From kate.newhall at state.or.us Fri Apr 1 15:37:17 2011 From: kate.newhall at state.or.us (Kate Newhall) Date: Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:37:17 -0700 Subject: NEWS RELEASE: Career Education Bill Wins Unanimous Approval in Key Committee Message-ID: <4D95F12C.2163.009B.0@boli.state.or.us> Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian Press Release For Immediate Distribution April 1, 2011 CONTACT: Kate Newhall, 503-467-1665 Career Education Bill Wins Unanimous Approval in Key Committee Bipartisan legislation to strengthen our workforce moves forward in Salem SALEM ? Bipartisan legislation to revitalize and enhance Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Oregon?s middle schools and high schools won unanimous approval in the House Education Committee today. The vote comes just one week after a broad coalition of businesses, labor unions, trade associations, educators, and elected leaders came together in the State Capitol to emphasize the importance of CTE to Oregon?s economic future. ?The best way to expand economic opportunity tomorrow is to expand educational opportunity today,? said Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian. ?Restoring practical career education in our schools will help prepare more Oregon students for living-wage jobs while ensuring more Oregon businesses have the highly skilled workers they need to succeed.? HB 3362, which already has 59 co-sponsors in the Oregon Legislature, would jump-start the revitalization of CTE in Oregon?s middle schools and high schools by: (1) establishing a grant program to fund the restoration and expansion of CTE classes; (2) facilitating the formation of future skill centers and CTE-focused charters; (3) requiring inter-agency coordination on CTE issues; and (4) fostering CTE partnerships between public schools, community colleges, universities, businesses and unions. ?Oregon?s labor movement has long been committed to providing early training opportunities for the next generation of Oregon workers,? said John Mohlis, Executive Secretary of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council. ?This bill will help us expand those efforts in partnership with the business community and our schools, enabling us to equip more students with the tools they need to earn high-wage jobs.? Restoring CTE classes will help address labor shortages and skill gaps in several industries ? such as health care, manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, and high-tech services ? and an enhanced CTE system will present students with options ranging from traditional shop classes to cutting-edge training in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. ?Oregon?s business community is uniquely positioned to help Oregon?s schools figure out how to target career training so it matches up with our greatest workforce needs,? said Frank Wall, Executive Director of the Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association. ?This legislation gives us the opportunity to rebuild our career and technical education programs in a way that maximizes the benefit for both employers and employees and provide a brighter future for our students.? The CTE bill now moves to the Joint Ways and Means Committee, where it is being championed by Vice-Chair Senator Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose). ?The long-term health of our economy depends on a strong workforce, and revitalizing vocational training is essential to that goal. I look forward to taking up this bill in the Ways and Means Committee, and I am committed to getting it to the Governor for his signature.? ###### The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 4.1.11 Press Release - CTE Bill Passes Ed Cmte.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 53186 bytes Desc: not available URL: From kate.newhall at state.or.us Wed Apr 13 13:24:39 2011 From: kate.newhall at state.or.us (Kate Newhall) Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:24:39 -0700 Subject: NEWS RELEASE: Avakian Applauds 9th Circuit Decision to Protect Farm Workers Message-ID: <4DA5A4170200009B00035648@mail.boli.state.or.us> Press Release For Immediate Distribution April 13, 2011 CONTACT: Kate Newhall, 503-467-1665 Avakian Applauds 9th Circuit Decision to Protect Farm Workers Decision affirms position taken by BOLI in amicus curiae brief filed before the court. PORTLAND ? Commissioner Avakian applauded the 9th Circuit court decision yesterday to protect the rights of farm workers forced to pay the cost of housing after being relocated to Oregon. The decision affirmed BOLI?s position, taken in an amicus curiae brief, that when Bear Creek recruited approximately 350 workers from Arizona to come to Oregon for a month long harvest season, workers could not be charged for the housing provided. The payroll deductions, that dropped workers wages well below the state?s minimum wage, were found by the court to be unlawful. ?This decision affirms BOLI?s position and protects farm