Oregon Business & Industry exists to strengthen Oregon’s economy, in order to achieve a healthy,
prosperous and competitive Oregon for the benefit of present and future generations.
“The latest CDC guidance is welcome news for vaccinated Oregonians, and hopefully will encourage those who have yet to get their vaccine to sign up for an appointment as soon as possible,” said Sandra McDonough, president & CEO of OBI.
Gov. Brown announced on May 11 that she will fully reopen the state once the vaccine rate (adults 16+ with the first dose) hits 70% statewide. “Fully reopen” means risk levels will be eliminated, and businesses can return to normal operations, although mask and distancing requirements may continue. The governor said the state can hit that goal by late June with additional efforts to encourage broader vaccination.
“We appreciate that the governor is allowing these Oregon businesses to reopen,” said Sandra McDonough, OBI’s president and CEO. “Hopefully, this will be the end of the COVID business closures and we will move swiftly to fully reopening our state’s economy.”
On May 4, the Oregon Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) filed permanent workplace rules related to COVID. OSHA had previously adopted temporary rules on Nov. 6, 2020 and those rules were set to expire today.
This week, Gov. Kate Brown announced that 15 of Oregon’s 36 counties would be moving into the “extreme risk” category due to rising COVID cases. Under the state’s emergency plan, that means several businesses in those counties now face curtailing operations or shutting down altogether – yet again.
These latest closures – with little time for the businesses to prepare – are one more setback to business owners who have followed all the rules, keeping their customers and employees safe for more than a year.
Following a decade of robust population growth, Oregon will receive a new congressional seat for the first time in 40 years, the U.S. Census Bureau announced on Monday.
The latest COVID-19 stimulus package extends the tax credit for employers who voluntarily provide emergency paid sick leave and emergency family medical leave under the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). How does this actually work in practice?
The $6 billion in federal aid expected by state and local governments in Oregon in just a few weeks represents an unprecedented transfusion of cash that could prove transformational – if it is invested wisely.
In the aftermath of the most devastating wildfire season in recent memory, four Oregon business associations stepped up to raise needed funds to provide community-level support for displaced families and devastated businesses.
Gov. Kate Brown announced that, effective April 19, all Oregonians 16 and older can sign up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
We have reached half time in the 2021 legislative session. Controlling the ball has not been easy, so for us this is a largely game of defense.
Frontline workers, as defined by the CDC, and their families — as well as Oregonians 16+ with underlying health conditions — are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning April 5. This has raised several questions among OBI members, who are left wondering if their employees count as “frontline” or not. Here is a four-point test…
UPDATED: April 19, 2021 The Oregon Health Authority has released a comprehensive “employer toolkit” designed to help you communicate important information about vaccines to your workers, and to give them information about locations and appointments now that all Oregonians 16 and older are eligible for the vaccine. For employers, there are a few immediate steps…
Gov. Brown announced today that she is accelerating the timeline for vaccine distribution in Oregon, moving earlier-defined priority groups sooner on the timeline and clarifying that all Oregonians 16 and older will be eligible to receive shots by May 1. The new timeline is as follows: March 22: Migrant and seasonal farmworkers in counties where they are already…
Late yesterday, the Oregon Department of Revenue announced that the deadline for individual returns for tax year 2020 would be extended to May 17, 2021. The previous deadline was April 15. The announcement comes as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced an extension for federal returns to the same date, May 17. Individual taxpayers do…
OBI joined more than 40 other organizations to successfully oppose the -1 amendment to HB 2457, a concept that would require forgiven PPP loan amounts be added back as “taxable income” for Oregon businesses that used the program exactly the way it was intended.
The economic impacts from COVID-19 continue to devastate families – and we know that Oregon women are disproportionately impacted.
Today, after several weeks of negotiations, Congress completed work on a sweeping $1.9 trillion stimulus package called the American Rescue Plan. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill soon. The bill provides significant assistance to individual taxpayers, businesses and state and local government. However, despite advocacy from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and…
Presentation Slides / Naomi Johnson, attorney with Bullard Law, presented key considerations for employers as the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available to Oregonians.
