State Law > Oregon > Oregon Overtime Pay Law

Oregon Overtime Pay Law

 
The state of Oregon's overtime pay law can be found in the following sections of the Oregon Revised Statutes.
Public Contracts
  • 279.334. Maximum hours of labor on public contracts; holidays; exceptions; liability to workers.
  • 279.335. Non-application of ORS 279.334 to financial institutions.
  • 279.336. Time limitation on claim for overtime; posting of circular by contractor.
  • 279.340. Overtime for labor directly employed by public employers.
Rules for Conditions of Employment
  • 653.261 Minimum employment conditions; rules; exempt employments.
Canneries, Driers and Packing Plants
  • 653.265 Overtime for persons employed in canneries, driers and packing plants.
Hospital Staffing
  • 441.162. Hospital staffing plan
  • 441.166. Maximum hours and overtime

Public Contracts

279.334. Maximum hours of labor on public contracts; holidays; exceptions; liability to workers.

(1)(a) In all cases where labor is employed by the state, county, school district, municipality, municipal corporation, or subdivision, through a contractor, no person shall be required or permitted to labor more than 10 hours in any one day, or 40 hours in any one week, except in cases of necessity, emergency, or where the public policy absolutely requires it, in which event, the person or persons so employed for excessive hours shall receive at least time and a half pay:

(A) For all overtime in excess of eight hours a day or 40 hours in any one week when the work week is five consecutive days, Monday through Friday; or

(B) For all overtime in excess of 10 hours a day or 40 hours in any one week when the work week is four consecutive days, Monday through Friday; and

(C) For all work performed on Saturday and on the following legal holidays:
(i) Each Sunday.

(ii) New Year's Day on January 1.

(iii) Memorial Day on the last Monday in May.

(iv) Independence Day on July 4.

(v) Labor Day on the first Monday in September.

(vi) Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday in November.

(vii) Christmas Day on December 25.

(b) An employer must give notice to employees who perform work under paragraph (a) of this subsection in writing, either at the time of hire or before commencement of work on the contract, or by posting a notice in a location frequented by employees, of the number of hours per day and days per week that employees may be required to work.

(2) For the purpose of this section, each time a holiday, other than Sunday, listed in subsection (1) of this section falls on Sunday, the succeeding Monday shall be recognized as a legal holiday. Each time a holiday listed in subsection (1) of this section falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be recognized as a legal holiday.

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) of this section do not apply to a contract for a public improvement or for services if the contractor is a party to a collective bargaining agreement in effect with any labor organization.

(4) When specifically agreed to under a written labor-management negotiated labor agreement, an employee may be paid at least time and a half pay for work performed on any legal holiday specified in ORS 187.010 and 187.020 that is not listed in subsection (1) of this section.

(5) This section shall not apply to labor performed in the prevention or suppression of fire under contracts and agreements made pursuant to the authority of the State Forester or the State Board of Forestry, under ORS 477.406.

(6) This section shall not apply to contracts for personal services as defined in ORS 279.051, provided that persons employed under such contracts shall receive at least time and a half pay for work performed on the legal holidays specified in subsection (1)(a)(C)(ii) to (vii) of this section and for all overtime worked in excess of 40 hours in any one week, except for individuals under these contracts who are excluded under ORS 653.010 to 653.261 or under 29 U.S.C. sections 201 to 209 from receiving overtime.

(7) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to contracts for services at a county fair or for other events authorized by a county fair board if persons employed under the contract receive at least time and a half for work in excess of 10 hours in any one day or 40 hours in any one week.

(8) (a) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to contracts for services. However, persons employed under such contracts shall receive at least time and a half pay for work performed on the legal holidays specified in a collective bargaining agreement or in subsection (1)(a)(C)(ii) to (vii) of this section and for all time worked in excess of 10 hours a day or in excess of 40 hours in a week, whichever is greater.

(b) An employer must give notice to employees who work on a contract for services in writing, either at the time of hire or before commencement of work on the contract, or by posting a notice in a location frequented by employees, of the number of hours per day and days per week that the employees may be required to work.

(9) Any contractor or subcontractor or contractor's or subcontractor's surety who violates the provisions of this section shall be liable to the employees affected in the amount of their unpaid overtime wages and in an additional amount equal to the unpaid overtime wages as liquidated damages. If the violation resulted from willful falsification of payroll records, the contractor or subcontractor or contractor's or subcontractor's surety shall be liable to the employees affected in the amount of their unpaid overtime wages and in additional amount equal to twice the unpaid overtime wages as liquidated damages.

(10) An action to enforce liability to employees under subsection (9) of this section may be brought as an action on the contractor's bond as provided for in ORS 279.536.

(11) In accordance with any applicable provision of ORS 183.310 to 183.550, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries may adopt rules to carry out the provisions of this section .

279.335. Nonapplication of ORS 279.334 to financial institutions.--ORS 279.334 does not apply to financial institutions as defined in ORS 706.005 .

279.336. Time limitation on claim for overtime; posting of circular by contractor. Where labor is employed by the state, county, school district, municipality, municipal corporation or subdivision, through another as a contractor, any worker employed by the contractor shall be foreclosed from the right to collect for any overtime provided in ORS 279.334 unless a claim for payment is filed with the contractor within 90 days from the completion of the contract, providing the contractor has:

(1) Caused a circular clearly printed in blackface pica type and containing a copy of this section to be posted in a prominent place alongside the door of the timekeeper's office or in a similar place which is readily available and freely visible to any or all workers employed on the work.

(2) Maintained such circular continuously posted from the inception to the completion of the contract on which workers are or have been employed.

