Oregon Wage and Hour Laws
Employees in Oregon have certain rights under state and federal wage and hour laws, including the right to a minimum hourly wage, as well as predetermined meal and rest breaks during the workday. If your employer in Oregon has paid you less than the minimum wage, or if you weren’t paid for a rest break or meal period during which you were required to perform work duties, you may be entitled to financial compensation for unpaid wages and other damages, which a reputable Oregon wage and hour lawyer can help you pursue by filing a wage and hour lawsuit against your employer. Having an attorney on your side who has experience handling Oregon wage and hour claims can significantly improve your chances of a favorable outcome in court.
Oregon Minimum Wage Requirement
Effective July 2016, the minimum wage requirement in Oregon is $9.75 per hour, which means nonexempt employees in Oregon are entitled to an hourly wage of at least $9.75, even though the federal minimum wage rate is only $7.25. Increases in the Oregon minimum wage requirement are based on changes in the Consumer Price Index, and Senate Bill 1532, enacted by the 2016 Oregon Legislature, establishes a series of annual minimum wage rate increases through July 2022. In July 2017, the standard minimum wage rate will increase to $10.25 per hour, while the minimum wage for Portland Metro will increase to $11.25, and the minimum wage for non-urban counties will increase to $10.00. In July 2018, these rates will increase to $10.75, $12 and $10.50 per hour, respectively.
Minimum Wage for “Tipped” Employees in Oregon
In some states, employers can count the tips that employees receive as wages for the purpose of meeting their obligation to pay minimum wage to certain “tipped employees,” or employees who regularly earn tips as compensation during the course of their work. In other words, they can pay tipped employees a lower minimum wage, so long as their wages plus the tips they earn adds up to the minimum wage requirement for each hour worked. In Oregon though, state wage and hour laws specifically prohibit employers from counting tips toward the amount to be paid under the state minimum wage law, which means employers in Oregon are required to pay nonexempt employees the full state minimum wage rate before tips.
Meal Periods and Rest Breaks in Oregon
Although the Fair Labor Standards Act does not require employers to provide employees with meal or rest breaks, employers are required to comply with the law that is most generous to the employee, and, in this case, that is the state law. Oregon labor law requires employers to provide employees 18 years of age and older who are scheduled to work six or more hours in a single shift with at least a 30-minute unpaid meal period, during which they must be relieved of all work duties. Oregon employers are also required to provide employees 18 years of age and over with a paid 10-minute rest break for every four hours they work in a single shift, and employees under the age of 18 with a rest break of at least 15 minutes for every four hours they work in a single shift.
An Experienced Employment Law Attorney Can Help
Oregon wage and hour laws were created to the protect the rights of employees, and to provide civil remedies for employees who believe they have been the victim of a wage and hour law violation in Oregon. These laws set the standard for a variety of wage and hour concerns in Oregon, including the state minimum wage requirement, time deadlines for the payment of wages, and an employee’s right to meal and rest breaks during the workday. If you believe you have been the victim of a wage and hour law violation in Oregon, contact a knowledgeable Oregon employment law attorney today to discuss your legal options.
