[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6325996,"mediaKeyId","2330175-8823594ef7f1557c6ce671388aee6876","parentId",2330175,"title","Committee hears bill to add overtime details to PERS retirement notices","audioSeconds",495,"startMs",125000,"endMs",620000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2330175-8823594ef7f1557c6ce671388aee6876&start=125&end=620","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2330175-8823594ef7f1557c6ce671388aee6876/thumbnail_125000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6325996/Oregon/Committee-hears-bill-to-add-overtime-details-to-PERS-retirement-notices","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325996-2539103afa1083ae6787de964966e2c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394961&Signature=KxdB~ktSvKXvq0tK7ID1kgO7DhWRsIK-6icR4hb-WL6txG52mk9ZvBTupl4KrKvTO4aN9Li2geisa7JUiAZUnFqsd3d~7JW2Y8x7qp1IMO7wtO-9QDVy7RxEIZwfpgzQBORGEvrm0460Vc2JYnRskvRia8a29LtitNoc2dqhN97Rb-FFORXAq2PYcHEOBPrYohgOVDAwalUaDGl1kB39JqV0kdl6BNOwvigMxuMborBX3QaXyu3TD~ZVTdyUH77bc8ViQZarpaJ1TWR-wG9YGrs4Kp-MsIn8tbnI4Ft7wXvTiT71oGca8AeSQrsHzkrfxyVxCvI~wn7GlspNl2g0oQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-02-17T00:00:00Z","article","House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards Chair Graber opened a public hearing Feb. 17 on House Bill 2728, which would require the Public Employees Retirement System to include, in the written computation of a retiring member's allowance, both the total number of overtime hours worked during the period used to calculate final average salary and the number of overtime hours actually applied to that calculation. The bill would become operative Jan. 1, 2026.

Supporters said the bill closes a transparency gap that disproportionately affects tier 3 PERS members. \"This added transparency will give workers a better understanding of their retirement benefits and ensure the state is accurately tracking overtime hours,\" Susan Allen of AFSCME told the committee.

Proponents noted that tier 1 and tier 2 members already have all overtime shown on their notice of entitlement while tier 3 members generally see only up to a 300-hour limit reflected in retirement calculations. Representative Courtney Nieron, sponsor in the House, said the bill \"strengthens the existing PERS notice of entitlement by providing a clearer accounting of both the total overtime and the amount factored into the calculation.\" She added that staff in some units routinely record mandatory overtime in the 800-to-1,000-hour range in a year, yet only 300 hours are included for tier 3 beneficiaries.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about whether the omission was a historical oversight or an intentional policy choice. Susan Allen replied that the Department of Administrative Services calculates all overtime but that the notice of entitlement does not currently reflect the complete overtime accounting for tier 3 members; the bill would add that line item so members can cross-check total hours worked against the hours included in the final benefit calculation.

No formal action or vote occurred during the hearing. The committee closed the public hearing on House Bill 2728 and moved on to other bills on the agenda. The committee also noted additional written testimony and a PERS statement available online.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee On Labor and Workplace Standards 02/17/2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards Chair Graber opened a public hearing Feb. 17 on House Bill 2728, which would require the Public Employees Retirement System to include, in the written computation of a retiring member's allowance, both the total number of overtime hours worked during the period used to calculate final average salary and the number of overtime hours actually applied to that calculation.","taxTitle","Workplace Standards, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",78401,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6325986,"Bill would create escalating fines for public employers who miss PECPA timelines; amendment removes private right of action",0,3449000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2330175-8823594ef7f1557c6ce671388aee6876&start=3449&end=3449","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2330175-8823594ef7f1557c6ce671388aee6876/thumbnail_3449000.jpg","/articles/6325986/Oregon/Bill-would-create-escalating-fines-for-public-employers-who-miss-PECPA-timelines-amendment-removes-private-right-of-action","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325986-3d1ea00dd8f10609374c50cbf2bf6dd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394961&Signature=Amm6YmT9j35O8GsV1qTxRXeJT3C0OXyUzxbGdQqSrUUn~LqEAnqW-RrLvb6GswnePJ7BaGyOeJMz3m5wuyQz7CEjSPpBk1M4wV2eJgctvtO4kT2GC8Ia2y9HxVOwzOcjz5sXg-ZWPg1YoyCRZB9TyDZyw3GK-XKUicsZvb~Ck~WQhmvPvl~mR6zrh9TgtrZcmhebdt74ZcOrfExgI456liTJt6p0LjrI0SKm153ZquW-3qQnOUaYBhyit-2XClkHywMlTBzCZKDkpKfxMpR2UgVD7RDuIlJR5XN18jJ6nTz4tU2-D2ttlLghp315aGJ-y0vb7Rsnb~9LE5PN0cmP5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards opened a public hearing Feb. 17 on House Bill 2944, legislation intended to increase enforcement and accountability for public employers required to comply with timelines in the Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act (PECPA). The bill would provide an escalating fine structure for employers who are chronically late remitting union dues or failing to provide required employee roster information.

Sponsor Representative Travis Nelson said the bill \"is not about creating new rules\" but about enforcing the timelines adopted in 2019 and ensuring unions receive timely dues transfers and quarterly rosters. The dash-1 amendment removes a private right of action so enforcement would proceed through the Employment Relations Board (ERB) and directs civil penalties to the Wage Security Fund rather than creating a direct funding flow to unions.

Supporters, including the Oregon AFL-CIO and union witnesses, said the enforcement mechanism is necessary because a small number of employers chronically fail to remit dues and provide rosters in a timely fashion, which weakens unions' ability to represent members. \"Policy is only as good as its enforcement,\" Katie Tyson of the Oregon AFL-CIO said.

