From charlie.burr at state.or.us Mon Apr 7 09:53:07 2014 From: charlie.burr at state.or.us (Burr, Charlie) Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2014 16:53:07 +0000 Subject: NEWS RELEASE: Top 10 things to know about equal pay in Oregon Message-ID: <6376A41CAD6C3E4F8A65385BDA4072612AE5F148@D5DAG1B.D5.USA.NET> [cid:image001.png at 01CF524E.F2F5B770] For Immediate Release April 7, 2014 CONTACT: Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788 or (503) 913-5407 mobile Top 10 things to know about equal pay in Oregon PORTLAND, OR-As Equal Pay Day approaches, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) today released a countdown of top 10 things to know about equal pay in Oregon: 10. Oregon enacted our state's Equal Pay Act in 1955, eight years before the federal Equal Pay Act. 9. Women in Oregon still earn only about 79 cents to every dollar that men earn, according to the American Association of University Women. Women of color earn even less: Latina women earn 59 cents on the dollar compared to their white male counterparts. 8. More than 60-percent of minimum wage workers in Oregon are women, according to a recent report from the Oregon Council on Civil Rights. 7. An estimated 33 percent of single working mothers in Oregon live below the poverty line. 6. Mothers experience an even wider gap than women without children, earning only 60 cents on the dollar to their male counterparts. 5. Oregon's workforce is changing - with women serving as the breadwinners or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of families across the state. 4. Expensive and inadequate child care and the difficulty of caring for sick family members represent significant workplace barriers for women and working families. 3. Attracting more women and people of color to STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and investing in career training can help more Oregonians find well-paying, family wage careers. 2. According to the Shriver Report, America can add nearly a half a trillion dollars to our economy by ending the wage gap. That boost to consumer purchasing power will benefit families, communities, and our economy as a whole. 1. Oregon does not have to accept economic insecurity and wage inequality. With focused attention and ongoing commitment, our state can build a stronger, more equitable economy for everyone. "The pay gap doesn't just women and people of color, it hurts everyone," said Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. "While it's true that there's no single overarching driver of the pay gap, Oregon doesn't have to accept this disparity. We can end the pay gap and strengthen the buying power of millions of Oregonians by making this a sustained priority." ### Charlie Burr Communications Director Bureau of Labor and Industries 800 NE Oregon St., Ste. 1045 Portland, OR 97232-2180 (971) 673-0788 wk. (503) 913-5407 cell. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 3872 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From charlie.burr at state.or.us Fri Apr 11 11:35:17 2014 From: charlie.burr at state.or.us (Burr, Charlie) Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2014 18:35:17 +0000 Subject: =?Windows-1252?Q?NEWS_RELEASE:_Firm_that_didn=92t_pay_fair_wages_will_be_?= =?Windows-1252?Q?ineligible_for_public_projects?= Message-ID: <6376A41CAD6C3E4F8A65385BDA4072612AE60BEA@D5DAG1B.D5.USA.NET> [cid:image001.png at 01CF557C.F36B39B0] For Immediate Release April 11, 2014 CONTACT: Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788 or (503) 913-5407 mobile Firm that didn?t pay fair wages will be ineligible for public projects BOLI Final Order: Hard Rock Concrete, Inc. must pay fines, spend three years on debarment list PORTLAND, OR?A southern Oregon contractor who failed to pay prevailing wages will be ineligible for public works contracts for three years, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) announced today. In addition, Hard Rock Concrete, Inc. must pay $13,600 in civil penalties for failing to pay workers fair wages, the agency ruled. The BOLI Final Order is available upon request. With the debarment, the company joins more than 90 other firms that BOLI has made ineligible to work on public projects because of wage violations. A full list of debarred companies can be found here. An earlier investigation found that Hard Rock Concrete Inc. intentionally failed to pay seven contractors $8,911.02 while working as a subcontractor on a public works project in Jackson County for Hillside Elementary School. The company also filed inaccurate certified payroll reports, the BOLI Final Order affirmed. ?Oregon firms that fail to pay fair wages and keep accurate payroll shouldn?t be rewarded for intentionally skirting the rules,? said Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. ?It?s unfair to workers and all the local contractors who are operating responsibly. With this ruling, we?re taking another step toward ensuring that taxpayer money does not flow to contractors who violate Oregon?s wage laws.? Avakian encouraged other contractors to contact BOLI if they see potential violations. ?Our agency will investigate potential wage violations so that Oregon businesses that are following the rules have a level playing field on which to compete,? said Avakian. ?If you see potential violations, let our wage and hour investigators know so that we can investigate and prosecute if there?s wrongdoing.? BOLI protects Oregonians from unlawful discrimination, investigating allegations of civil rights and wage and hour laws so that Oregonians are treated in the workplace or as they go about their daily lives. ### The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public places free from discrimination. Charlie Burr Communications Director Bureau of Labor and Industries 800 NE Oregon St., Ste. 1045 Portland, OR 97232-2180 (971) 673-0788 wk. (503) 913-5407 cell. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 3872 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From charlie.burr at state.or.us Fri Apr 18 09:46:56 2014 From: charlie.burr at state.or.us (Burr, Charlie) Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2014 16:46:56 +0000 Subject: NEWS RELEASE: K&O Contracting will pay workers $65,000 and face three year debarment in BOLI settlement Message-ID: <6376A41CAD6C3E4F8A65385BDA4072612AE620FF@D5DAG1B.D5.USA.NET> [cid:image001.png at 01CF5A36.12917490] For Immediate Release April 18, 2014 CONTACT: Charlie Burr, (971) 673-0788 wk., (503) 913-5407 mobile K&O Contracting will pay workers $65,000 and face three year debarment in BOLI settlement Avakian: Settlement helps workers, adds to state's list of ineligible companies PORTLAND-An Aloha company will pay 17 employees $65,000 in a settlement with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), the agency announced today. In addition, the company and its principals will be ineligible for public works contracts for three years under the agreement. The settlement places corporate entities K&O Contracting, LLC, KO Construction, LLC - and principals Marco Rojas and Mauricio Rojas-Osornio - on the list of nearly 100 firms that may not work as contractors or subcontractors on public projects during their debarment. The settlement comes after a wage and hour investigation of two Marion County projects: South Salem High School and Pioneer Village. "This settlement directs $65,000 into the pockets of Oregon workers and adds to the state's growing list of companies ineligible for taxpayer funded projects," said Labor Commissioner Avakian. "Public projects should not subsidize firms that try to gain unfair advantage by skirting the rules." The agreement also directs $5,000 in civil penalties to the agency. An earlier complaint with BOLI's Wage and Hour Division in March 2012 alleged misclassification of workers as carpenters rather than sheet metal workers under Oregon's prevailing wage laws. As part of the wage and hour complaint, BOLI and USDOL investigators interviewed workers about potential violations. During the investigation, BOLI discovered allegations of whistleblower retaliation such as reduced hours, removal from projects and failure to rehire returning workers. Copies of the settlement available upon request. ### The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public places free from discrimination. Charlie Burr Communications Director Bureau of Labor and Industries 800 NE Oregon St., Ste. 1045 Portland, OR 97232-2180 (971) 673-0788 wk. (503) 913-5407 cell. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 3872 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From charlie.burr at state.or.us Tue Apr 29 11:39:28 2014 From: charlie.burr at state.or.us (Burr, Charlie) Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2014 18:39:28 +0000 Subject: NEWS RELEASE: BOLI Final Order: California company must pay $200,000 in race Discrimination and retaliation case Message-ID: <6376A41CAD6C3E4F8A65385BDA4072612AE654B4@D5DAG1B.D5.USA.NET> [cid:image001.png at 01CF639F.B5F9F180] For Immediate Release April 29, 2014 CONTACT: Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788 or (503) 913-5407 mobile BOLI Final Order: California company must pay $200,000 in race discrimination and retaliation case Gun threats, racial slurs and an off-hours attack contribute to hostile work environment PORTLAND, OR-Two employees of Maltby Biocontrol, Inc. (MBI) will receive $200,000 for abusive treatment, race discrimination and retaliation, the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) announced today. The agency found that Guatemalan and Hispanic employees faced unlawful discrimination and unfair treatment due to race because of the actions of a co-worker, James Bassett. The company failed to control a hostile and racist employee and retaliated against a worker for filing criminal charges related to an afterhours attack. Copies of the Final Order (Cases No. 31-13 and 34-13) are available upon request. "This Final Order should be viewed as an example of how the State of Oregon will not tolerate harassment and discrimination," said Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. "No worker should have to fear violence, endure racial slurs or face retaliation for contacting law enforcement when attacked by a racist co-worker." In April 2010, MBI employee James Bassett attacked a fellow employee, hitting him in the chest. That employee reported the incident to MBI supervisor Louis Bassett, Sr. (James Bassett's father). Later in August 2010, James Bassett fired a .45 caliber pistol and yelled out "Spanish motherf------s" as several Guatemalan and Hispanic MBI employees worked near Bassett's residence on the company property. The incident frightened the workers, but they refrained from filing a police report based on assurances from the owner of MBI that the workers would be separated from Bassett. James Bassett also routinely called co-workers "Hispanic motherf------s" and threatened them when he was upset. On September 9, 2010, James Bassett pulled in front of a co-workers car and twice tried to hit him through the window, telling him, "I'm going to kick your f---ing ass." On January 10, 2011, two Hispanic employees left the ranch and were driving home when they encountered two parked cars blocking the road. James Bassett, his brother Louis Bassett, Jr. and an unidentified third assailant beat one employee with a wooden fish bat and hit him in the left eye, causing significant swelling and injury. A girlfriend of one of the employees called the police, who arrested the Bassett brothers that evening. After being contacted about the incident, MBI owner Howard Maltby was upset that the employee had contacted police because "he knew how to control Jimmy." The incident caused employees to lose sleep and made them afraid of future attacks. MBI owner Maltby testified that he felt betrayed that employee Guevara filed a police report. On February 8, 2011, an angry Maltby called the MBI employee at 12:16 a.m. to fire him, saying: "You prefer to say with your own kind, like the Guatemalan you are. You are fired. Stay away from my properties." The Final Order directs Maltby Biocontrol, Inc., Howard Maltby and James Bassett to pay victims $150,000 and additional $50,000 from Maltby Biocontrol, Inc. and Howard Maltby for retaliation. BOLI protects Oregonians from unlawful discrimination, investigating allegations of civil rights and wage and hour laws so that Oregonians are treated in the workplace. ### Charlie Burr Communications Director Bureau of Labor and Industries 800 NE Oregon St., Ste. 1045 Portland, OR 97232-2180 (971) 673-0788 wk. (503) 913-5407 cell. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 3872 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: