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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><img width="229" height="74" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D0D67E.82507A40"></b><span style="mso-fareast-language:AR-SA"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">August 14, 2015<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONTACT: Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788 <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="color:#363636">Avakian warns of labor compliance poster scam</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i>Businesses don’t need to buy employment posters that are already available free online<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><b><span style="color:black">PORTLAND, OR—</span></b><span style="color:black">Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian today warned businesses about compliance poster solicitations that may look official,
but in fact are scams that seek to charge employers $84 for posters that are already free on the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) website.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black">BOLI’s Technical Assistance for Employers Program offers free online access to all required posters
<a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/TA/Pages/T_Tabooks.aspx">here</a>, as well as
<a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/TA/docs/TA-POF.pdf">low-cost composites</a> for easy workplace posting. The agency offers composite posters in both English and Spanish for just $12.50 plus shipping.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black">“We want Oregon businesses to be successful – not scammed by look-alike vendors selling expensive posters already offered by our agency for free,” said Labor Commissioner
Avakian. “Employers can get what they need from our website and avoid these rip-offs.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black">An example of the scam letter targeting businesses can be found
<a href="http://sos.oregon.gov/business/Pages/employment-poster-scam.aspx">here</a>. The solicitations are addressed from “<b>Oregon State Compliance</b>” and charge $84 per poster.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black">“The best place to get information about legal requirements is from the agency that helps employers comply with the law,” said Jennifer Germundson, manager of the Technical
Assistance Program. “We work to be a resource for employers as they navigate state and federal labor laws and workplace protections.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black">Each year, the agency’s employer hotline responds to more than 15,000 calls from employers seeking guidance on Wage and Hour and Civil Rights laws. Businesses can contact
the free hotline at (971) 673-0824.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black"><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/TA/docs/TA-SRF-2015.pdf">Registration</a> for the program’s 31<sup>st</sup> Annual Employment Conference will begin Sept. 1. Compliance
experts will hold the conference in NE Portland at the Convention Center on Nov. 2 - 3.
<o:p></o:p></span></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
<span style="color:black">protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination</span>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">###<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Charlie Burr<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Communications Director<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 1045<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Portland, Oregon 97232<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tel: 971-673-0788<o:p></o:p></p>
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