Here's what you should know.

In less than a year, Covid-19 changed nearly everything across the globe. And one of its major impacts was the definition of workplace. In March, the coronavirus pandemic sent U.S. employers scrambling to keep their businesses afloat and their…

During a year in need of some brightness, December brought some great news: after emergency Food and Drug Administration approvals, first Pfizer and then Moderna shipped COVID-19 vaccines to locations throughout the United States, kicking off a mass…

The past year brought plenty of surprises with the pandemic, civil unrest, and wildfires all leaving a stamp on public policy in Oregon. Throughout 2020, lobbyists and lawyers alike worked hard to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of executive…

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a final rule to incorporate changes to the computation of prevailing wage levels for H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 temporary classifications, as well as for certain permanent residence cases requiring labor…

The CDC has issued an Order effective January 26, 2021 impacting all U.S inbound air travelers two years of age or older, including U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. The Order applies to all flights, including commercial, private, and…

On January 8, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security published a new regulation that will change the annual H-1B cap selection process from random selection to wage-based selection. In short, USCIS will rank and select H-1B cap registrations that…

On December 31, 2020, the Trump Administration extended the proclamations suspending entry of foreign nationals outside the United States seeking certain nonimmigrant (temporary) work visas and immigrant visas (green cards) until March 31, 2021.

The first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Oregon and in states across the nation. In Oregon, Governor Brown has prioritized front-line health care workers and nursing home residents for receiving the first round of vaccines, but it is a…

After months of stalled negotiations, Congress finally passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2021 (the “Act”), which includes a $900 billion stimulus package to support the ailing economy. The Act, signed into law by the President on…

On December 1, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California set aside the Interim Final Rules issued in October 2020 by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Under the CARES Act, PPP loans given to affected borrowers were potentially eligible for forgiveness without cancellation of indebtedness income. To qualify, an affected borrower must certify that (i) “the uncertainty of current economic conditions…

The Ninth Circuit has generally prohibited nonconsensual third-party releases in bankruptcy reorganization plans for a long time. Section 524(e) provides that “discharge of a debt of the debtor does not affect the liability of any other entity on, or…

We recently published an article about the Temporary Rule Oregon OSHA issued for workplaces in the State of Oregon. That article covered the provisions of the Rule applicable to all workplaces in the State of Oregon. The Rule also has provisions…

On November 6, 2020, Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OR-OSHA) adopted the Temporary Oregon OSHA COVID-19 Rule (the Rule) aimed at addressing the effects of the pandemic on the workplace. Unless otherwise indicated, the Rule’s provisions…

On the roller coaster ride that is the interpretation of the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), on October 26, the SBA issued a notice to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) seeking approval…

On October 23, 2020, Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Agency (Or-OSHA) issued its fourth draft of the Temporary Oregon OSHA COVID-19 Rule (the Rule) aimed at addressing the effects of the pandemic on the workplace. The comment period for this…

Online registration for the 2022 DV Lottery (DV2022) opened Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 12:00 PM (noon) Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and closes Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 12:00 PM (noon) Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT -5). For DV2022…

Due to recent changes in Oregon law, if a janitorial service provider fails to pay its employees, the owner or manager of the property being cleaned could be liable for the unpaid wages (and additional penalties) unless the property owner or manager…

On October 8, 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that significantly revises the "specialty occupation" H-1B legal standard, among other changes. The regulation is effective December 7, 2020, 60 days…

On October 8, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that impacts prevailing wage programs for H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 temporary classifications, as well as for certain permanent residence cases requiring labor…