The League of Oregon Cities raised concerns about the bill as drafted. Scott Winkles asked the committee to allow ERB discretion when levying fines and to consider a \"not to exceed\" structure or other scaling because mandatory fines could impose disproportionate burdens on small jurisdictions that have experienced ransomware attacks, natural disasters, or other extenuating circumstances. Committee members also asked technical questions about the Wage Security Fund, including what the fund currently finances and whether civil penalties would alter existing programs funded through that account.

Representatives and staff from legislative offices and unions said they are working with the League to refine fine amounts and mechanics for small jurisdictions. No formal committee action was taken during the hearing; the committee closed the public hearing on House Bill 2944 and indicated the measure includes a dash-1 amendment that removes the private right of action and sends fines to the Wage Security Fund.","House Bill 2944 would direct the Employment Relations Board to impose civil penalties on public employers that fail to meet certain timelines in the Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act and would direct fines to the Wage Security Fund; a dash-1 amendment removes a private right of action and refines where penalty funds are deposited",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":46,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6325991,"Lawmakers and workers press for change to PERS overtime cap calculations for mandatory-overtime jobs",2815,3435000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2330175-8823594ef7f1557c6ce671388aee6876&start=620&end=3435","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2330175-8823594ef7f1557c6ce671388aee6876/thumbnail_620000.jpg","/articles/6325991/Oregon/Lawmakers-and-workers-press-for-change-to-PERS-overtime-cap-calculations-for-mandatory-overtime-jobs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325991-295ca6563635f54b7fac54e1466c0769/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394961&Signature=gvpWsMkhTnAhSYHLzmK1ifr4x0YwYxicfgasvIVS2FGkWFZmYI0xscsWrHlIFrrR3UG75B6R4zyKL0o4y6OqGXHVmRV9WNbGD5UX0us2ObG9Dlw9X1dSAKI5ifhoBln4rph4Z6FR9zYHQN9q-lK4Bn3hma3xDTBB5U-~~2OeftSQYOXsRba8RciL6h988aowCsLEDKJgbpf7WOKZcdZYkgcfQ0LvVdr1Goka2XqelLFi3nF-gYtIG8tmKLQToQQxktN5FsKagtffHsdyd62AcXIcc5T~hU1Z1U0txNGOuz~38lMA57aVxe8FkQw1ik9AbnadD9qcj25vZvzT-m8g1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards members heard extensive testimony Feb. 17 on House Bill 3363, a proposal to clarify how the overtime cap that applies to tier 3 PERS members is calculated and to require recalculation when actual overtime averages materially exceed the statutory cap.

Sponsor Representative Courtney Nieron described the bill as a \"course correction\" for tier 3 public employees who now often see only 300 overtime hours counted toward their final PERS calculation even though some workers routinely accrue far more. \"That doesn't mean that they are capped at working more than 300 hours. It simply means they can only claim 300 hours on retirement paperwork,\" she told the committee.

The bill retains the existing statutory concept that the Department of Administrative Services may establish different overtime averages by class and geography, and it sets a trigger for recalculation: if the actual class average exceeds the current cap by 5%, the agency must recalculate the cap using actual hours worked and distinguish overtime by class. Supporters said the change would better align retirement benefits with the realities of mandatory overtime in 24/7 public institutions.

Multiple legislators and dozens of frontline employees from corrections, state hospitals and crisis units testified in support. Senator James Ivory Manning Jr., a former corrections officer, said officers \"can't turn it down\" and cited workloads of \"800 to a thousand hours\" of mandatory overtime. Senator Gorsuch told the committee that Coffee Creek Correctional Facility alone reported about 7,500 overtime hours per month and that the state-run prison system houses roughly 12,000 adults in custody and employs about 4,450 people, slightly more than half as security staff.

Union and frontline witnesses described recurring practices such as \"bucketing\" (assigning employees unexpected double shifts), chronic vacancy rates and the effects on families, safety and staff health. Correctional counselor Kate Oldfield, representing Local 2376 AFSCME, said she has \"come home safely 2,210 nights\" because coworkers respond when they are called for help, but she described loss in life expectancy and family disruptions tied to the work. Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution officer Donald Carlisle said EOCI had 277 open positions the week he testified, creating 2,216 hours of overtime that week alone.

Nurses and crisis staff at Oregon State Hospital and the Stabilization and Crisis Unit testified that their facilities average comparable overtime. David Lynch, a registered nurse and union president at OSH, told the committee nursing staff averaged \"1,000 hours of mandatory overtime a week\" during a recent period and described how rotating mandatory shifts erode mental and physical health.

Supporters said HB 3363 is intended to improve retention and safety by ensuring retirement calculations reflect actual hours worked. Some committee members and witnesses cautioned the bill does not, on its own, solve underlying staffing shortages; Representative Boshart-Davis said removing the cap \"is not a recruiting tool\" and urged attention to root causes such as recruitment and staffing policy.

The committee closed the public hearing on HB 3363 without taking a vote. Several legislators and witnesses asked the committee to advance the concept and to consider additional measures to address staffing and safety in affected agencies.","House Bill 3363 would clarify how the 300-hour overtime cap for tier 3 PERS members is calculated and require the Department of Administrative Services to use actual overtime averages by class and geography; corrections, mental health and crisis workers described sustained mandatory overtime, safety concerns and staffing gaps","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears bill to add overtime details to PERS retirement notices

Bill would create escalating fines for public employers who miss PECPA timelines; amendment removes private right of action

Lawmakers and workers press for change to PERS overtime cap calculations for mandatory-overtime jobs