help reduce the risk of recidivism.

"Banning the box will allow someone like me to get an interview so that I can show who I am today, not who I was," said Vu. "Potential employers can assess my qualifications for the job and I'm not immediately removed from the applicant pool because of my past mistakes."

The legislation would allow employers to ask about an individual’s conviction history, but just later in the hiring process, after the person has met the minimum qualifications for the job.  It would not apply to law enforcement positions and other jobs that, by law, require a criminal background check.

"In Oregon, even as the economy is improving, it is still hard for people with records to find work," said Chamberlain. "Folks with records aren’t getting interviewed and in turn, aren’t getting jobs. That leads to more people recidivating. We can make our communities safer, our incarcerated population smaller and our workforce larger by banning the box.”

“The box” has already been removed from applications for City of Portland jobs in 2014 and Multnomah County jobs in 2007. If the legislature passes HB 3025, Oregon will join more than 50 jurisdictions and 10 states that have already banned the box, including: Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Minnesota, Hawaii, New Mexico and Colorado.

The Portland City Council is considering a similar proposal to ‘ban the box’ which would apply to all employers in Portland.  A hearing was held on the resolution earlier this month.

New Portland State University Report Projects Impact of State-sponsored Retirement Savings Plan

Media Contact:

Mike Westling | (503) 498-8161 | mike@brinkcomm.com

Researchers estimate savings plan would increase retirement savings for over 400,000 Oregonians

Portland, Ore. – On Wednesday, researchers from the Northwest Economic Research Center (NERC) at Portland State University released a new report that details the growing retirement savings crisis in Oregon and projects the impact that a state-sponsored retirement savings plan would have.

Researchers estimate that over 400,000 Oregon workers could participate in a new state-sponsored retirement plan. If those new plan enrollees earn returns that are comparable to those received by current retirees, their combined income from these plans would exceed $2 billion dollars per year.

The report also found major disparities in access to retirement plans between workers: 63-68% of employees at firms with 500 employees or more are participating in retirement plans while only 11% of employees at firms with 11 or fewer employees participate in a plan.

PSU researchers predicted that higher income among retirees would lead to statewide economic benefits from higher consumption spending and decreased reliance on public resources.

“We found that many Oregonians who work for smaller firms don’t have access to retirement plans at work and aren’t saving as much as they need to be for retirement,” said Tom Potiowsky, director of the Northwest Economic Research Center. “Our research estimates that over 400,000 Oregonians could participate in a state-sponsored retirement plan if it were offered. We also found that participation in this kind of plan would be make a real difference for Oregon’s future retirees – providing them with thousands more in annual retirement income from retirement savings programs.”

Lack of sufficient retirement savings is rapidly becoming a major economic emergency that threatens to Oregon’s economy. According to the National Institute on Retirement Security, 45% of Americans have no savings for retirement, putting their economic security at risk. Having access to a retirement plan at work helps people save for retirement, but only 43% of firms in Oregon offer retirement plans to employees.

In order to promote retirement savings in Oregon, the state legislature is considering legislation that would create a state-sponsored payroll-deduction retirement savings plan that would be made available to workers who are not otherwise offered one by their employers.

For more information about the report, please contact Tom Potiowsky, Director of NERC and Chair of the Department of Economics at Portland State University, at 503.725.2288 or potiowskyt@pdx.edu.

A PDF version of Retirement Security in Oregon is available online: http://www.pdx.edu/nerc/sites/www.pdx.edu.nerc/files/Retirement%20Security%20Final%20Report.pdf

Economic impacts of a state-sponsored retirement plan

NERC researchers estimated that over 400,000 of the state’s workers could be expected to participate in a state-sponsored retirement savings plan. If those new plan enrollees earn returns that are comparable to those received by current retirees, their combined income from these plans would exceed $2 billion dollars per year.

Benefits to Oregonians would be widespread. For the bottom 25 percent of income-earners, four times as many people would be expected participate in savings programs. The top 25 percent of income-earners who start saving could receive an average of $29,785 in additional annual retirement income.

The study found clear disparities in opportunities for retirement savings between people of different income levels, sex, races and ethnicities, in Oregon. A state-sponsored retirement savings plan would eliminate disparities in access, and thereby reduce disparities in saving opportunities.

