In 2017, the Oregon legislature enacted House Bill (HB) 2005, commonly known as the “Pay Equity Bill.”  Focused on remedying discrimination against protected classes of persons (such as race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or age), HB 2005 prohibits unequal compensation to employees performing work of a comparable character.  Most of the provisions of the bill go into effect on January 1, 2019.  The Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) is tasked with adopting administrative rules to implement the new law.  BOLI has established a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to assist it in developing the rules.  On May 24, 2018, the RAC held its first meeting.  AOC’s Legal Counsel is a member of the RAC.  A long list of issues and questions were presented and discussed at the May 24 meeting. Complications with collective bargaining agreements, retirement benefits, and seniority, were just a few of the issues raised.  There is much work to be done, and the RAC plans to meet many times in an effort to reach consensus on the questions and complications that can be answered or clarified by way of administrative rules.

Contributed by: Rob Bovett | AOC Legal Counsel