Salem – En Noviembre, Oregon OSHA presentará la segunda conferencia en español enfocada en la seguridad y salud en el lugar de trabajo, y los derechos de los trabajadores mientras trabajan. Los temas incluyen como hacer valer sus derechos en el lugar de trabajo, protección de su seguridad y salud en el trabajo y en el hogar, y cómo protegerse contra el robo de salarios.
La conferencia gratuita titulada “Seguridad y salud laboral y sus derechos en el trabajo” se llevará a cabo de 8:00 a.m. a 4:45 p.m. el martes 8 de noviembre, 2022, en las Instalaciones de la Feria del Estado de Oregon en Salem. Los presentadores incluirán profesionales de la salud y seguridad en el lugar de trabajo y otros expertos. Se ofrecerá almuerzo, exhibiciones de recursos y servicios.
"El ofrecer esta conferencia que presenta temas de seguridad y salud en el lugar de trabajo completamente en el idioma de muchos trabajadores refleja nuestra continua misión de mejorar el alcance hacia los trabajadores más vulnerables" dijo Renee Stapleton, administradora interina de Oregon OSHA.
Los interesados en asistir a esta conferencia gratuita deben preinscribirse antes del martes 1 de noviembre, 2022. Regístrese ahora. Para más información visiteOregon OSHA conferences page, envíe un correo electrónico a oregon.conferences@dcbs.oregon.gov o llame al 971-283-6415.
Los temas de la conferencia incluyen:
- Cómo hacer valer sus derechos a un lugar de trabajo seguro
- Protección de su seguridad y salud en el trabajo y en el hogar
- Cómo identificar y abordar peligros comunes en el lugar de trabajo
- Seguridad y salud en:
- La agricultura
- La construcción
- El procesamiento de alimentos
- Fabricación
- Hospitalidad
- Proveedores de cuidado a personas
- El papel del supervisor en la seguridad laboral
- Cómo protegerse contra el robo de salarios
- Programa de Protección de Denunciantes
La conferencia destaca el compromiso de Oregon OSHA de fortalecer sus esfuerzos de alcance, de romper las barreras del lenguaje, y de establecer más conexiones con trabajadores y empleadores acerca de recursos de salud y seguridad.
Visite el sitio web de Oregon OSHA Cursos de entrenamiento en español, para información acerca del Programa PESO, programa bilingüe para ayudar a empleadores que no hablan español a entrenar a los trabajadores de habla hispana acerca de asuntos de seguridad y salud en el lugar de trabajo.
Por medio de servicios técnicos, cumplimiento, consultación, educación pública y entrenamiento Oregon OSHA avanza la seguridad de todos los trabajadores de Oregon. Los trabajadores tienen derecho un lugar de trabajo seguro y saludable. Esto incluye el derecho a presentar inquietudes y quejas libre de represalias a Oregon OSHA. La Oficina del Ombudsman para los Trabajadores de Oregon (Ombuds Office for Oregon Workers), Tiene representantes independientes para ayudar a los trabajadores a comprender sus derechos de seguridad y salud en el lugar de trabajo y el sistema compensación para trabajadores. El número de teléfono gratuito de la oficina es 800-927-1271
El Programa de Comunicaciones Multiculturales del Departamento de Servicios para Consumidores y Negocios de Oregon (DCBS) brinda difusión acerca de seguridad y salud en el lugar de trabajo a las comunidades con dominio limitado del inglés. El número gratuito en español es 800-843-8086.
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Oregon OSHA, es la división del Departamento de Servicios para Consumidores y Negocios que hace cumplir las reglas de seguridad y salud en el lugar de trabajo. Oregon OSHA trabaja para mejorar la seguridad y la salud en el lugar de trabajo para todos los trabajadores de Oregon. Para más información visite www.osha.oregon.gov.
El Departamento de Servicios para Consumidores y Negocios es la agencia reguladora de negocios y protección al consumidor más grande de Oregon. Para obtener más información, visitewww.dcbs.oregon.gov.
Salem – In November, Oregon OSHA will present the second Spanish-language conference addressing workplace safety and health, and workers’ rights while on the job. Attendees will learn how to assert their rights to a safe workplace, protect their health and safety at work and at home, and to protect against wage theft.
Presenters at the free conference – titled “Occupational health and safety and your rights at work,” to be held from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, at the Oregon State Fairgrounds – will include workplace safety and health professionals, and other experts. The event will feature lunch and exhibits.
“This conference reflects our ongoing mission to improve outreach to the most vulnerable workers by offering a venue where important workplace health and safety information is provided entirely in the language of many such workers,” said Renee Stapleton, acting administrator for Oregon OSHA.
Those interested in attending this free conference must pre-register by Tuesday, Nov. 1. Register now. For more information, visit the Oregon OSHA conferences page, send an email to oregon.conferences@dcbs.oregon.gov or call 971-283-6415.
Topics include:
- Asserting your right to a safe workplace
- Protecting your health at work and at home
- Identifying and addressing common workplace hazards
- Safety and health in:
- Agriculture
- Construction
- Food processing
- Manufacturing
- Hospitality
- Caregivers
- Role of the supervisor in workplace safety
- Protecting yourself from wage theft
- Whistleblower Protection Program
The conference underscores Oregon OSHA’s commitment to bolstering its outreach efforts, breaking down language barriers, and connecting with more workers and employers about workplace health and safety resources.
Visit Oregon OSHA’s Spanish-language online training courses, and learn about the division’s PESO program, a bilingual program that helps English-speaking employers train and talk about workplace safety and health issues with Spanish-speaking workers.
Workers have a right to a safe and healthy workplace. That includes the right to raise concerns free from retaliation and to file a complaint with Oregon OSHA, which advances safety for all Oregon workers through enforcement, consultation, technical, and public education and training services. The Ombuds Office for Oregon Workers, an independent advocate, offers workers help in understanding their rights within workplace safety and health rules, and their rights within the workers’ compensation system. The office’s toll-free phone number is 800-927-1271.
Moreover, the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) Multicultural Communications Program provides outreach to communities with limited English proficiency. That outreach includes information about on-the-job safety and health. The program includes a toll-free phone number for Spanish-speaking Oregonians: 800-843-8086.
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Oregon OSHA, a division of DCBS, enforces the state's workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, go to osha.oregon.gov.
DCBS is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.oregon.gov/dcbs/.
SALEM – The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) is warning people about the uptick in student loan scams. With recent changes to federal student loan programs, scammers are bombarding borrowers with fraudulent offers for loan forgiveness and refinancing.
The division reminds people to ignore phone calls, emails, social media messages, and other unsolicited messages from people claiming they can help you get your student loans forgiven faster or telling you that you should refinance your loan. Do not accept these unexpected offers without first checking to see if the offer is legitimate. Chances are it is a scam. Scammers may use the phrases such as “pre-enrollment for all loan forgiveness” or “you must apply within the next 24 hours.”
“There are no fees associated with signing up for student loan forgiveness, so don’t fall for these scams,” said TK Keen, administrator for DFR. “Everyone will have the same opportunities and there are no ways to cut in line and get loans forgiven faster.”
There are recent and upcoming changes to federal student loans and forgiveness of loans, as well as the Biden Administration’s one time cancellation. With those changes, unfortunately, there are people who will prey on those seeking help.
“There is not yet an application available for President Biden’s relief plan,” said Lane Thompson, Oregon student loan ombuds. “People can get alerted once the program is live by visiting the U.S. Department of Education website and check the box title ‘NEWII Federal Student Loan Borrower Updates.’”
One helpful reminder is that if it is not a .gov website, it is not an official site of the federal government. The key signs to watch out for are if they tell you there is an urgency, a guarantee, and any secrecy.
“Any time the Department of Education announces changes to the student loan program, scammers come out of the woodwork,” Thompson said. “The advice remains the same: if it seems too good to be true, it likely is.”
If you have questions regarding your student loan’s eligibility, it is best to go to studentaid.gov. If you believe you received incorrect information from your servicer, email dfr.bankingproducthelp@dcbs.oregon.gov or call our consumer hotline at 888-877-4894 (toll-free).
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About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov and dfr.oregon.gov.
Salem – In separate enforcement actions, Oregon OSHA has issued fines totaling more than $144,000 to two contractors for violations – including repeat offenses – of fall protection rules at worksites in Salem and Woodburn. The violations put multiple workers at risk of serious injury or death from falls to lower levels.
The separate citations issued to Corvallis-based Iron Head Roofing LLC and Canby-based JMJ Construction LLC included the same violation of a basic safety requirement: Implementing adequate fall protection systems – such as a personal fall restraint system or other measures – where workers are exposed to falling six feet or more to a lower level.
For Iron Head Roofing, it was the fifth time since May 2019 that the company committed the same violation. For JMJ Construction, it was the fourth time since February 2020 that the company committed the same violation. The companies’ previous violations of the six-foot trigger-height requirements were cited as part of separate Oregon OSHA inspections at different worksites.
Falls are one of the leading causes of death in the construction industry.
“Fall protection saves lives,” said Renee Stapleton, acting administrator for Oregon OSHA. “It is an essential safety practice that employers must carry out when work is being done at heights. There is no excuse for neglecting it.”
The citation issued to Iron Head Roofing followed an inspection that found four of six employees working on the roof of a house in Salem with no fall protection. The citation against JMJ Construction came after an inspection found an employee installing siding on a house with no fall protection. Another employee was using a scaffold with no fall protection, according to the inspection.
Both inspections were conducted under Oregon OSHA’s emphasis program focused on fall hazards in construction. The prevention-based program accounts for the temporary nature of construction activity by directing inspectors to act based on observations while in the field, and to follow up on valid complaints and referrals.
Altogether, Oregon OSHA issued $144,900 in fines to both companies. The division’s citation to Iron Head Roofing involved a single repeat violation carrying a total proposed penalty of $78,000. The citation to JMJ Construction, which involved several violations, carried a total proposed penalty of $66,900. The violations were as follows:
Iron Head Roofing
- Fall protection systems were not in place where employees were exposed to a hazard of falling six feet or more to a lower level. It was a fifth repeat violation of the rule. Proposed penalty: $78,000.
JMJ Construction
- Fall protection systems were not in place where employees were exposed to a hazard of falling six feet or more to a lower level. It was a fourth repeat violation of the rule. Proposed penalty: $58,500.
- A portable ladder did not extend at least three feet above an upper landing. It was the first repeat violation of the rule. Proposed penalty: $4,500.
- No personal fall arrest systems or guardrail systems were put in place while a scaffold was in use. Proposed penalty: $3,900.
Under Oregon OSHA rules, penalties multiply when employers commit repeat violations. Each of the citations issued to Iron Head Roofing and JMJ Construction also included a standard penalty reduction based on the small size of the company.
Employers have 30 calendar days after receiving a citation to file an appeal.
In addition to its enforcement activities, Oregon OSHA offers employers free resources to help improve workplace safety and health. These resources include the division’s Fall Protection Suite of online video training and its A-to-Z topic page about fall protection.
The Fall Protection Suite includes courses addressing fall protection fundamentals, and construction, roofing, and ladder safety. The A-to-Z topic page about fall protection includes a fact sheet about fall protection trigger heights for construction activities.
Employers are encouraged to use free resources – available now from Oregon OSHA and involving no fault, no citations, and no penalties – for help protecting their employees:
Consultation services – Provides free and confidential help with safety and health programs, including how to control and eliminate hazards, and hands-on training
- Phone (toll-free in Oregon): 800-922-2689
- Field offices
- Online
- Email: consult.web@dcbs.oregon.gov
Technical staff – Helps employers understand requirements and how to apply them to their worksites
- Phone (toll-free in Oregon): 800-922-2689
- Online
- Email: tech.web@dcbs.oregon.gov
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Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state's workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, go to osha.oregon.gov.
The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.oregon.gov/dcbs/.
Salem – People who purchase their own health insurance, as well as those in the small group market, can view the final rate decisions for the 2023 health insurance plans, which have been released by the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation. The division reviews and approves rates through a detailed and transparent process before they can be charged to policyholders.
The division conducted a rigorous review, including holding public hearings and taking public comments, to reach the final decisions. The division published preliminary decisions in July before the public hearings. In the public hearings, members of the public, health insurance companies, and the division have the opportunity to further review and analyze the preliminary decisions.
“While medical costs are rising due to inflation and the increased use and cost of specialized prescription drugs, people throughout Oregon continue to benefit from the Oregon Reinsurance Program," said Andrew Stolfi, insurance commissioner and Department of Consumer and Business Services director. “The program helps stabilize the market and leads to more health insurance options – all Oregon counties now have at least four health plan options in the individual market from which people can choose.”
Individual market
The division has issued final decisions for six companies in the individual market with average rate changes ranging from a 2.3 percent increase to a 12.6 percent increase for an average increase of 6.7 percent. Under the decisions, Silver Standard Plan premiums for a 40-year-old in Portland would range from $451 to $507 a month.
Small group market
In the small group market, the division issued final decisions for nine companies with average rate increases ranging from 3.4 percent to 10.6 percent, for a weighted average increase of 7.8 percent. Under the decisions, Silver Standard Plan premiums for a 40-year-old in Portland would range from $355 to $428 a month.
2023 health insurance rate request chart
Facts for 2023:
- All 36 Oregon counties will have at least four health plan options in the individual market for its residents and 34 will have at least five.
- The Oregon reinsurance program continues to help stabilize the market – lowering rates by nearly 6 percent for the fifth straight year.
- Medical costs continue to rise due to inflation, increased use and the cost of new specialized prescription drugs.
Final decisions for each carrier can be found at oregonhealthrates.org. Statewide premium comparison tables for ages 21, 40, and 60 will be posted online later this month.
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About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov and dfr.oregon.gov.
Salem – Each of them has different educational goals, career plans, and dreams. All of them have endured the personal and financial hardships that result when a parent is lost to a workplace death.
Three Oregon high school graduates are recipients of the 2022 Workers’ Memorial Scholarship awards, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) announced. The awards program helps finance higher education for family members of Oregon workers who have been fatally injured or permanently disabled on the job.
“In the face of serious challenges, these students have shown a lot of heart and a lot of determination in staying focused on their educational pursuits,” said Renee Stapleton, acting administrator for Oregon OSHA. “These awards represent an opportunity for us to help them continue to grow as they move forward on each of their unique paths.”
Learn more about the Workers’ Memorial Scholarship, including how to apply and how to support it, by visiting online. It is open to any high school graduate, graduating high school senior, GED recipient, or current college undergraduate or graduate student who is a dependent or spouse of an Oregon worker who has been fatally injured or permanently disabled while on the job.
This year’s recipients are:
McKenzie Dodge, Mill City
A graduate of Santiam High School, Dodge will become a sophomore at Linn-Benton Community College this fall. She is focused on pursuing a degree that will enable her to become an elementary school teacher.
“I have always had a love of working with young children ever since I was a young kid myself,” she said. “Having three younger sisters and pretty much helping raise them has also played a huge role in my decision.”
Dodge’s father, a millwright, died in a lumber mill accident in 2014. She is receiving a $1,000 award.
Ginger Ewing, Bandon
Ewing, a graduate of Bandon High School, will be a senior at Linfield University this fall. Her degree plans include coursework in public health, with a goal of becoming a registered nurse.