Gov. Kate Brown announced that Oregonians in the agricultural and food processing industries will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning March 29, the first step toward extending vaccination eligibility more broadly to frontline workers.
Throughout the past year, Oregonians have weathered an unprecedented health and economic crisis that has devastated families and businesses in every corner of the state. With business restrictions and closures still impacting hundreds of thousands of Oregonians, we are relieved to see the positive state economic forecast.
Recent Oregonian/OregonLive stories about a proposal to cancel state tax breaks included in the federal CARES Act focus on how these breaks benefit the “top 1%” in Oregon – Oregonians who earn more than $500,000 or businesses with revenue of more than $25 million.
As a broad-based and statewide business association in Oregon, OBI has members in all four corners of our state, representing virtually every industry you can think of and employing individuals who are representative of the rich diversity of Oregon’s population.
WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris said on Thursday that the 2.5 million women who have left the work force since the beginning of the pandemic constituted a “national emergency” that could be addressed by the Biden administration’s coronavirus relief plan.
Thousands of Oregonians remain unemployed, businesses shuttered, and family incomes unstable. The public health impacts from COVID-19 top most Oregonians’ list of concerns. And even with a vaccine beginning to roll out, the end of the pandemic is likely many months away.
With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing and the public barred from the Capitol, a majority of Oregonians believe state legislators should focus on priorities, take care of critical business and leave broad legislative agendas for another time, according to a poll conducted early this month.
“Your OBI board knows businesses are experiencing unprecedented stress, and to understand it better we did a survey of our 1,600+ members to hear what is on your minds – and what matters most as we climb out of this COVID-19 recession.” — Board Chair, Karen Vineyard
Instead of prioritizing spending to meet available revenue – as many Oregonians have had to do – Gov. Kate Brown’s budget includes revenue-raising measures that are effectively tax increases aimed primarily at small Oregon businesses. Oregon Business & Industry disagrees with that approach.
A large and diverse alliance of businesses and business associations, sent the attached letter to Governor Brown, urging her to pause on any future business closures or curtailed operations.
With Election Day 2020 is behind us, the new political landscape in Oregon has come into focus.
Oregon Businesses Are Facing Unprecedented Tax Burden.
Mission of the Oregon Wheat Growers League is to represent and advocate on behalf of Oregon wheat producers at both state and federal levels.
Due to recently-passed state tax changes, Oregon businesses will see a 41% increase in state taxes by 2022, according to a new report from the nonprofit State Tax Research Institute (STRI).
Congressman Greg Walden from Oregon’s 2nd District and state Representative Caddy McKeown of Coos Bay were honored as our 2020 Statesman of the Year honorees.
“In my August column I wrote about what a challenging year this has been – a global pandemic, nationwide social unrest, a deep economic recession. And now, unimaginably, our beloved state has faced yet another crisis of historic proportions: September wildfires that devastated communities; destroying homes, businesses, and livelihoods.”
Medford Fabrication is a diverse metals fabrication, assembly and finishing services company. Medford serves many industries, some as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and others as a partner in carrying out complicated projects in sectors ranging from water treatment, pollution control, energy production and agriculture to heavy equipment manufacturing, food processing and wood products.
Looptworks is a brand providing zero-waste-to-landfill solutions and products for textiles. We work together with companies to divert excess textiles via upcycling, downcycling and closed loop solutions for pre-consumer excess or excess post-consumer goods.
“We engineer and manufacture technology that is used in some of the harshest environments on earth. That includes mining hard rock, which produces the copper that is essential to electric vehicles, renewable energy and large infrastructure projects in cities.” — Andrew Neilson, President ESCO Division, The Weir Group
“A to Z Wineworks is a wine label that purchases grapes from vineyards all over Oregon to produce and bottle our own wine.” — Sam Tannahill, Co-Founder, A to Z Wineworks
“Primarily, we manufacture high quality liquids: Beer, of course, and also a non-alcoholic CBD Elixir. In addition, we operate a pub in Bend. We brew in 50-barrel batches (1,500 gallons) and produce 30,000 barrels a year, or about 60,000 kegs.” — Tony Lawrence, Founder/Brewmaster, Boneyard Beer
August marked my eighth month as your Oregon Business & Industry chair. I stepped into this role knowing that it would be an interesting challenge leading Oregon’s broadest statewide business organization, but I never could have predicted what would be on our table today: A global pandemic, the deepest recession in almost a century, and a long-overdue national reckoning about racial equity.