workers who are relocated for temporary work,? said Commissioner Avakian. ?We wouldn?t expect someone sent out of town on a business trip to pay their own hotel costs any more than we should expect farm workers brought from out-of-state to pay their own lodging costs.? The 9th Circuit decision relied heavily on the amicus curiae brief filed on behalf of the Bureau of Labor and Industries. A critical issue in the case was an administrative rule adopted by BOLI regarding employer charges for lodging, meals and other services. Because interpretation of this rule was a centerpiece of the case, the Bureau had an obvious interest in the correct judicial interpretation of its rule. In the brief, the Bureau argued that the housing provided was not for the ?private benefit? of the employees and, as such, employees could not be charged. The court agreed and found that because Bear Creek was unable to recruit sufficient labor in the local area during peach and pear harvest, and that local housing is not available for employees coming from the outside area, its workers could not be charged for the housing provided. ?We applaud the Commissioner?s leadership in filing what turned out to be a pivotal amicus brief,? said Attorney General John Kroger. ?The Court?s decision upholds the rights of farm workers and sets a precedent for protecting vulnerable workers brought in from out-of-state.? The Bureau of Labor and Industries defends the rights of workers and citizens to equal, nondiscriminatory treatment in workplaces, housing and public accommodations and encourages and enforces compliance with state laws relating to wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment. The bureau also partners with business and labor organizations to build a skilled workforce in Oregon and trains employers to understand and comply with civil rights and other labor and employment laws. ###### -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Press Release- Avakian Appluads 9th Circuit Decision 4.13.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 132794 bytes Desc: not available URL: From bob.estabrook at state.or.us Mon Apr 25 14:14:23 2011 From: bob.estabrook at state.or.us (Bob Estabrook) Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:14:23 -0700 Subject: NEWS RELEASE: BOLI Celebrates Fair Housing Month, Releases Updated Statistics Message-ID: <4DB581BE.919A.00CA.0@boli.state.or.us> Press Release For Immediate Distribution April 25, 2011 CONTACT: Bob Estabrook, 503-709-0730 BOLI Celebrates Fair Housing Month, Releases Updated Statistics Partnership with HUD continues to deliver strong protections for tenants PORTLAND ? Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Commissioner Brad Avakian, who oversees Oregon?s Civil Rights Division, today commemorated Fair Housing Month by releasing new statistics demonstrating the continued benefits of the state-federal Fair Housing Assistance Program. The program, which has been in effect since 2008 through a partnership between BOLI and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), empowers the state?s Civil Rights Division to conduct local investigations of claims that formerly had to be routed to Seattle for disposition. ?Since we began our partnership with HUD in May 2008, the Oregon Civil Rights Division has investigated 316 complaints of unlawful housing discrimination,? Avakian said. ?By conducting these investigations closer to home, we?ve been able to provide Oregonians with a more accessible process and more timely remedies.? April 2011 marks the 43rd anniversary of the passage of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, also known as the Federal Fair Housing Act. The Act makes it unlawful to discriminate in housing transactions based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, disability, or family status. In addition to those protections, Oregon prohibits discrimination in housing transactions based on sexual orientation, marital status or source of income. ?By itself, the Fair Housing Act does not end barriers to living free from discrimination. That cause depends upon vigorous civil rights law enforcement, sustained public education, [and] working with housing providers and the real estate industry,? said HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity John Trasvi?a. ?BOLI is honored to be a partner in this hugely valuable work,? Avakian added. BOLI defends the rights of workers and citizens to equal, nondiscriminatory treatment in workplaces, housing, and public accommodations. The Civil Rights Division partners with federal agencies like HUD to ensure efficient enforcement of state and federal anti-discrimination laws. More information about BOLI and the Civil Rights Division is available here. ###### The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpg Size: 7303 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 04.25.11 BOLI Release - Fair Housing Month.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 52325 bytes Desc: not available URL: