Oregon labor laws for employers (2026)

What Oregon employers need to know

Oregon sets three minimum wages by region and adjusts them every July 1: $16.80 in the Portland metro area, $15.55 in standard counties, and $14.55 in nonurban counties. It's also the only state with a statewide predictive scheduling law, which covers large retail, hospitality, and food service employers. Oregon allows no tip credit, requires paid sick time, and runs Paid Leave Oregon for family and medical leave.

Oregon minimum wage

Pay the highest rate that applies where the employee works: federal, state, or local. For comparison, neighboring states pay Washington ($17.13), Idaho ($7.25), Nevada ($12.00), California ($16.90). See every state side by side in our minimum wage by state table, and convert between hourly and annual pay with the salary to hourly calculator.

Oregon overtime rules

Overtime after 40 hours in a week. Manufacturing establishments also owe overtime after 10 hours in a day, and some industries have their own daily limits.

Exempt salary test: the federal minimum of $684 a week ($35,568 a year) applies. Duties tests apply too, so job titles alone don't make someone exempt.

Work out overtime owed with our overtime calculator, compare states in overtime laws by state, and check classification with our guide to exempt vs non-exempt employees.

Oregon meal and rest break laws

Meal breaks: A 30-minute unpaid meal period for work periods of 6 hours or more, timed according to shift length.

Rest breaks: A paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked or major part of 4 hours, separate from the meal period.

Many states have stricter break rules for minors. Compare adult rules nationwide in break laws by state, and total up shifts with the time card calculator.

Oregon final paycheck law

Build the deadline into your offboarding checklist. Our offboarding guide covers the full process, the PTO payout calculator works out the amount, and the final paycheck laws by state table compares every state.

Oregon paid sick leave and family leave

Paid sick leave: Oregon Sick Time: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year. Employers with 10 or more employees (6 or more in Portland) must pay for it.

Paid family and medical leave: Paid Leave Oregon: up to 12 weeks of paid family, medical, or safe leave (up to 14 for pregnancy-related needs), funded by contributions from employers with 25 or more employees and from employees.

Federal FMLA: employers with 50 or more employees within 75 miles must also give eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave. Read our FMLA guide, and compare states in paid leave laws by state.

Hiring, pay transparency, and payroll setup

Pay transparency: No statewide pay transparency law requiring pay ranges in job postings. Oregon does ban salary history questions.

New hire reporting: Report each new hire within 20 days of the hire date, the federal deadline.

State income tax withholding: Yes. Register with the state tax agency before the first payroll.

Our pay transparency laws guide explains posting rules in more depth, and our job description templates include pay data for 50 common roles.

What trips up Oregon employers

• Minimum wage depends on the county where the employee works: Portland metro, standard, or nonurban.
• Large retail, hospitality, and food service employers must post schedules 14 days in advance.
• No tip credit is allowed.
• Final pay for terminated employees is due by the end of the next business day.

Sources and the agency to contact

• Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) (state labor agency)
• US Department of Labor: state minimum wage laws
• US Department of Labor: minimum wages for tipped employees by state
• US Department of Labor: state meal period requirements

General information for US employers, not legal advice. Laws change and have exceptions by industry, employer size, and city. Confirm current rules with the state agency or employment counsel before you rely on them.

Frequently asked questions