[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6280957,"mediaKeyId","2608772-54d3af638bcca11cff87cd3417e4af62","parentId",2608772,"title","Bill would limit employer wage clawbacks for payroll overpayments; unions cite Workday errors, businesses urge caution","audioSeconds",1071,"startMs",4276000,"endMs",5347000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2608772-54d3af638bcca11cff87cd3417e4af62&start=4276&end=5347","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2608772-54d3af638bcca11cff87cd3417e4af62/thumbnail_4276000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6280957/Oregon/Bill-would-limit-employer-wage-clawbacks-for-payroll-overpayments-unions-cite-Workday-errors-businesses-urge-caution","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280957-0e0859765c88e14e620bb46000b3ed71/orig.mp4?Expires=1770972851&Signature=QWMxmsTngLUSxOWECtEHBOIxIpz6w0zEV9MC9e7Xk9my1ANajyT6xaF-s9ICLZ1bKJV2GG0xH0~cREolWFZt9c9j3eC7heIALl6z6U50JzzT0UNtSiZo3gnq4nr~UHJUF24w2FMeB7o0Sr1Pv4KbBKJlOq7GET~0Uj2OPwzuBznU~14TYwyDwTQKMxHdM2wx-NIF46zcA-evXNC71toWEo6dRF3L0vzpBe0XM~QdKsyErVK0i3acw4B430YO2ey7qplYAlVqSZl9kuW5ftqsANSvQ0MAzF6KcKWDINBsIPREnuedZ9TzN9yrOzzNc5rls3a1tFMof77eEvrT02ATUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-03-13T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 968 drew lengthy testimony Thursday as the committee considered whether to set limits on employer deductions to recover erroneous wage overpayments.

The dash-1 amendment presented to the committee provides a process allowing employers to recover overpayments while restricting repayment collections to wages overpaid within a 90-day look-back period and limiting automatic payroll deductions to 5% of an employee's pay in a pay period unless the employee agrees otherwise.

Chris Carpenter, counsel for the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, said the amendment establishes reasonable sideboards around when employers may deduct wages for overpayments and does not prevent employers from pursuing other legal remedies. “This just simply says that they will not be able to deduct those wages past that of if it's beyond 90 days,” Carpenter said.

Union and worker testimony described individual cases where payroll changes created large retroactive overpayment claims. Hannah Winchester recounted members who were later told they owed tens of thousands of dollars after audit adjustments, and Patricia Larios and Crystal Rodriguez, state employees, described audits and demand notices tied to the state’s Workday payroll implementation. Rodriguez said she was presented with a $14,764.98 debt after submitting her resignation and said the deduction demands violated her collective-bargaining agreement’s limits on recoveries.

Labor witnesses and union representatives argued the bill would protect workers from sudden, large payroll recoveries that can cause financial harm. “By protecting the amount of required pay deduction at 5% unless the employee elects otherwise, we can ensure that no Oregonian experiences undue financial hardship due to a paycheck error that was no fault of their own,” Winchester said.

Business groups, including Oregon Business and Industry and the Northwest Grocery Retail Association, said employers should have a path to recover bona fide overpayments and warned that the proposed notice-and-acknowledgment language could block recovery if an employee declines to acknowledge notice. OBI said the state’s public-employer agreement that used a similar approach followed extensive negotiation and that private employers may not have the payroll staff and resources to comply in the same way.

Committee discussion: Senators asked about the origins of the 90-day look-back and the 5% deduction cap; proponents pointed to Washington state's analogous rule and experience and characterized 90 days as achievable and protective for workers. Several committee members urged continued negotiations to address technical concerns raised by business groups.