“My inspiration to achieve my goals comes from wanting to help others, as well as being able to care for my mother, as she has cared for me my whole life,” she said.
Ewing’s father, a cattle ranch worker, was fatally kicked in the head by a horse. She is receiving a $1,000 award.
Saul Cruz Moreno, Salem
Cruz Moreno, a graduate of North Salem High School, will be a freshman at Western Oregon University this fall. His degree plans include coursework in entrepreneurship, with a goal of launching his own clothing brand.
“For a long time, I’ve admired how fashion and streetwear brands have come up with each of their clothing lines,” he said. “I hope for one day to become as big as some of those brands, or even bigger.”
Cruz Moreno’s father died in a dust explosion at a seed cleaning facility. He is receiving a $1,000 award.
Award recommendations are made by Oregon OSHA’s Safe Employment Education and Training Advisory Committee, an advisory group with members from business, organized labor, and government. Oregon OSHA presents the awards annually to help in the postsecondary education of spouses or children of permanently and totally disabled or fatally injured workers.
The 1991 Legislature established the Workers’ Memorial Scholarship at the request of the Oregon AFL-CIO, with support from Associated Oregon Industries.
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Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state's workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, go to osha.oregon.gov.
The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.oregon.gov/dcbs/.
Sept. 7, 2022
Salem – In 2023, Oregon employers, on average, will pay less for workers’ compensation coverage, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) announced today. The decline in costs marks 10 years of average decreases in the pure premium rate – the base rate insurers use to determine how much employers must pay for medical costs and lost wages.
Underpinning the cost decreases is the success of Oregon’s workers’ compensation system, which includes programs to control costs, maintain good worker benefits, ensure employers carry insurance for their workers, and improve workplace safety and health.
The numbers illustrate positive, long-term trends:
- Employers, on average, will pay 93 cents per $100 of payroll for workers’ compensation costs in 2023, down from 97 cents in 2022, under a proposal by DCBS. That figure covers workers’ compensation claims costs, assessments, and insurer profit and expenses.
- The pure premium rate will drop by an average 3.2 percent under the proposal. In fact, the pure premium – filed by a national rate-setting organization and reviewed by DCBS – will have declined by 49 percent during the 2014 to 2023 period.
The reduction in costs is due to an improvement in loss experience and loss development patterns in Oregon, according to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI). NCCI is the U.S. rate-setting organization whose recommendation DCBS reviews as part of its annual public process to decide rates.
Employers’ total cost for workers’ compensation insurance includes the pure premium and insurer profit and expenses, plus the premium assessment. Employers also pay at least half of the Workers’ Benefit Fund assessment, which is a cents-per-hour-worked rate.
The decrease in the pure premium of 3.2 percent is an average, so an individual employer may see a larger or smaller decrease, no change, or even an increase, depending on the employer’s own industry, claims experience, and payroll. Also, pure premium does not take into account the varying expenses and profit of insurers.
Helping sustain the trend in lower costs is the stability of Oregon’s workers’ compensation system. The system includes the Workers’ Compensation Division; Oregon OSHA; the Workers’ Compensation Board, which resolves disputes over the state’s workers’ compensation and workplace safety laws; the Ombuds Office for Oregon Workers, an independent advocate for workers on workers’ compensation and workplace safety and health; and the Small Business Ombudsman, an independent advocate for small business owners on workers’ compensation.
Those successful programs are funded by the premium assessment.
The premium assessment is a percentage of the workers’ compensation insurance premium employers pay. It is added to the premium. It would remain at 9.8 percent in 2023, the same as 2022. This would be the first time since 2016 that the premium assessment has not increased.
“In these uncertain times, stability is important for programs that benefit employers and workers,” said Andrew Stolfi, DCBS director and insurance commissioner. “Maintaining good worker benefits, while at the same time reducing costs to employers is positive for everyone.”
