Oregon Minimum Wage Increases to $8.50 for 2011

November 24th, 2010 Posted by Amelia

The will by 10 cents per hour from to $8.50 on January 1, 2011.  Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian recently announced the increase based on a 1.15% increase in the for the year ending September 1, 2010.

 

Unlike many other states, Oregon does not have a tipped wage. are entitled to the full of $8.50 per hour.

 

This is the first increase in the since January 1, 2009. This change means that maintains the second-highest minimum wage in the nation in 2011. The highest minimum wage is in neighboring Washington , where the current rate of $8.55 will increase to $8.67 in 2011.

 

Every Oregon employer needs to update the state minimum wage and employment posters to reflect this change.

 

According to Commissioner Avakian, “This modest increase is the result of a slowly but steadily rising cost of living facing Oregon workers. By helping workers and their families preserve their purchasing power in difficult times, (more…)

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Oregon 2010 Minimum Wage

December 11th, 2009 Posted by Derrick

The Oregon will remain at in 2010, according to Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. The Commissioner recently announced that due to a decline of 1.48% in the cost of living, the would be unchanged.

 

This is the first time since 2002 that the Oregon minimum wage will not have an annual cost-of-living .

 

“Under the circumstances, a steady minimum wage is good for ’s businesses and working people,” Commissioner Avakian said. He pointed out that with the economy struggling, this would allow minimum wage employees to maintain their purchasing power and contribute to recovery. Avakian added, “At the same time, employers who are in difficult financial situations can breathe a little easier because there labor costs will remain constant.”

 

At $8.40 per hour, the is still the second highest in the nation. It is exceeded only by the Washington minimum wage of $8.55 per hour. (more…)

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2009 Oregon Minimum Wage is $8.40

January 22nd, 2009 Posted by Cara

Roughly a dozen states in the U.S. base their annual rate hikes on regional inflation levels.

 

The of Oregon is one of these. Because ’s cost of living increased by a dramatic 5.37% between August 2007 and August 2008, the rate also increased significantly.

 

The minimum wage went up 45 cents an hour on January 1, 2009, from to hourly. The is one of the largest such hikes in recent years, and results from the inflation rate.

 

“This increase is the direct result of the rapidly rising cost of living facing ,” said Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. The Commissioner added, “By helping workers and their families preserve their purchasing power in difficult times, our strong also benefits our local economies, where workers spend most of their paychecks.”

 

Some question the wisdom of a large increase during recessionary times. The law, however, was (more…)

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Oregon Minimum Wage Increases to $8.40

October 2nd, 2008 Posted by Amelia

On January 1, 2009 the Oregon will from to per hour. The of 45 cents is the largest in recent memory, spurred by high in the past year.

 

Brad Avakian announced the new rate on September 16, 2008.

 

The increase is based on the 5.37% increase in (more…)

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Oregon Minimum Wage Now $7.95

January 21st, 2008 Posted by Amelia

Labor Commissioner Dan Gardner announced an in ’s state on September 16, 2007. That went into effect on January 1, 2008, bringing the Oregon up 15 cents to per hour.

Prior to January 1 of this year, Oregon held the honor of second-highest state in the country. With the New Year increase, however, Oregon dropped to fourth place behind California and Massachusetts, which are tied for second at $8.00 per hour. Top honors go to Washington’s state minimum of $8.07 per hour.

Changes to Oregon’s state minimum wage are enacted on the first day of each year. The increases are calculated using the CPI () rate and rounding up to the nearest nickel.

In 2002, the Labor Commissioner led the effort to pass Ballot Measure 25 to legislate a cost of living increase in Oregon’s state minimum wage. Over 12 states followed Oregon’s lead and instituted minimum wage statutes which included cost-of-living increases.

Oregon voters began their minimum wage increase trend back in 1996. A measure to raise the minimum wage in 50 cents increments over two years, gave a total increase of $1.50 per hour. Measure 25 in 2002 established annual raises for the minimum wage and bumped the current minimum to $6.90 per hour.

Commissioner Gardner states that workers are still at a disadvantage. An advocacy group for minimum wage workers, the Oregon Center for Public Policy, reported that over the previous three years, the average pay raise was 1% for wages in the 25 lowest-paying industries. Conversely, the average pay raise in the 25 highest-paying industries ranked at 10% for the same time period.

Oregon employers needing more information can turn to BOLI, Oregon’s state Bureau of Labor and Industry. BOLI recommends all Oregon employers, supervisors, managers and human resource professionals attend BOLI’s Technical Assistance seminars. The state of Oregon declares “BOLI seminars are acclaimed as an effective and proactive way to help keep your organization in compliance with labor laws — and out of court.”

January 1, 2008 saw an increase in state minimum wage for fourteen states, including Montana, Arizona, Iowa and Delaware and ten others. These raises, however, are just the first of many increases slated for 2008.

The first of these increases will occur on July 1, 2008. Three states will enjoy a substantial raise at this time. Kentucky will add 70 cents to its minimum resulting in a new rate of $6.55. West Virginia will also see a 70 cent bump, from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour. Employees in Pennsylvania, however, will see the biggest boost, a 90 cent jump from $6.25 to $7.15

Workers in Kentucky will receive a raise in minimum wage of $6.55 per hour, a bump of 70 cents from $5.85. A 70 cent raise will also be given to minimum wage employees in West Virginia resulting in a new rate of $7.25 per hour.

On May 24, 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 into law. This law set up increases in the federal minimum wage as a three-step system. On July 24, 2008, the second step of the Fair Minimum Wage Act’s system goes into effect. The federal minimum wage will go up from $5.85 to $6.55 per hour.

Minimum wage in the District of Columbia is also tied to the federal minimum wage. The D.C. law, however, requires its minimum to be at least $1.00 more than the federal rate. On July 24, 2008, therefore, D.C.’s minimum wage rate will become $7.55 per hour, exactly $1.00 greater than the federal minimum of $6.55 per hour.

Employers must be aware that when any labor laws change, either state or federal, they must update their labor law posters. For more information businesses can go to www.laborlawcenter.com.

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