Small businesses may benefit the most from a state-sponsored retirement plan

NERC researchers found that retirement plan access and participation varies significantly based on the size of a business. Employees of larger firms are more likely to have access to plans, and more likely to participate in available plans. Many small businesses want to offer retirement plans to their employees, but don’t an HR department to manage and administer a plan.

The result is a major disparity between workers: 63-68% of employees at firms with 500 employees or more are participating in retirement plans while only 11% of employees at firms with 11 or fewer employees participate in a plan.

A state-sponsored plan would make it easy for small business owners to offer retirement plans to their employees – they would only need to add a line item to the monthly pay stub.

About NERC

The Northwest Economic Research Center is based at Portland State University in the College of Urban and Public Affairs. The Center focuses on economic research that supports public-policy decision-making, and relates to issues important to Oregon and the Portland Metropolitan Area. NERC serves the public, nonprofit, and private sector community with high quality, unbiased, and credible economic analysis.

About the Report Authors

Dr. Tom Potiowsky is the Director of NERC, and also serves as the Chair of the Department of Economics at Portland State University. Dr. Jenny H. Liu is NERC’s Assistant Director and Assistant Professor in the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning. The report was researched and written by Jeff Renfro, NERC Senior Economist. Research support was provided by Marisol Cáceres and Peter Husleman, NERC Research Assistants. This report was completed with assistance and input from Daniel Morris, Our Oregon Research Director, and Jessica Eden, Research Assistant.

University of Oregon Researchers Testify in Salem about Oregon’s Growing Economic Crisis

Contact: Rose King, 503-863-­1363, Rose@brinkcomm.com  

(Salem, Ore.)—Researchers and labor experts from the University of Oregon testified Wednesday before the House Business and Labor Committee, the House Revenue Committee, and the House Human Services and Housing Committee to highlight The High Cost of Low Wages, a report from the University of Oregon’s Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) and Department of Sociology that details the economic reality for Oregon’s low-wage workers in the post-recession economy.  

The report found that over 400,000 Oregonians – roughly 25 percent of the state’s entire workforce – are employed in low-wage work. Further, about one in 7 Oregon workers receive public assistance.  

In the report, researchers recommend a set of policy solutions that stand to improve economic opportunity for Oregon’s working families while reducing corporate welfare and strengthening the state’s economy. They include: raising the minimum wage; expanding paid sick leave; addressing wage discrimination; expanding childcare assistance programs; and promoting collective bargaining. 

Elected officials are considering a number of bills this session that address Oregon’s broken economy and the financial crisis that low wage, no benefits jobs have created.  They include:

+ Raise the Minimum Wage (SB 610)

+ Paid Sick Days (HB 2005, SB 454)

+ A Secure Way to Save for the Future (HB 2960, SB 615) 

+ A Second Chance for Every Oregonian (HB 3025) 

+ End Profiling (HB 2001, 2002, 2003) 

+ Certain and Regular Work Schedules (SB 888, HB 2010)

+ Wage Discrimination (HB 2006, HB 2007)

+ Childcare Assistance Programs (HB 2015)

A full briefing on these bills can be found here. 

“This research makes it clear that the increased reliance on low-wage, no benefit jobs is dragging down the state’s economy and preventing hundreds of thousands of working Oregonians from having a fair shot at success,” said Andrea Paluso, Executive Director of Family Forward Oregon. “It’s time for our legislative leaders to take action and pass bills that raise the minimum wage, offer paid sick days, and create real economic opportunities for working families."

The report also offers new data on the real costs of public assistance programs that low-wage workers in Oregon must rely on to make ends meet and how taxpayers are supporting a new form of corporate subsidy to the largest companies employing low-wage workers in the state. Each year, taxpayers spend over $1.7 billion to subsidize corporations’ reliance on a low-wage workforce. Large, profitable corporations in retail, fast food, and health care employ the largest share of low-wage workers using public assistance.   

“This report shows how the growth of low wage jobs in Oregon has made it nearly impossible for working adults to afford the basic necessities to take care of their families,” said Raahi Reddy, coordinator of LERC’s Low Wage Economy Initiative. “Low-wage, no-benefit jobs place additional pressure on our social safety net, driving up costs for taxpayers and leaving families struggling just to get by.”

To provide a comprehensive view of what the state’s current economic structure means for working families, researchers examined official government statistics on employment and wages, and compiled extensive data documenting the growth of low-wage work and its effects on low-income workers in Oregon. Sociologist Dr. Ellen Scott also conducted 44 interviews with low-wage working parents. These conversations revealed other challenges Oregon’s low-wage workers face, including cyclical employment, erratic scheduling, difficulty in finding and affording child care, personal health issues, and crises like violence and homelessness. 

Faculty and researchers from the University of Oregon Sociology Department contributed to the report. 

To provide a comprehensive view of what the state’s current economic structure means for working families, researchers examined official government statistics on employment and wages, and compiled extensive data documenting the growth of low-wage work and its effects on low-income workers in Oregon. Sociologist Dr. Ellen Scott also conducted 44 interviews with low-wage working parents. These conversations revealed other challenges Oregon’s low-wage workers face, including cyclical employment, erratic scheduling, difficulty in finding and affording child care, personal health issues, and crises like violence and homelessness. 

Faculty and researchers from the University of Oregon Sociology Department contributed to the report.

A PDF version of The High Cost of Low Wages is available online: http://lerc.uoregon.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2014-Oregon-Workforce-Report-The-High-Cost-of-Low-Wages-in-Oregon.pdf

About LERC

Since being established by the Oregon Legislature in 1977, the Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) at the University of Oregon has made the resources and expertise of the higher education system available to workers, unions, policy makers, and community partners throughout Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. LERC is committed to improving the lives of working Oregonians and enhancing their ability to participate effectively in the workplace and community affairs. 

Portland City Council Holds Public Hearing on Code Change to 'Ban the Box'

Contact: Marian Hammond, (971) 570-7946, marian@brinkcomm.com

Fair Chance for All Coalition delivered 7,000+ signatures from Portlanders who support removing questions about criminal history from job applications

(Portland, Ore.)—March 11, 2015—Community advocates, labor leaders and small business owners testified today at a public hearing held by the Portland City Council in support of a proposal to ‘ban the box’. The proposed change to city code would prohibit all employers in Portland from asking about criminal past on job applications, with exceptions for public safety positions.

A broad coalition submitted testimony in support of the resolution, including: Michael Alexander, President and CEO of Portland Urban League; Emmanuel Price, founder and executive director of Second Chances Are for Every One; Tom Chamberlain, President of Oregon AFL-CIO; and Jim Houser, owner of local small business Hawthorne Auto Clinic.

The Fair Chance for All coalition—a group of more than 50 organizations—also presented more than 7,000 petition signatures from Oregonians who support banning the box.
More than 32,000 people in Oregon are currently incarcerated or on community supervision and face barriers to housing and jobs. Almost 11 percent of incarcerated Oregonians is African American, despite that fact that the state’s overall population is just 2 percent.

“Our criminal justice system convicts and incarcerates African Americans and other people of color in numbers that far exceed our percentage in the state, and this inequity is compounded by employment barriers that impact with criminal histories out of jobs,” said Michael Alexander, President and CEO of the Portland Urban League.

Employment is one of the most important influences for decreasing recidivism. Two years after release, twice as many employed people with records had avoided running into trouble with the law, compared to their unemployed counterparts. A steady job provides not just financial resource, but also connections to a new community that can help reduce the risk of recidivism.

“I served close to five years in Oregon Correctional facilities,” said Price. “It’s been ten years now since I returned to society and still struggle with finding employment. Not because I’m ill equipped or not qualified, but because my background inhibits my forward progress. That’s why SCAFE was created to assist others overcoming barriers to employment.”

The code change would allow employers to ask about an individual’s conviction history, but just later in the hiring process, after the person has met the minimum qualifications for the job.  It would not apply to law enforcement positions and other jobs that, by law, require a criminal background check.

“Twenty-eight years go, I hired an employee who was upfront about his criminal history. He recently retired after nearly three decades as one of my best employees,” said Houser. “As a small business owner, I know that giving people a second chance to succeed boosts the economy and helps put communities and families back together.”

“The box” has already been removed from applications for City of Portland jobs in 2014 and Multnomah County jobs in 2007. If the council adopts the code change for all employers within city limits, Portland will join more than 50 jurisdictions and 10 states that have already banned the box, including: Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Minnesota, Hawaii, New Mexico and Colorado.

The Oregon Legislature is currently considering House Bill 3025, currently awaiting hearing in the House Committee on Business and Labor, would make it illegal for all employers in Oregon to use job application forms to ask about criminal history or disqualify an applicant from employment because of a prior conviction unless the conviction is job-related.