Meanwhile, the Workers’ Benefit Fund assessment provides benefit increases to permanently disabled workers and to families of workers who died from a workplace injury or disease. It also supports Oregon’s efforts to help injured workers return to work sooner – through incentive programs to employers – and earn their pre-injury wages.
The fund’s revenue comes from a cents-per-hour-worked assessment. The assessment would see no change in 2023, remaining at 2.2 cents per hour worked.
The decrease in the pure premium will be effective Jan. 1, 2023, but employers will see the changes when they renew their policies in 2023.
Oregon’s workers’ compensation premium rates have ranked low nationally for many years. Oregon had the seventh least expensive rates in 2020, according to a nationally recognized biennial study conducted by DCBS.
The following cost chart summarizes the changes and includes information about how to participate in the virtual public hearing set for Thursday, Sept. 15, at 3 p.m.: https://www.oregon.gov/DCBS/cost/Documents/wc-summary.pdf
More information about Oregon workers’ compensation costs: http://www.oregon.gov/DCBS/cost/Pages/index.aspx
Workers’ Compensation Cost Summary: Effective Jan. 1, 2023 | |||
What | Pays for | Cost/Change | Recent Rate History |
| Pure premium | Medical costs and benefits for lost wages. Excludes insurer expenses and profit. | Average 3.2 percent decrease from 2022.
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Premium assessment*
| State regulatory costs to administer workers’ compensation and workplace safety programs.
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| This amount is unchanged from 2022. The rate was increased by 0.8 percentage points in 2022 and 0.6 percentage points for 2020 and 2021.
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| Self-insured employer and employer group premium assessment* | Self-insured employers and self-insured employer groups pay the premium assessment, plus an additional amount to fund reserves that ensure prompt payment of claims in the event of insolvencies. |
| These amounts are unchanged from 2022.
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Workers’ Benefit Fund (Payroll assessment) | Special benefits for certain injured workers and their families, and return-to-work programs. | 2.2 cents per hour worked. Employers and employees split the cost. | The rate is unchanged from 2022. |
Written testimony will be accepted through 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, by the Director's Office of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, 350 Winter St. NE, P.O. Box 14480, Salem, OR 97309-0405.
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The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For information, visit http://www.dcbs.oregon.gov/.
Salem – Come October, workplace health and safety professionals in Oregon will have opportunities to build up their skills and improve on-the-job health and safety through in-person and virtual conferences. Topics include everything from leadership development and accident prevention to effective safety committees and successful communication.
It is all part of the Oct. 18-20 Southern Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Conference, a joint effort of the American Society of Safety Professionals – Southern Oregon Chapter and Oregon OSHA.
The event’s in-person conference – to be held on Tuesday, Oct. 18, at Ashland Hills Hotel and Suites and Convention Center in Ashland – focuses on professional development and networking. It includes presentations about cultivating ethical and moral leadership, and increasing safety by reducing sleep-related errors.
Meanwhile, the event’s virtual conference – to be held on Wednesday, Oct. 19, and Thursday, Oct. 20 – will bring together a variety of health and safety leaders to cover a comprehensive set of topics. Those topics include safety training, excavation safety, health hazards in construction, psychological safety, ergonomics, and emerging safety technologies.
The three-day event will feature four professional development and keynote speakers:
- Jeff Crapo, a retired U.S. Army colonel and co-founder of Ethos Academy
- Dr. Nancy Knechel, CEO of eSleepWellness
- Linda Tapp, president of SafetyFUNdamentals
- Jake Mazulewicz, director of JMA Human Reliability Strategies, LLC
Registration for the in-person (Oct. 18) workshop is $100. Registration for the virtual event (Oct. 19-20) is $120. More information, conference options, and registration are all available online. Register now. For more information about upcoming workplace health and safety conferences visit Oregon OSHA online.
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Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state's workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, go to osha.oregon.gov.
The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.oregon.gov/dcbs/.