Employees who have an employee-employer relationships with their employer have important wage and hour protections. Employees need to be familiar with what those protections are so they can ensure they receive the pay they have earned.
Protections in Oregon
Wage and hour protections are important because they help ensure that employees receive the compensation they have earned for a hard day’s work. Violations of wage and hour laws can result in employees being shorted. In Oregon, employees should generally not be paid less than $14.75 in the Portland urban growth boundary; $13.50 as the state standard; and $12.50 per hour in nonurban counties, however, these wages are adjusted annually.
Employees also have important overtime rights. Overtime generally must be paid at the rate of one and one-half times the employee’s regular rate of pay. Any hours worked in addition to 40 hours a week are considered overtime hours and must be paid at the overtime rate. Paid time off is not permitted as a substitute for overtime pay.
Overtime rules may not apply to all employees and some workers may be considered exempt. Additionally, wage and hour laws and overtime protections do not apply to independent contractors and may not apply to some other categories of workers. There are special overtime rules that may apply to certain categories of employers. Wage and hour protections also include rest and break protections employees should understand.
Most employees rely on their jobs to support themselves and their families and to care for themselves and their families. Employment laws can help protect their rights, including rights related to their wages and compensation, which are important for workers to be aware of.