Ending: The committee closed the public hearing; no vote was taken. Sponsors and opposing groups said talks would continue on notice mechanics, the employee-acknowledgment requirement and administrative details before the measure returns to the committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee On Labor and Business 03/13/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 968 would permit employers to recover erroneous overpayments but cap deductions and limit look-back to 90 days; unions and state workers described large retroactive demands tied to Workday errors, while business groups said the 90‑day limit and notice/acknowledgment rules raise legal and operational questions.","taxTitle","Labor and Business, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17989,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6280962,"Committee hears bill to require plain‑language pay explanations; employers warn of compliance burden",427,3333000,3760000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2608772-54d3af638bcca11cff87cd3417e4af62&start=3333&end=3760","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2608772-54d3af638bcca11cff87cd3417e4af62/thumbnail_3333000.jpg","/articles/6280962/Oregon/Committee-hears-bill-to-require-plainlanguage-pay-explanations-employers-warn-of-compliance-burden","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280962-c1e73fe94db399117801933f7aa060c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770972851&Signature=gbyqXHuPe~W53gw9uM1OQTzKQsknv-XBZ2LM5TU9yK5gHIrOoqzesy6or543uN3QJYpJUR7jbHqkwc4EP~yktJDADXQyBUpKEyksKQFYPHz9OjV2RSPVcHHpJ5jBbklBjAZWv3oUs5-nqIeK9o7NH9wb4rxWnAkvp1Id4WJk9TDZP~T-xwQBiI5bKYp0MgFMMxTUIHQ0d6CB6GtkAK2vajy-WMtijFMF5e8MfqOeLE0hXqjBGhA-n905LxvdJPAeSClyySby4G6hRPVU5-7OynvKfD~bPvHPetvZQLFsFPaxp4X1kNGiE61zjM10ahexmFlwMkxqlE2JALTHkAoz3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on Labor and Business on Thursday received testimony on Senate Bill 906, a bill that would require employers to provide employees a written, plain-language explanation of earnings and deductions shown on required itemized statements at the time of hire and within 14 days after an employee requests it.

Proponents from the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals said the change responds to increasingly complex payroll statements and payroll-software transitions that have left workers unable to interpret pay codes. Amanda Krause, representing OFNHP, said modern pay stubs can be full of acronyms and shorthand that make errors difficult to detect; Hannah Winchester, an OFNHP executive-board member and physical therapist, said a single pay stub she reviewed contained more than 25 different wage types. “Providing the workers of Oregon with the tools to plainly and clearly read their paycheck is a simply decent ask,” Winchester told the committee.

Business groups including Oregon Business and Industry and the Northwest Grocery Retail Association urged caution. Paloma Sparks of OBI said the dash-2 amendment that narrowed the bill was an improvement but argued full-sentence requirements and a private‑penalty regime create compliance risk, particularly for small employers that use electronic payroll providers. Amanda Dalton of the Northwest Grocery Retail Association said employers already face detailed pay-stub requirements under ORS 652.610 and warned that giving employees an ability to request explanations every pay period could create administrative burdens and potential exposure to civil penalties.

Committee discussion: Chair Taylor and others said the sponsor’s goal appeared to be a practical one — to make it easier for employees to verify pay for varying-shift work or differentials — and encouraged continued negotiation between proponents and employers. Senator Hayden raised concerns that strict look-back rules or repayment mechanics in a related bill could unintentionally discourage employers from issuing earlier pay checks; proponents and business representatives said they are working on clarifications.