Workers, Small Business Owners, Public Health Experts Show Support for Paid Sick Time at Legislative Hearing

Contact: Rose King, (503) 863-1363, rose@brinkcomm.com

SB 454 and HB 2005 are good for business, good for families and good for public health

(Salem, Ore.)—The Senate Committee on Workforce and the House Committee on Business and Labor tonight held a joint public hearing on proposed legislation that would ensure all working Oregonians have access to a reasonable amount of paid sick time where they work. Senate Bill 454 and House Bill 2005, co-sponsored by Senator Steiner Hayward of Beaverton and Representative Vega Pederson of Portland, will promote public health and the economic security of Oregon families.

More than 300 people turned out to the hearing with a strong showing among supporters of the bills—including workers, business owners, public health experts, community members, organizations, schoolteachers and more.

“By ensuring every working Oregonian can afford to stay home when sick, we can strengthen the economic security of families, keep workplaces healthy and productive, and businesses strong,” said Representative Vega Pederson.

A broad coalition submitted testimony in support of the bill, including: Andrea Paluso, Executive Director of Family Forward Oregon and Chair of the Everybody Benefits Coalition; Stephen Michael, State Director for the Main Street Alliance of Oregon; Anna Stiefvater, public health nurse and Oregon Public Health Association representative; and Jim Houser, owner of Hawthorne Auto Clinic, whose business has provided paid sick time to staff with minimal cost and positive effects on employee productivity and morale.  

“I’m proud to say we’ve provided paid sick days since we first opened our doors more than thirty years ago,” said Houser. “The cost is low, less than one percent of payroll, and the return is high. The average tenure of our 10 full-time employees is over 16 years. That kind of employee loyalty is critical to the success of any small business.”

SB 454 and HB 2005 will create a statewide standard so workers across Oregon can both provide for and responsibly care for their own and their families’ health. Both bills will allow workers to accrue one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours (about seven days) in a year. Sick time can be used for the diagnosis, care or treatment of the worker or a member of their family or in instances of domestic violence. Both bills also protect employees from retaliation or discrimination for the use of sick time.

“Getting sick shouldn’t mean getting fired. And it shouldn’t mean having to choose to work sick or lose income your family relies on.” said Andrea Paluso of Family Forward Oregon. "This policy goes along with the same kind of workplace standards that ensure everyone, no matter where they work, has the same basic human dignities that go with earning a minimum wage, remaining safe at work, or preventing discrimination."

New data from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) shows that today, 47 percent of private sector workers in Oregon have no access to paid sick time where they work. There’s an even larger gap in access among Hispanic workers in Oregon, with 62 percent having no paid sick time.  IWPR also details how low-wage workers are less likely to have access to paid sick time than higher-paid workers. In Oregon, 82 percent of those earning more than $65,000 annually have access to paid sick time compared to 29 percent of Oregonians earning less than $20,000 annually.  Those least able to afford a day with out pay are also least likely to have access to paid sick time.  It’s another inequality in our economy that’s hurting us all.

“I work hard but still can’t get ahead,” said Kim Eggleston, a single-mom from Aloha who lacks paid sick time. “When my son or I get sick and I have to stay home, I do not get paid. Just eight hours of lost pay leaves me struggling to cover my bills.”

Both bills now await work sessions in their respective committees.

About the Everybody Benefits Coalition:

Everybody Benefits is Oregon’s campaign for paid sick time. Formed by a broad coalition of members who believe that Oregonians needs a basic workplace standard for paid sick time to protect public health and the health of our workers, our families, our healthcare system and our economy. Members include: American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Causa Oregon, Center for Intercultural Organizing, Family Forward Oregon, Main Street Alliance of Oregon, MomsRising.org, The Mother PAC, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Working Families, Service Employees International Union Local 503, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, Urban League of Portland and Working America. 

New Polls Show Majority of Oregon Voters Support Paid Sick Days, Increasing the Minimum Wage to $15, and Other Policies that Support Working Families

For more information, contact:
Mike Westling, Brink Communications
(503) 498-8161, mike@brinkcomm.com

Community-labor coalition Fair Shot for All pledges to mobilize Oregonians to stand up for key policies in the 2015 session and beyond

Portland, Ore. –  Fair Shot for All today released the results of two recent polls demonstrating strong support among likely voters both nationwide and in Oregon for policies that provide real opportunity for working families.