OBI, OBC and PBA thank Gov. Kate Brown for her leadership in the effort to resolve the ongoing challenges in downtown Portland.
The economic impacts from COVID-19 are staggering. This is not news to any OBI member, and, indeed, I have written about these impacts in this column in previous months.
A new report detailing COVID-19’s toll on Oregon’s economy makes it clear that the virus is calling the shots. Control it, the economy gets better. Lose control, the economy gets worse.
Over the last few weeks, we have heard more about Juneteenth, and this year, perhaps more than any other, I hope we will all take a moment not just to mark this historic milestone, but also to reflect on the tremendous challenges still facing our nation in dealing with racial and economic inequities.
For more information call: Nathaniel Brown, government relations representative: nathanielbrown@oregonbusinessindustry.com or 971-219-5561 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “Across Oregon, and the nation, Americans are living through a very painful and multi-layered crisis. Some 40 million Americans, 400,000 in Oregon, have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis, and the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis brought…
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the private sector incredibly hard. Indeed, economists noted that the current COVID-19 recession is the worst since the Great Depression.
Oregon is experiencing a severe recession that will have long-term negative impacts, including severely reduced public services, if the state doesn’t immediately begin to focus on how it can support Oregon businesses in bringing back lost jobs.
In November, Oregon voters will be asked to approve a constitutional amendment to allow campaign contribution limits.
In new data released Thursday, April 16, the Oregon Employment Department stated that more than 300,000 Oregonians have been laid off with about 54,000 in the past week alone. That translates to roughly 1 in 7 Oregonians.
In coordination with the governors of Washington and California, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced on Tuesday, April 14, that she will be taking a science-based approach as she decides how to lift her Stay Home, Save Lives executive order and reopen Oregon business.
This week, the Oregon Employment Department reported it received a total of 269,900 unemployment claims in a three week period as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
In light of Gov. Brown’s announcement on Wednesday, April 9, that she would be extending K-12 and postsecondary school closures through the remainder of the school year, and that districts should be putting their Student Success Act spending plans on hold, OBI joined with dozens of other business associations to again ask for a delay in the implementation of the Corporate Activity Tax.
Over the last week, three major Oregon manufacturers said they were curtailing operations. Precision Castparts, Evraz and Greenbrier all appear to be reacting to the economic impacts of the coronavirus outbreak. Meantime, Daimler extended its Portland factory shut down that started March 25. Oregon’s Stay Home order allows manufacturers to continue operating so long as they implement social distancing…
My first few months as your OBI Board Chair have been marked by a public health crisis of unprecedented magnitude. Since the first case of the novel coronavirus in Oregon was confirmed, our communities have been enveloped in chaos, fear and uncertainty.
Gov. Kate Brown announced today that Oregon schools would remain closed for the remainder of the 2019/2020 school year, attributing that decision to the difficulty in implementing social distancing practices in a school environment.
Yesterday, April 7, Gov. Brown issued Executive Order 20-14 that extends the prohibition on dine-in food and drink consumption to align with her Stay Home, Save Lives order issued last month.
Gov. Brown has pulled together an expert panel of medical professionals, doctors and infectious disease experts from across Oregon to make recommendations on how the state continues to respond to this crisis.
New data shared by Portland economic research firm ECONorthwest has illuminated the serious impacts of COVID-19 by geography and industry.
The University of Washington has created a comprehensive website to track various COVID-19 response statistics on a state-by-state basis.
On Saturday, April 4, Gov. Kate Brown responded to a call for help from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose state is impacted particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CDC announced it was now recommending the public cover their faces with cloth masks when going to grocery stores, pharmacies, and other essential businesses where maintaining social distancing protocol can be difficult.
Beginning this morning, April 3, qualifying businesses can apply for loans under the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The federal emergency Family Medical Leave Act and sick leave related to COVID-19 went into effect on Wednesday, April 1.
Unemployment insurance claims are setting new records nationwide and Oregon is no different. The U.S. Labor Department reported 6.6 million this week.
SAIF is accepting applications for its new $10 million coronavirus worker safety fund, which is aimed at promoting employee safety, reducing injuries and decreasing exposure.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, OBI’s national-level partner, today released new guides for businesses of all sizes to secure relief under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Oregon businesses and OBI members are helping nonprofits, small businesses and vulnerable Oregonians affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by giving more than $2.5 million and in-kind equipment.
The U.S. Congress and other federal leaders are developing programs to assist businesses and workers impacted by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.
Oregon Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle this afternoon published a temporary order that will allow some Oregon manufacturers to claim an exemption to the state’s overtime limitations.
Today the House passed the $2 trillion stimulus package, also known as the CARES Act, and President Trump signed it into law this afternoon.
SAIF has approved a $10 million fund to support employee safety, reduce injuries, and decrease exposure during the coronavirus pandemic.
The federal emergency Family Medical Leave Act and sick leave related to COVID-19 goes into effect April 1.
This week, the Department of Revenue announced that it was delaying filing deadlines for corporate and personal 2019 tax returns.
In anticipation of a special legislative session next week, the chairs of the Special Joint Committee on Coronavirus Response sent a letter to legislative leadership narrowing down the longer list of 47 policy proposals to an 11-page priority list.
Unemployment insurance claims are setting new records nationwide and in Oregon. The U.S. Labor Department reported 3.2 million this week.
OBI Members: The last several days have been incredibly challenging times for Oregon businesses and our workers.
The governor, in her executive orders, has been very specific about which businesses are closed.
U.S. Senate will consider a compromise $2 trillion stimulus package to aid coronavirus response across the nation, called the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
On Monday Gov. Kate Brown issued her Stay Home, Save Lives order, asking Oregonians to stay home except for essential needs like grocery shopping and going to a pharmacy.
We expect the Oregon Legislature to meet in a special session next week to designate funding to address the pandemic’s affect in Oregon.
Gov. Kate Brown ordered additional business closures today, focusing on consumer-facing operations where social distancing practices are difficult to implement.
The letter was sent via email on Sunday, March 22. We have also included the federal guidance for critical infrastructure, as well as suggestions for additions to that guidance that reflect the characteristics of Oregon’s economy.
A letter to Gov. Kate Brown and legislative leaders outlining steps state government should take to assist the Oregon business community’s efforts to preserve jobs and maintain operations during the coronavirus crisis.
After Gov. Brown mandated most restaurants, bars and other eating establishments to close except for delivery and takeout, many businesses have shut their doors and laid off employees.
Today the Senate passed HR 6201 requiring additional paid leave provisions and tax credits to businesses, along with other relief efforts. The House passed the bill earlier this week. Click here for more detailed information from our partners at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
More than 20 business organizations have come together to outline steps state government should consider to assist the state’s business community in weathering the coronavirus situation in Oregon, protecting jobs and meeting payrolls.
Today the White House also announced guidelines further increasing social distancing measures nationwide. Similar to Gov. Brown’s order, the White House recommended people not gather in groups of more than 10 people, though its stipulation was only for the next 15 days.
Today Gov. Kate Brown announced stricter mandates to address the coronavirus situation in Oregon. That included prohibiting any events or gatherings with more than 25 people.
Finally, Gov. Brown unveiled a coordinated health care approach in the Portland-metro area designed to ensure as many beds as possible are available for patients who need them.
Today Gov. Brown also announced she is convening a Coronavirus Economic Advisory Council, which will include OBI CEO Sandra McDonough.
OBI partner hrsimple is putting on a webinar to guide employers on coronavirus in the workplace. As an OBI member you get access to it.
With concern for working parents, possibly ill employees or quarantined employees, businesses must be flexible as we address the COVID-19 situation.
Gov. Kate Brown has ordered schools throughout the state to close from Monday, March 16 through Tuesday, March 31. In a Department of Education announcement, Gov. Brown said education officials told her it has been difficult for schools to function due to student absences and workforce issues.
Oregon Business & Industry thanks Gov. Kate Brown for taking these bold steps in the pursuit of addressing the growing risk of coronavirus in Oregon.
Today, Gov. Kate Brown put forward an executive order to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon. She issued Executive Order 20-05, which outlines rules that limit large gatherings and ensure social distancing for the next four weeks.
The coronavirus situation is swiftly evolving in Oregon, the nation, and worldwide. This week Gov. Kate Brown issued statewide orders aimed to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Gov. Kate Brown’s announcement today of sweeping executive orders to implement carbon reductions sets a concerning precedent about the use of executive administrative authority absent a statutory mandate from the Legislature.
Links to resources, websites and fliers to get you the latest information on Coronavirus and tips dealing with potential outbreaks at your business.
The Oregon Business & Industry Board of Directors this week named Karen Vineyard, market executive, global commercial banking for Bank of America, as the new OBI board chair.
OBI honors Rep. Jeff Barker and Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis as Jobs Champions Second-annual award highlight of OBI Annual Meeting.
Tillamook County Creamery Association’s roots in Oregon are wide and deep. It expands to 80 farmer-owners, to 900-plus employees making cheese and more, and to communities across the country who are experiencing Tillamook products.
Greetings OBI members! I am very excited to serve as your new OBI Board chair. It is an honor to lead this organization and represent all of you, our members representing all regions, industries and people of the beautiful state of Oregon.
Happy New Year! With the arrival of 2020, so also arrives the end of my tenure as chair of OBI’s board of directors. I’ll soon be passing the torch to Karen Vineyard, OBI’s first vice chair and Bank of America Merrill Lynch market executive for global commercial banking.
Oregon is a wide ranging and diverse state, with many different regions, people and opinions. That’s why, when OBI recently conducted a poll, we did a larger than usual voter sample so we could compare how Oregonians in different regions of our state feel about how things are going.
Oregon voters are giving mixed reviews to a handful of proposed measures aimed at the 2020 general ballot, according to a survey conducted on behalf of Oregon Business & Industry (OBI) in October.
Oregon Business & Industry is welcoming a new vice president, membership development and strategic partnerships. Nancy Marquay begins in the new position at OBI in November.
It’s no surprise transportation is an important part of doing business in Oregon. We need ways to move our products into and out of the state, and within Oregon’s borders.
The 2019 Statesman Dinner was a big success! Despite obstacles that fell in our laps – like the ceiling collapse at the Portland Art Museum – we were able to rise above and dedicate a night to those who serve the state of Oregon.
Oregon Business & Industry gave its highest honors to former Gov. Ted Kulongoski and legendary Oregon businessman Gerry Frank by naming them Statesmen of the Year at the 2019 Statesman Dinner.
Friday Oct. 4 was National Manufacturing Day, and OBI celebrated by promoting our manufacturing members all week long, from Sept. 30 to Oct. 6.
Hampton Lumber is a fourth-generation, family-owned wood products manufacturer and forestland owner, with roughly 1,700 employees.
Innovations in manufacturing abound, including open source technology, artificial intelligence, automation, robotics and 3-D printing.
Things are bright for manufacturing in Oregon. The sector is growing, increasing jobs and wages for Oregon workers.
Eberhard’s Dairy produces award-winning, milk, organic milk, buttermilk, butter, cottage cheese, sour cream, and ice cream.
Pendleton Woolen Mills creates quality products that embody craftsmanship, enrich lives and connect generations.
Deschutes Brewery brews, packages and ships craft beer to 31 states within the U.S. and to several countries.
EVRAZ Oregon Steel Mills produces steel plate and coil that are then processed to make just about anything that needs steel.
Oregon Fruit Products offers canned, frozen and shelf-stable premium fruit for consumers, food service operators and ingredient sales.
Tucker Sno-Cat designs, manufactures and sells machines for snow grooming, snow removal, search and rescue, ambulance and more.
For the last few years, it’s been clear that a new day has dawned for retail. Customers no longer feel they have to go into stores.
There are actions employers can take to put the right tools and people in place to ultimately propel their companies and the manufacturing industry forward.
Oregon workers’ compensation law exempts many truck drivers who own or lease the motor vehicle equipment they drive from workers’ compensation coverage.
Board member Lori Olund, president of Miles Fiberglass and Composites, joined Congressman Kurt Schrader for a meeting to discuss the importance of the proposed US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Each legislative session seems to add to the weight of employment regulations on businesses, and the 2019 legislative session is certainly no exception.
Get a comprehensive view of unemployment tax, benefits and policy looking to 2020 and beyond at the National Unemployment Insurance Policy Conference.
For more information call: Samantha Tipler, communications specialist: 971-940-7434 Years ago, Sen. Betsy Johnson said retired Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli labeled her a “BFD.” “Time passed before I figured out he meant a ‘Business Friendly Democrat,’” Sen. Johnson said. “I am damn proud to be a BFD today and I promise to continue to…
Oregon Business & Industry celebrated jobs, employers, businesses, companies and Oregon’s economy at the 2019 Annual Meeting on Tuesday.
The past few weeks have been intense times in the Legislature and at Oregon Business & Industry, as the OBI team has been rigorously working to protect member interests in scores of bills impacting business.
The Oregon Business & Industry Board of Directors on Tuesday affirmed that, based on agreements with legislative leadership, it is neutral on the tax provisions of the Student Success legislation pending at the Legislature.
Oregon businesses care about the Earth and work every day to help the environment. On Earth Day 2019, we’re listing a few ways Oregon employers take care of the place we call home.
Oregon Business & Industry urged the Oregon Legislature to slow down in its rush to pass $2 billion in new taxes for education, and carefully weigh the impact of those new taxes and all of the other costly measures under consideration by the Legislature on the Oregon economy.
These initiatives are an important step forward in the statewide conversation on how we should finally address the pressing PERS problem, which has been draining the budgets of school districts, local government and the state for decades.
As we get deeper into the 2019 Legislative Session, a familiar specter is back: the runaway costs of the Public Employees Retirement System.
In the 2019 Oregon Legislature, lawmakers are proposing tax increases to fund $2 billion toward education. This proposal does not take into account the skyrocketing cost of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), which will likely eat up much of any new revenue generated from new taxes proposed this year.
Legislators need to hear from Oregon Business & Industry members about how an inflated family leave proposal could hurt Oregon’s economy, businesses and workers.
Oregon legislators are looking to boost education funding by $2 billion through tax increases on the business community.
In the 2019 legislative session, the OBI team is closely following tax bills and bills related to employment regulation.
Oregon Business & Industry members had the chance to communicate with Oregon legislators one-on-one during the OBI Lobby Day on Feb. 28.
Although it is only two weeks old, the 2019 legislative session has gotten off to a roaring start, with several pieces of sweeping legislation already on the table. Our OBI team is on top of it, at the Capitol every single day to make sure the perspective of Oregon business is heard in every hearing room and every office.
Oregon Business & Industry is pleased to see that the much-anticipated carbon reduction bill has finally been released so Oregonians can begin to understand the impacts of this proposed legislation.
Governor Brown’s Proposed 2019-21 Budget Gov. Kate Brown released her proposed budget on Nov. 29. This document, which highlights the governor’s priorities for the 2019/2021 fiscal biennium, will be the framework for the Legislature’s budget considerations when lawmakers convene on Jan. 22. Below please find subject-by-subject highlights from the Governor’s proposed 2019-2021 budget that are…
When the 2019 Legislature convenes, we know a number of big issues impacting your business—and your ability to grow and keep quality jobs for Oregonians—will be on the agenda. We will start the legislative session making sure your voice and concerns are heard.