Process note: Supporters told the committee proponents removed some elements from earlier drafts in response to feedback and offered to continue working with business groups on workable language. The committee closed public testimony with a request that parties continue to confer on implementation details.","Senate Bill 906 would require employers to provide plain-language explanations of pay-stub codes at hire and upon employee request; unions and workers cited confusing pay stubs and payroll errors, while business groups said the amendment may be burdensome and unclear for small employers.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6280967,"Proposal would let certified small mills grade lumber for local residential builds; industry groups warn of code conflicts",1276,1989000,3265000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2608772-54d3af638bcca11cff87cd3417e4af62&start=1989&end=3265","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2608772-54d3af638bcca11cff87cd3417e4af62/thumbnail_1989000.jpg","/articles/6280967/Oregon/Proposal-would-let-certified-small-mills-grade-lumber-for-local-residential-builds-industry-groups-warn-of-code-conflicts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280967-f40edf77ec57b2097dc6f34fa610bf21/orig.mp4?Expires=1770972851&Signature=cE4Le7f5UXNrVakhW1Rs87C1wokbn-bWqaR5hzp9DRrefRX3O6KAg4elujR6P56krs77tt2kOLIf7v~oL8jv6DrhQ0FUXp7T4ViGqB578g10-oqCvA4MY~tZZbqtuI8GSlAB0XQiJVWBYHiGrnqwH3369zzX1owu1djAqRC9u1jtdMIM38bNyFJsFkB143ESRyNSutG9FSvxXgB7JmPg52Kut6R9S3K~KSKrKqYMuODrUE9fJPG2zZoQwRdFYt9XX7I7C0EaolZqNDtU~Cd-fanzyPtp5zzbIgYhFXktyWJxo1xDU7j6QeQ7KNGgBtsj1nIppi4Q0EC8TjCxbg2BUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on Labor and Business on Thursday heard testimony on Senate Bill 1061, which would direct Oregon State University Extension, in consultation with the Forestry Education Council and the State Board of Forestry, to establish a basic lumber grading training program and allow builders, designers or owners to use lumber tested and approved by people certified under that program.

Senator Todd Nash, sponsor of the bill, said the measure aims to help small sawmills and local builders in parts of Eastern Oregon where transporting lumber to market is uneconomical. “This would be kind of a boutique type of, a manner in which we could use local lumber for local buildings,” Nash said, adding the program was modeled on long-running efforts in Wisconsin and Tennessee.

Supporters said a narrowly tailored program could create local economic opportunities and help address housing needs. Paul Harland, president of the Northeast Oregon chapter of the Oregon Small Woodlands Association, told the committee that locally milled lumber could allow landowners to use materials that otherwise would not be economically feasible to process. Union County Commissioner Paul Andres, speaking for the Eastern Oregon Counties Association, said certification for small mills, along with recertification rules, would help maintain standards while supporting rural economies.

Oregon State University’s Wood Innovation Center director Scott Levingood described the programs in Wisconsin and Tennessee as narrow, limited to 1- and 2-family dwellings and involving recertification and building-inspector oversight. “If there is interest in moving forward on a pilot project… the trainer with the University of Tennessee has said he's willing to come to Oregon to offer a couple of training sessions,” Levingood said.

Industry and standards groups urged caution. David Kretchman, president of the American Lumber Council accreditation body, said an alternate grading route could omit the consensus-based American Lumber Standard System (ALSC) checks that establish design values. “Assigning a quality level of material sawn through a certification is not sufficient to establish design values,” Kretchman said, and urged rejection of the bill as drafted.

The American Wood Council and the AWC’s regional codes manager echoed those concerns, noting Oregon building codes reference the PS 20 standard and rely on current grade marks and design properties for spans and engineered designs. “Any program created to grade lumber that does not meet that standard will make the provisions of those codes unusable,” AWC witnesses said.

Why it matters: Proponents argued the program would unlock local, often salvage, timber for small-scale homebuilding, reduce hauling emissions and support rural economic development. Opponents warned the proposal could undermine existing code compliance and structural design assumptions unless the program preserves or maps to nationally recognized design values.