National Results:

The first poll, conducted by Lake Research Partners, found overwhelming support across age, gender and party lines among likely voters for paid sick days, equal pay for equal work and other policies that are necessary for today’s workforce to thrive.

Key findings from the national survey of 800 likely 2016 voters (fielded from January 12-14, 2015) include:

• 88 percent of all voters, 74 percent of Republicans and 96 percent of independents support ensuring all workers earn paid sick days. 
• By more than 2:1, voters favor state-level action on work/family policies if the federal government fails to act.

“Last week, the President called in his State of the Union for all workers to earn paid sick days and family leave – and it’s clear the President has the strong support of the American electorate on these issues,” said David Mermin, partner at Lake Research Partners. “Our recent poll reveals American voters’ strong, bipartisan support for equal pay, paid sick days and other policies that support working families.”

Oregon Results:

The second poll, conducted by GBA Strategies, found clear support among Oregon voters for proposals that support working families.

Key findings from the Oregon poll (conducted by phone on December 3-8, 2014 with a statistically representative sample of 1,000 likely Oregon voters) include:

• By a 16-point margin, a majority of Oregonians support raising the minimum wage to $15.
• 67 percent of Oregon voters (including a majority of Republican voters and at least 65 percent of likely voters in every region of the state) support requiring all employers in Oregon to provide 7 paid sick days to their employees.
• 79 percent of likely Oregon voters favor a voluntary retirement system for workers who do not have a pension or other employer-sponsored retirement account.

“Over the last few years, we have seen these same trends in dozens of polls and focus groups in Oregon,” said Michael Bocian, founding partner at GBA Strategies. “It’s clear that Oregonians are looking for leaders to deliver on policies that create opportunities for income growth and economic security.”

Memos summarizing the results of both polls are available for download: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6u7t027mafi2h1z/AAAX9EX2ewA60d1u0CECJ9Eya?dl=0

A campaign to provide opportunity to every Oregonian
 
Earlier this month, community and labor organizations from across Oregon launched Fair Shot for All, a new coalition that is supporting solutions to create economic opportunity for Oregon’s working families.

The coalition’s priorities include:

• Raising the minimum wage;
• Ensuring all Oregonians earn paid sick days;
• Ending profiling;
• Making saving for retirement easier; and
• Creating opportunities for people with prior convictions and arrests to find work.

“Together, we are mobilizing Oregonians in communities across the state and giving a voice to those who need a fair shot,” said Heather Conroy, Executive Director for coalition member SEIU Local 503. “We are standing up for key policies in the 2015 session, but the fight doesn’t end there—we will continue working on the ground to make sure that lawmakers hear from the strong majority of voters who clearly support these issues.”

Fair Shot for All includes Family Forward Oregon, SEIU, the Urban League of Portland, Oregon AFL-CIO, Center for Intercultural Organizing, Oregon Education Association, CAUSA, Basic Rights Oregon, PCUN, UFCW, Rural Organizing Project, AFSCME, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Oregon Action, and an ever-growing coalition from across Oregon.

To learn more, visit www.fairshotoregon.org
 

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Paid Sick Days Bill Introduced in Both Chambers, Marking a Key Agenda Item for the 2015 Session

Contact: Rose King, (503) 863-1363, rose@brinkcomm.com

Obama Administration to announce support for cities and states to implement paid sick days laws

(Salem, Ore.)—January 15, 2015—This week two paid sick days bills were among the first bills to be introduced in the 2015 Oregon legislative session. Senate Bill 454 and House Bill 2005 would ensure all working Oregonians can earn a reasonable number paid sick days every year. The bills— co-sponsored by Senator Steiner Hayward of Beaverton and Representative Vega Pederson of Portland— now await a hearing.

“Everybody gets sick. This is about providing a statewide standard so workers all across Oregon can both provide for and responsibly care for their health and their families,” said Andrea Paluso, Everybody Benefits Coalition Chair and Family Forward Oregon Executive Director.

On the heels of Oregon’s proposed paid sick days legislation, a statement from the Obama Administration is expected today, announcing a call to action for cities and states to pass and implement paid sick days laws.

Paid sick time has gained support all over the country in the last few years as three states and 15 cities have now passed laws and approved measures granting workers access to paid sick days. The City of Portland and the City of Eugene are among those who have passed their own city ordinances. 

