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<b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><img width="272" height="88" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image003.png@01CDE43C.77D5BF80"></span></b><b><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Commissioner Brad Avakian<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Bureau of Labor & Industries<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Press Release<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For Immediate Distribution<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>December 27, 2012<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONTACT: Bob Estabrook, 503-709-0730<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">New Year’s Reminders to Oregon Employers: New Minimum Wage, and Don’t Get Scammed on Required Posters<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>PORTLAND -</b> Oregon Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian and the state’s Bureau of Labor and Industries are stressing to all employers operating in Oregon that New Year’s is the perfect time to ensure compliance with all
minimum wage and mandatory posting requirements. As <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/docs/09.17.12_BOLI_Release_-_Minimum_Wage.pdf">
BOLI announced in September</a>, Oregon’s minimum wage for 2013 is $8.95 per hour.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“BOLI is a strong supporter of Oregon’s business community,” said Avakian. “We provide these reminders, and the ongoing services of our Technical Assistance for Employers Program throughout the year, because we want Oregon employers to
be successful and we know that the best situation for workers as well as business people is to have the law followed correctly in the first place.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">BOLI is also <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/docs/10.30.12_BOLI_Release_-_TA_Posters.pdf">
re-reminding Oregon employers to be wary of notices they receive from for-profit companies selling “required” posters</a>. Such solicitations often appear to come from a government office and stress the penalties for failing to post required information while
avoiding mention that all posters are available from the enforcement agencies at no cost.
<a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/TA/Pages/Req_Post.aspx">BOLI keeps a list of required postings on its website</a>, offering print-on-demand for the posters as well as a low-cost option for composite posters
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“We consistently get a lot of questions about which posters are required for which employers,” said Jennifer Germundson, Manager of the Technical Assistance for Employers Program. “We offer the 6-in-one and 8-in-one posters for just $10
plus shipping to make sure that every Oregon employer can easily and confidently post the required information and get back to running their business.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Visit <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI">www.oregon.gov/BOLI</a> for more information about all of BOLI’s work to protect workers’ rights and support local employers in Oregon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoHeader" align="center" style="text-align:center">######<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoFooter" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoFooter" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt">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.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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