Process and next steps: Committee members asked questions about moisture content, kiln-drying, inspector oversight and grading stamp confusion. Several witnesses suggested piloting training sessions and consulting the national grading bodies before finalizing statutory language. The committee closed public testimony; no vote was taken Thursday.","Senate Bill 1061 would create a basic lumber grading training through OSU Extension and allow locally graded lumber for certain 1–2 family dwellings; proponents said it supports small sawmills and local housing builds, while national grading agencies and structural-code advocates warned about design values and code compatibility.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6280972,"Senate committee hears bill to require full online pricing, DOJ backs disclosure rule",1783,151000,1934000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2608772-54d3af638bcca11cff87cd3417e4af62&start=151&end=1934","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2608772-54d3af638bcca11cff87cd3417e4af62/thumbnail_151000.jpg","/articles/6280972/Oregon/Senate-committee-hears-bill-to-require-full-online-pricing-DOJ-backs-disclosure-rule","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280972-7a4c65ba69fe41a7a0952a6d9645d04a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770972851&Signature=hlRBYm41aggDdpEtELcpUTWHWG~OARIY09bnV2Hl6Q-w1X4eugnIgvxaNGlUTHqkONCNN9XJznj836ZePFRbmGU8~XnbjEHZucO5fEd7IL6GQmtarRC-ImQqn88WzPrdVm~~KivZME~P0q7KeXl-m76fmSFlH4EskoYBV1w5hakCZMRkbHLc13Xk1jBK744XxoiJuRjf2HQ7sdZqFXywUw129p0uvNtnPSQ4wJS22BfrcuXTpskK8CGEtjHXrn2qSLfkTZnWc3uXHMaOZ3nzCSJsdLVgwcfTWdtDcIP79P7kEiy7qEO5S-6GCdQx4mT4Q9QkP2OjIWWR1CAutfan-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Committee on Labor and Business members on Thursday heard public testimony on Senate Bill 430, a measure that would require sellers offering goods or services online to display a price that includes all fees or charges a purchaser must pay to complete a transaction, with exceptions for taxes and reasonable shipping charges.

The bill’s sponsor, State Senator Floyd Brezanski, told the committee he drafted the dash-1 amendment after consulting the Department of Justice and hearing consumer complaints about so-called “gotcha” or “junk” fees. “All I’m asking is that the vendor of merchandise make certain that the consumer is fully informed before the transaction is finalized as to what is it gonna be the actual cost that you’re going to be paying,” Brezanski said.

The Department of Justice’s policy advisor Leslie Wu said the dash-1 amendment is a disclosure rule and does not prevent sellers from charging any fee; it requires clearer disclosure of the final price before a buyer confirms a purchase. “The current language of the dash-1 amendment … makes clear that that is not an allowed practice in Oregon,” Wu testified, describing drip pricing as a practice that inflates a price as shoppers navigate a site. Wu noted the proposal draws on language used in California’s statute and on an FTC rule issued in January 2025.

Why it matters: Committee members and speakers said the bill targets deceptive online pricing that can mislead consumers and siphon click traffic from legitimate sellers. Proponents said clearer upfront disclosure would allow shoppers to decide whether to complete purchases and provide a straightforward path for small-claims redress when deception occurs.

Testimony and concerns: Brezanski emphasized the bill’s carve-outs for taxes and reasonable shipping or handling charges, telling the committee these exceptions “make good sense” because sellers need a buyer’s address to calculate shipping. Senator Hayden pressed whether the bill would cover recurring or continuation charges such as automatic monthly subscriptions; Brezanski said his intent is the buyer be informed of continuation charges at the point of initial purchase. Wu added that sellers could comply by listing a convenience fee or a price range rather than hiding fees until after confirmation.

Business groups and banking associations have raised questions about where the disclosure should sit in statute and the potential impacts on national sellers. Vice Chair Bonham and others said they supported the consumer-protection goal but wanted clarity on statutory placement and carve-outs; the amendment places the rule in the state’s unlawful trade practice framework and creates a private right of action under that statute. Wu said the placement reflects existing deceptive-practices law and explained DO J’s limited enforcement resources compared with private actions.

Process note: The committee temporarily closed the public hearing on SB 430 to allow another member to return to committee business and intends to return to the measure at a later date.

Ending: No formal action or vote was taken on the bill Thursday. Committee members instructed staff and the sponsor to provide additional drafting and clarifications and signaled interest in reconvening testimony on the measure at a future meeting.","A proposal to ban 'drip pricing' and require sellers to show all non-tax, non-shipping fees before checkout drew support from the Oregon Department of Justice and consumer advocates, while banking and industry groups raised implementation concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would limit employer wage clawbacks for payroll overpayments; unions cite Workday errors, businesses urge caution

Committee hears bill to require plain‑language pay explanations; employers warn of compliance burden

Proposal would let certified small mills grade lumber for local residential builds; industry groups warn of code conflicts

Senate committee hears bill to require full online pricing, DOJ backs disclosure rule