“Too many Oregonians face an impossible choice when illness strikes,” said Senator Steiner Hayward, a doctor and chief co-sponsor of both bills. “We need to proactively tackle this issue now so every working Oregonian can afford to stay home when sick, see a doctor when needed or care for a child when they get ill.”

New data from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) shows that 47 percent of private sector workers in Oregon lack even a single paid sick day. There’s an even larger gap in access among Hispanic workers in Oregon with 62 percent lacking paid sick time.  IWPR also details how low-wage workers are less likely to have access to paid sick days than higher-paid workers. In Oregon, 82 percent of those earning more than $65,000 annually have access to paid sick time compared to 29 percent of Oregonians earning less than $20,000 annually.

“These bills have the potential to help us prevent poverty and reduce inequities here in Oregon,” said Representative Vega Pederson, chief co-sponsor. “Ensuring all Oregonians can earn paid sick time is a common sense solution for families who are still struggling from the recession, including low-wage workers and families of color who are hurting the most.”  

SB 454 and HB 2005 would allow workers to accrue one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours in a year. Sick time can be used for the diagnosis, care or treatment of the worker or a member of their family. Both bills protect employees from retaliation or discrimination for the use of sick time.

About the Everybody Benefits Coalition:

Everybody Benefits is Oregon’s campaign for paid sick days. Formed by a broad coalition of members who believe that Oregonians needs a basic workplace standard for paid sick days to protect the public health and the health of our workers, our families, our healthcare system and the economy. Members include: American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Causa Oregon, Center for Intercultural Organizing, Family Forward Oregon, Main Street Alliance of Oregon, MomsRising.org, The Mother PAC, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Working Families, Service Employees International Union Local 503, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, Urban League of Portland and Working America.

New Coalition Promotes Policy Solutions to Create Economic Opportunity for Oregon’s Working Families

Contact: Rose King, Rose@brinkcomm.com, 503.863.1363

Community and Labor Groups Announce
Legislative Agenda to Provide Fair Shot for All

PORTLAND, OR (January 8, 2015) – Community and labor organizations from across Oregon joined Thursday to launch Fair Shot for All, a new coalition that is supporting solutions to create economic opportunity for Oregon’s working families.

As the state’s economy begins to rebound from the recession, flawed economic policies are leaving Oregon’s working families behind and creating a financial crisis for taxpayers. It’s time to un-stack the deck so everyone has an opportunity to succeed. The people of Oregon need policies that fix our broken economy and give all of us a fair shot.

“Despite our hard work, Oregon’s economy simply isn’t working for many of us—women, people of color, LGBTQ communities, immigrants and working families,” said Tom Chamberlain, president of Oregon AFL-CIO. “By coming together to form Fair Shot for All, this broad coalition is sending a signal to lawmakers that when we pursue solutions that address inequality and create opportunity, we all benefit.”

The launch of Fair Shot for All coincided with the release of The High Cost of Low Wages in Oregon <LINK>, a new report from the University of Oregon’s Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) that details the growth of low wage work in Oregon and illuminates the financial crisis that low wage, no benefits jobs have created for working families and Oregon taxpayers.

Many Oregon families who work hard every day are still forced to rely on public safety net programs to make ends meet. The LERC report finds that 197,000 Oregonians who received public assistance in January 2014 worked the previous year. And the cost of providing this assistance is breaking the bank—taxpayers provide $1.7 billion each year to subsidize corporations’ reliance on a low-wage workforce.

“Fair Shot for All represents a broad coalition of Oregonians who want change,” said Midge Purcell, director of advocacy and public policy for the Urban League of Portland. “Change that creates economic opportunity for hardworking Oregonians. Change that fixes staggering opportunity gaps and long-standing inequalities that face communities of color. Change that provide us with the resources to take care of our families and make it easier to save the money we earn.”

During the upcoming legislative session, Fair Shot for All will push Oregon lawmakers to approve policies that stand to create real change for Oregonians.

The coalition’s priorities include:

·      Raising the minimum wage;

·      Ensuring all Oregonians earn paid sick days;

·      Ending profiling;

·      Making saving for retirement easier; and

·      Creating job opportunities for people with prior convictions and arrests.

Together, these solutions will provide every Oregonian with the opportunity to succeed and strengthen our state’s economy. 

Fair Shot for All includes Family Forward Action, the Urban League of Portland, Center for Intercultural Organizing, CAUSA, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, The Mother PAC, AFSCME, Service Employees International Union, AFL-CIO, Oregon Education Association and Oregon Action.

