2021 Oregon Revised Statutes
Chapter 652 - Hours; Wages; Wage Claims; Records
Section 652.210 - Definitions for ORS 652.210 to 652.235.


(1)(a) "Compensation" includes wages, salary, bonuses, benefits, fringe benefits and equity-based compensation.
(b) "Compensation" does not include vaccine incentives.
(2) "Employee" means any individual who, otherwise than as a copartner of the employer, as an independent contractor or as a participant in a work training program administered under the state or federal assistance laws, renders personal services wholly or partly in this state to an employer who pays or agrees to pay such individual at a fixed rate. However, when services are rendered only partly in this state, an individual is not an employee unless the contract of employment of the employee has been entered into, or payments thereunder are ordinarily made or to be made, within this state.
(3)(a) "Employer" means any person employing one or more employees, including the State of Oregon or any political subdivision thereof or any county, city, district, authority, public corporation or entity and any of their instrumentalities organized and existing under law or charter.
(b) "Employer" does not include the federal government.
(4) "Equal-pay analysis" means an evaluation process to assess and correct wage disparities among employees who perform work of comparable character.
(5) "Gender identity" has the meaning given that term in ORS 174.100.
(6) "Protected class" means a group of persons distinguished by race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or age.
(7) "Public health emergency" means:
(a) A public health emergency declared under ORS 433.441.
(b) An emergency declared under ORS 401.165 if related to a public health emergency as defined in ORS 433.442.
(8) "Rate" with reference to wages means:
(a) The basis of compensation for services by an employee for an employer; and
(b) Compensation based on the time spent in the performance of the services, on the number of operations accomplished or on the quantity produced or handled.
(9) "Sexual orientation" has the meaning given that term in ORS 174.100.
(10) "System" means a consistent and verifiable method in use at the time that a violation is alleged under ORS 652.220.
(11) "Unpaid wages" means the difference between the wages actually paid to an employee and the wages required under ORS 652.220 to be paid to the employee.
(12) "Vaccine incentives" means monetary or nonmonetary incentives, including but not limited to additional paid time off or protected time off from work provided by employers to employees who have been immunized against infectious diseases for which a public health emergency has been declared.
(13) "Veteran status" means an individual is a veteran as defined in ORS 408.225.
(14) "Wages" means all compensation for performance of service by an employee for an employer, whether paid by the employer or another person, or paid in cash or any medium other than cash.
(15) "Working conditions" includes work environment, hours, time of day, physical surroundings and potential hazards encountered by an employee.
(16) "Work of comparable character" means work that requires substantially similar knowledge, skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions in the performance of work, regardless of job description or job title. [1955 c.193 §1; 1985 c.100 §1; 1987 c.158 §124; 1993 c.739 §25; 2005 c.22 §457; 2017 c.197 §1; 2019 c.617 §1; 2021 c.363 §§2,3,4; 2021 c.367 §29]
Note: The amendments to 652.210 by section 4, chapter 363, Oregon Laws 2021, become operative March 1, 2022. See section 6, chapter 363, Oregon Laws 2021. The text that is operative until March 1, 2022, including amendments by sections 2 and 3, chapter 363, Oregon Laws 2021, and section 29, chapter 367, Oregon Laws 2021, is set forth for the user’s convenience. As used in ORS 652.210 to 652.235, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1)(a) "Compensation" includes wages, salary, bonuses, benefits, fringe benefits and equity-based compensation.
(b) "Compensation" does not include:
(A) Vaccine incentives.
(B) A hiring bonus offered to a prospective employee.
(C) A retention bonus offered to an employee.
(2) "Employee" means any individual who, otherwise than as a copartner of the employer, as an independent contractor or as a participant in a work training program administered under the state or federal assistance laws, renders personal services wholly or partly in this state to an employer who pays or agrees to pay such individual at a fixed rate. However, when services are rendered only partly in this state, an individual is not an employee unless the contract of employment of the employee has been entered into, or payments thereunder are ordinarily made or to be made, within this state.
(3)(a) "Employer" means any person employing one or more employees, including the State of Oregon or any political subdivision thereof or any county, city, district, authority, public corporation or entity and any of their instrumentalities organized and existing under law or charter.
(b) "Employer" does not include the federal government.
(4) "Equal-pay analysis" means an evaluation process to assess and correct wage disparities among employees who perform work of comparable character.
(5) "Gender identity" has the meaning given that term in ORS 174.100.
(6) "Protected class" means a group of persons distinguished by race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or age.
(7) "Public health emergency" means:
(a) A public health emergency declared under ORS 433.441.
(b) An emergency declared under ORS 401.165 if related to a public health emergency as defined in ORS 433.442.
(8) "Rate" with reference to wages means:
(a) The basis of compensation for services by an employee for an employer; and
(b) Compensation based on the time spent in the performance of the services, on the number of operations accomplished or on the quantity produced or handled.
(9) "Sexual orientation" has the meaning given that term in ORS 174.100.
(10) "System" means a consistent and verifiable method in use at the time that a violation is alleged under ORS 652.220.
(11) "Unpaid wages" means the difference between the wages actually paid to an employee and the wages required under ORS 652.220 to be paid to the employee.
(12) "Vaccine incentives" means monetary or nonmonetary incentives, including but not limited to additional paid time off or protected time off from work provided by employers to employees who have been immunized against infectious diseases for which a public health emergency has been declared.
(13) "Veteran status" means an individual is a veteran as defined in ORS 408.225.
(14) "Wages" means all compensation for performance of service by an employee for an employer, whether paid by the employer or another person, or paid in cash or any medium other than cash.
(15) "Working conditions" includes work environment, hours, time of day, physical surroundings and potential hazards encountered by an employee.
(16) "Work of comparable character" means work that requires substantially similar knowledge, skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions in the performance of work, regardless of job description or job title.
Note: Section 5, chapter 363, Oregon Laws 2021, provides:
Sec. 5. (1) The amendments to ORS 652.210 by section 2 of this 2021 Act apply to complaints filed with the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries and to claims filed in a circuit court on or after April 29, 2021.
(2) The amendments to ORS 652.210 by section 3 of this 2021 Act apply to complaints filed with the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries and to claims filed in a circuit court on or after May 25, 2021.
[2021 c.363 §5]