279.340. Overtime for labor directly employed by public employers.

(1) Labor directly employed by any public employer as defined in ORS 243.650 shall be compensated, if budgeted funds for such purpose are available, for overtime worked in excess of 40 hours in any one week, at not less than one and one-half times the regular rate of such employment. If budgeted funds are not available for the payment of overtime, such overtime shall be allowed in compensatory time off at not less than time and a half for employment in excess of 40 hours in any one week.

(2) Nothing in this section shall prevent a labor organization under the National Labor Relations Act or ORS 243.650 to 243.782 or other employees from negotiating additional overtime pay requirements with a public employer.

Rules for Conditions of Employment

653.261 Minimum employment conditions; rules; exempt employments
(1) The Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries may adopt rules prescribing such minimum conditions of employment, excluding minimum wages, in any occupation as may be necessary for the preservation of the health of employees. The rules may include, but are not limited to, minimum meal periods and rest periods, and maximum hours of work, but not less than eight hours per day or 40 hours per week; however, after 40 hours of work in one week overtime may be paid, but in no case at a rate higher than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay of the employees when computed without benefit of commissions, overrides, spiffs and similar benefits.
(2) Nothing contained in ORS 653.010 to 653.261 shall be construed to confer authority upon the commissioner to regulate the hours of employment of employees engaged in production, harvesting, packing, curing, canning, freezing or drying any variety of agricultural crops, livestock, poultry or fish.
(3) Rules adopted by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (1) of this section do not apply to individuals employed by this state or a political subdivision or quasi-municipal corporation thereof if other provisions of law or collective bargaining agreements prescribe rules pertaining to conditions of employment referred to in subsection (1) of this section, including meal periods, rest periods, maximum hours of work and overtime.
(4) Rules adopted by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (1) of this section regarding meal periods and rest periods do not apply to nurses who provide acute care in hospital settings if provisions of collective bargaining agreements entered into by the nurses prescribe rules concerning meal periods and rest periods.
(5)(a) The commissioner shall adopt rules regarding meal periods for employees who serve food or beverages, receive tips and report the tips to the employer. (b) In rules adopted by the commissioner under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the commissioner shall permit an employee to waive a meal period. However, an employer may not coerce an employee into waiving a meal period.
(c) Notwithstanding ORS 653.256 (1), in addition to any other penalty provided by law, the commissioner may assess a civil penalty not to exceed $2,000 against an employer that the commissioner finds has coerced an employee into waiving a meal period in violation of this subsection. Each violation is a separate and distinct offense. In the case of a continuing violation, each day's continuance is a separate and distinct violation.
(d) Civil penalties authorized by this subsection shall be imposed in the manner provided in ORS 183.745. All sums collected as penalties under this subsection shall be applied and paid over as provided in ORS 653.256 (3).

Canneries, Driers and Packing Plants

653.265 Overtime for persons employed in canneries, driers and packing plants. When employed in canneries or driers or packing plants, excluding canneries or driers or packing plants located on farms and primarily processing products produced on such farms, employees shall be paid time and a half for time over 10 hours per day and piece workers shall be paid one and a half the regular prices for all work done during the time they are employed over 10 hours per day.

Hospital Staffing

441.162. Hospital staffing plan (Eff. 10/1/02).

(1) A hospital shall be responsible for the development and implementation of a written hospital-wide staffing plan for nursing services. The hospital shall have a process that ensures the consideration of input from direct care clinical staff in the development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and modification of the staffing plan. The staffing plan shall include the number, qualifications and categories of nursing staff needed for all units.

(2) The hospital shall evaluate and monitor the written staffing plan for nursing services for effectiveness and revise the plan as necessary as part of the hospital's quality assurance process. The hospital shall maintain written documentation of these quality assurance activities.

(3) The written staffing plan shall:

(a) Be based on the nursing care required by the aggregate and individual needs of patients. This nursing care shall be the major consideration in determining the number and categories of nursing staff needed.

(b) Be based on the specialized qualifications and competencies of the nursing staff. The skill mix and the competency of the staff shall ensure that the nursing care needs of the patients are met and shall ensure patient safety.

(c) Be consistent with the scopes of practice for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and the authorized duties of certified nursing assistants.

(4) The written staffing plan for nursing services shall establish minimum numbers of nursing staff, including licensed nurses and certified nursing assistants, on specified shifts. The number of nursing staff on duty shall be sufficient to ensure that the nursing care needs of each patient are met. At least one registered nurse and one other nursing care staff member must be on duty when a patient is present.

(5) A hospital shall maintain and post a list of qualified, on-call nursing staff and nursing services that may be called to provide replacement staff in the event of sickness, vacations, vacancies and other absences of nursing staff and that provides a sufficient number of replacement staff for the hospital on a regular basis.

441.164. Variances (Eff. 10/1/02). Upon request of a hospital, the Health Division may grant variances in the written staffing plan requirements based on patient care needs or the nursing practices of the hospital.

441.166. Maximum hours and overtime (Eff. 10/1/02).

(1) After a hospital learns about the need for replacement staff, the hospital shall make every reasonable effort to obtain registered nurses for unfilled hours or shifts before requiring a registered nurse to work overtime.

(2) A hospital may not require a registered nurse to work:

(a) More than two hours beyond a regularly scheduled shift; and

(b) More than 16 hours in a 24-hour time period.

(3) The provisions of this section do not apply to nursing staff needs:
(a) In the event of a national or state emergency or circumstances requiring the implementation of a facility disaster plan;

(b) In emergency circumstances identified by the Health Division by rule; or

(c) If a hospital has made reasonable efforts to contact all of the qualified, on-call nursing staff and nursing services on the list described in ORS 441.162 and is unable to obtain replacement staff in a timely manner.
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