To learn more, visit www.fairshotoregon.org

Fair Shot Oregon Releases Candidate Questionnaire on Real Solutions for Oregon Women and Working Families

Contact: Rose King, Rose@brinkcomm.com, 503.863.1363

Innovative campaign to address outdated rules about work, wages, planning for our futures

PORTLAND, OR (October 2, 2014) – Fair Shot Oregon—a partnership of community groups and labor organizations tackling outdated and harmful rules about work, wages and planning for our futures—has just released its first candidate questionnaire. It was sent to all candidates running in state legislative races this November.

The Fair Shot Oregon Questionnaire addresses key priorities for the campaign, including: 1) raising the minimum wage; 2) ensuring all Oregonians earn paid sick days at work; 3) creating ways to make saving for retirement easier; 4) making sure women get equal pay for equal work; and 5) guaranteeing comprehensive, affordable reproductive health care for women.

Fed up with jobs that barely cover the bills and force Oregonians to choose between caring for our families and our financial security, Fair Shot Oregon will use completed questionnaires to educate voters on candidate view on these issues.

“We need to know if candidates will work to address  - not perpetuate - the challenges Oregon women and working families are experiencing every day,” said Andrea Paluso, Executive Director of Family Forward Action. “Are these the kind of leaders we can count on to give Oregonians a fair shot at getting ahead, not just getting by? Because that’s whom we need to elect.”

In addition to the questionnaire, Fair Shot Oregon is inviting candidates to attend town hall forums in Hillsboro, Medford and Salem later this month where they can make clear their views on these key issues.

“The Fair Shot Oregon Questionnaire is just one of many opportunities we are giving candidates to clarify where they stand on our issues,” said Heather Conroy, Executive Director of SEIU Local 503.

To learn more, visit www.fairshotoregon.org

About Fair Shot Oregon

Family Forward Action, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, The Mother PAC, AFSCME, Service Employees International Union, AFL-CIO, Oregon Education Association and Oregon Action have launched Fair Shot Oregon to create real solutions for Oregon women and working families. The coalition’s priorities include: 1) raising the minimum wage; 2) ensuring all Oregonians earn paid sick days; 3) creating ways to make saving for retirement easier; 4) making sure women get equal pay for equal work; and 5) guaranteeing comprehensive, affordable reproductive health care for women.

Fair Shot Oregon Releases Video of Candidate Kathy Goss’ Statements Opposing the Minimum Wage

Contact: Marian Hammond, (971) 570-7946 marian@brinkcomm.com

In the video, the Salem-area candidate for the State House of Representatives (HD 20) says the minimum wage ‘does not make sense’

SALEM, OR (September 29, 2014) – The Fair Shot Oregon coalition today released a video in which Kathy Goss, the Republican candidate for the House of Representatives (HD 20) says that she does not support the minimum wage.

In the footage—taken at a candidate debate at Western Oregon University on May 16, 2014—Goss states: “The political (sic) correct thing these days to say is ‘yes, I believe in minimum wage,’ but I’ll have to admit that’s really hard for me to swallow...to me, it does not make sense. It’s not an improvement of our economy.”

The Fair Shot coalition includes a diverse group of organizations, including SEIU, Family Forward Action, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, The Mother PAC, Oregon Education Association, AFSCME and AFL-CIO. The group is working to educate voters about where candidates stand on issues that affect women and working families, including paid sick leave, minimum wage, equal pay and retirement security.

“Oregonians working full-time at today’s minimum wage earn just under $19,000 a year – not nearly enough to provide for their families,” said Andrea Paluso, Executive Director of Family Forward Oregon. “It’s time for women and working families to get ahead, not just get by – and that means electing candidates who will stand with them. When Salem-area voters mark their ballots in the upcoming election, they need to know that Kathy Goss says she doesn’t believe in a minimum wage.”

More than 140,000 Oregon workers currently earn minimum wage, according to the state Bureau of Labor and Industries.        

 “It’s important for Oregon voters to know where candidates stand on the issues that affect their families,” said Heather Conroy, Executive Director for SEIU Local 503. “Our coalition will be working hard between now and November 4 to make sure Oregonians know who supports giving women and working families a fair shot, and who doesn’t.”

The video can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/107476270

To learn more, visit www.fairshotoregon.org