Structure 2021 Oregon Revised Statutes

2021 Oregon Revised Statutes

Volume : 16 - Trade Practices, Labor and Employment

Chapter 652 - Hours; Wages; Wage Claims; Records

Section 652.010 - Declaration of public policy concerning maximum working hours in certain industries.

Section 652.020 - Maximum working hours in certain industries; overtime hours and pay; exemptions; penalties.

Section 652.035 - Violations of certain laws relating to maximum working hours and minimum employment conditions; remedies; retaliation prohibited.

Section 652.040 - Maximum working hours in mines.

Section 652.050 - Definitions for ORS 652.050 to 652.080.

Section 652.060 - Maximum working hours for firefighters.

Section 652.070 - Overtime pay for firefighters.

Section 652.100 - False information related to hours worked or compensation received by employees; prohibited acts by employer; employee right of action; remedies for violation; penalties.

Section 652.110 - Method of paying employees; agreement on method of payment; revocation of agreement.

Section 652.120 - Establishing regular payday; pay intervals; agreement to pay wages at future date.

Section 652.125 - Bond required when failure to make timely wage payment occurs; court to enjoin business of employer failing to provide bond.

Section 652.140 - Payment of wages on termination of employment; exception for collective bargaining.

Section 652.145 - Payment of wages for seasonal farmworkers.

Section 652.150 - Penalty wage for failure to pay wages on termination of employment.

Section 652.195 - Liability for dishonored check for payment of wages; penalties.

Section 652.200 - Attorney fee in action for wages.

Section 652.210 - Definitions for ORS 652.210 to 652.235.

Section 652.220 - Prohibition of discriminatory wage rates based on sex; exceptions; employer not to discriminate against employee who is complainant.

Section 652.230 - Employee right of action against employer for unpaid wages and damages; statute of limitations; notice requirement.

Section 652.235 - Motion to disallow award of compensatory and punitive damages; equal-pay analysis of employer’s pay practices; remedies.

Section 652.260 - Payment to nurses providing home health or hospice services; rules.

Section 652.310 - Definitions of employer and employee.

Section 652.320 - Definitions for ORS 652.310 to 652.414.

Section 652.330 - Powers and duties of commissioner in enforcing wage claims; parties to wage claim action.

Section 652.332 - Administrative proceeding for wage claim collection; court enforcement and review; rules.

Section 652.333 - Wage claims against licensed construction contractors and businesses; notice requirements.

Section 652.335 - Liability of liquor dispenser licensee for wage claims of certain individuals.

Section 652.340 - Requiring bond of employer.

Section 652.355 - Prohibition of discrimination because of wage claim or refusal to work additional hours; remedy.

Section 652.360 - Contract exempting employer from liability or penalty not valid; exceptions.

Section 652.370 - Jurisdiction of courts; proceedings in name of state.

Section 652.380 - Remedies cumulative; effect of payment or tender by employer after proceeding commenced.

Section 652.390 - Deduction of costs from wage claims; collection fees; assignment of wage claims.

Section 652.405 - Disposition of wages collected by commissioner when payment cannot be made to person entitled thereto.

Section 652.409 - Wage Security Fund; use.

Section 652.414 - Procedure for payment from fund; lien against personal property of employer; penalties; rules.

Section 652.420 - Definitions for ORS 652.420 to 652.445.

Section 652.500 - Receiver to pay accrued wages; payment of employees; receiver’s certificates.

Section 652.510 - Payment of wage claims by receivers, assignees or court; filing statement of wages due.

Section 652.520 - Form of statement of wage claim.

Section 652.530 - Serving copy of statement; report to court; order of payment.

Section 652.540 - Exception to claim; legal action on claim.

Section 652.570 - Priority of wage claims over transfers in payment of preexisting obligations; payment and subrogation of transferee.

Section 652.610 - Itemized statement of amounts and purposes of deductions; timely payment to recipient of amounts deducted.

Section 652.630 - Definitions for ORS 652.630 to 652.640.

Section 652.635 - Producers to post certain terms of employment.

Section 652.640 - Itemized statement of compensation and deductions required.

Section 652.710 - Fees collected by employer for medical care contracts are trust funds; priority on liquidation; civil penalty; rules.

Section 652.720 - Prohibited use by employer of fees for medical care contracts withheld from employee wages.

Section 652.750 - Inspection of records by employee; furnishing copy to employee; disposition of record on termination of employment; charge for copies; public safety officer records.

Section 652.752 - Federal inspections of employee verification records; employer to provide employees with advance notice of inspection.

Section 652.753 - Commissioner of Bureau of Labor and Industries to generate notice template for employers.

Section 652.755 - Rules regarding notice to employees about state and federal earned income tax credits.

Section 652.900 - Civil penalties.

Section 652.990 - Criminal penalties.