Oregon Raises Minimum Wage

Oregon’s legislature has approved a bill to raise the state’s minimum wage. Governor Kate Brown signed the bill on March 2, 2016, with increases scheduled to take effect beginning July 1, 2016.

Currently, Oregon’s minimum wage rate is $9.25 per hour statewide. The new bill divides the state into three regions: (1) areas within Portland’s urban growth boundary or other metropolitan service districts organized by the state; (2) nonurban counties specifically listed in the bill; and (3) the remaining regions of Oregon. The bill was structured in this fashion to recognize and attempt to accommodate the different economies contained within the state.

In metropolitan areas, the minimum wage will increase to $9.75 per hour on July 1, 2016, and will rise to $14.75 per hour by 2022. In nonurban counties, the rate will increase to $9.50 per hour on July 1, 2016, and will reach $12.50 per hour by 2022. For the rest of the state, on July 1, 2016, the minimum wage will rise to $9.75 per hour, and it will increase to $13.50 per hour by 2022.

Oregon’s new minimum wage rate—in addition to the most common wage and hour laws in each state, including minimum wage and overtime, meal breaks, direct deposit, payroll cards, deductions, and vacation pay—are summarized in the firm’s O-D Comply: State Wage & Hour Issues subscription materials, which are updated and provided to O-D Comply subscribers as the law changes.