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Oregon Labor and Employment FAQs

• Q: What is the minimum wage in Oregon?
  A: The Oregon minimum wage has been at $8.40 per hour.
• Q: What Is The Federal Minimum Wage?
  A: The current federal minimum wage is $5.15 per hour. A proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $6.15 was defeated by the United States Senate in September of 1998.
• Q: So Which Minimum Wage Am I Required To Pay My Employee -- The State Or The Federal?
  A: When federal and state employment laws conflict, employers must apply whichever standard is most beneficial to the employee. Therefore, Oregon employers must pay the … More
• Q: How Much Has The Minimum Wage Increased In Recent Years?
  A: A recent minimum wage history: Federal   State   01/01/81 $3.35 01/01/81 $3.10 ­­­­ ­­­­ 01/01/86 $3.35 ­­­­ … More
• Q: Can I Pay My New Employees A Training Wage Which Is Below The Minimum Wage?
  A: No. Unlike federal law, Oregon law requires that employees receive at least minimum wage during all stages of employment. This includes any period of … More
• Q: Can I Count An Employee's Tips Against The Minimum Wage?
  A: No. Oregon law does not allow for tip credits. ORS 653.035(3)
• Q: If I Hire Minors, Do I Need To Pay Them Minimum Wage?
  A: Yes. The minimum wage laws apply to minors.
• Q: If I Pay My Employee On A Commission, Does The Minimum Wage Law Still Apply?
  A: Yes. Unless your employee falls into an exempt category, you must pay the employee at least minimum wage for all hours actually worked. This means that even with a … More
• Q: My Employee Worked 42 Hours In The Five-Day Period From Thursday Through Monday. Is He Due Two Hours Of Overtime?
  A: Not necessarily. The answer depends on the number of hours the employee worked during your workweek. A "workweek" is a regularly recurring period of seven consecutive … More
• Q: My Pay Periods End On The 15th And 30th Of Each Month. Is It Correct To Pay Overtime When The Employee Works More Than 80 Hours In The Two-Week Pay Period?
  A: No. Your pay periods are irrelevant to the overtime calculation. Pay periods and workweeks frequently differ. Pay periods may be established for any period not … More

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