Handbook requirements › Oregon

Employee handbook requirements in Oregon (2026)

A compliant Oregon employee handbook layers Oregon-specific policies on top of the federal baseline. Below are the 5 Oregon-specific requirements in our library, plus the federal baseline that also applies.

Standard state 5 Oregon-specific items 110 federal baseline items

Oregon-specific handbook requirements

Policies driven by Oregon state law that a handbook should address.

Oregon Sick Time Law (ORS 653.606 — 2016) Paid Sick Leave

1 hr per 30 hrs worked; 40-hr annual use cap; 40-hr accrual per year; 80-hr total accrual maximum; 40-hr rollover; 90-day waiting period. Employers 10+ must provide paid leave; smaller provide unpaid. Distinctive requirement: employer must notify employees of their sick leave balance at least quarterly.

Authority: ORS §§ 653.600-653.661 (Oregon Sick Time Law, eff. Jan 1, 2016); OR BOLI Technical Assistance; HB 2005 (2019, expanded uses); OR eff. Jul 1, 2024 (OFLA scope change)

Oregon Final Pay — Next Business Day (Involuntary) Pay / Payroll

Oregon requires payment of all final wages by end of next business day following involuntary termination. Voluntary resignation: within 5 business days or next regular payday (whichever first) if less than 48 hours notice; if 48+ hours notice given: paid on last day.

Authority: ORS § 652.140 (OR final pay — next business day if involuntary; 5 business days or next payday if voluntary with <48-hr notice; next payday or 5 days if voluntary with >48-hr notice)

Oregon Fair Scheduling Act — Only Statewide Predictive Scheduling Law (eff. 2020) Predictive Scheduling

Oregon's Fair Scheduling Act (eff. July 1, 2020) is the only statewide predictive scheduling law in the US. Applies to retail, hospitality, and food service employers with 500+ worldwide employees. Requires: 14-day advance written work schedule; predictability pay for schedule changes made with less than 14 days' notice; good faith written estimate of schedule at hire; 10-hour rest period between shifts (premium pay if employee agrees to waive).

Authority: ORS §§ 653.480-653.503 (Oregon Fair Scheduling Act, eff. July 1, 2018); OR BOLI guidance; 7+ employees in retail, hospitality, food service

Oregon Paid Leave Oregon (OR PLO) FMLA / Family Leave

Oregon Paid Leave Oregon (PLO) provides up to 12 weeks paid leave (14 weeks if pregnancy-related disability included). Benefits: 100% wage replacement for wages up to 65% of state AWW, then 50% for wages above that threshold; 2025 weekly max $1,636.56. Effective September 3, 2023. Employers with 25+ employees pay employer + employee contributions; 1-24 employee employers pay employee share only (employer exempt from employer share but must still facilitate deductions).

Authority: Oregon Revised Statutes §§ 659A.150-659A.186 (Oregon Family Leave Act, OFLA, as amended by HB 2005, 2023, and HB 3449, 2023); OR BOLI administrative rules OAR 839-009-0200 et seq.; HB 3449 (2023) OFLA/PFML coordination and July 2024 sick-child-leave narrowing; Paid Leave Oregon, ORS §§ 657B.010 et seq. (concurrent benefits)

Oregon Healthcare Worker Overtime Restrictions Overtime

Oregon restricts mandatory overtime for healthcare workers under ORS 441.770 and HB 2697 (2023 amendments). Healthcare facilities (hospitals, long-term care) cannot mandate nurses or other direct-care workers to work more than 48 hours per week. After working 12 consecutive hours, employees must receive at least a 10-hour rest period. Nurse staffing ratios took effect June 2024. Penalties: $1,000-$5,000 per violation for facilities.

Authority: ORS § 441.770 (OR healthcare worker overtime restrictions); OR HB 2697 (2023, eff. Jan 1, 2024); 48-hr weekly maximum; OR Health Authority guidance

Generate a Oregon-compliant handbook

Pacta builds a federal base plus a Oregon addendum tailored to your company — in minutes, not weeks. Attorney review is available before you distribute it.

Start your Oregon handbook → See Oregon risk →

Federal requirements that also apply in Oregon

110 federal baseline policies span these areas — every Pacta handbook includes them.

Assignment / Placement Agreement · 10 DOT / FMCSA Compliance · 10 Arbitration Agreement · 8 Code of Conduct · 6 Benefits · 5 Confidentiality · 5 Offer Letter · 5 Employee Classification · 4 Pay / Payroll · 4 Safety / Workers' Comp · 4 Separation / Final Pay · 4 Introduction / At-Will · 3 Timekeeping · 3 Accommodation (Disability) · 2 Assignment Lifecycle · 2 Drug-Free / Alcohol · 2 EEO / Protected Classes · 2 Expense Reimbursement · 2 Harassment · 2 Hiring / Onboarding · 2 Remote Work · 2 Social Media / Recording · 2 Three-Party Relationship · 2 AI Tools · 1 Arbitration · 1 Bereavement · 1 Driving / Vehicles · 1 Emergency Procedures · 1 Employee Records · 1 FMLA / Family Leave · 1 Gifts / Anti-Bribery · 1 Jury Duty Leave · 1 Lactation / Nursing Mothers · 1 Meal / Rest Breaks · 1 Military Leave · 1 Overtime · 1 Paid Sick Leave · 1 Pay Transparency · 1 Pay Transparency Notice · 1 Pregnancy / Parental Leave · 1 Salary Basis / Safe Harbor · 1 Voting Leave · 1

Oregon handbook FAQ

Does Oregon require employers to have an employee handbook?

No U.S. state requires an employee handbook outright. But Oregon requires that a number of employment policies be provided to employees in writing, and a handbook is the standard, defensible way to do that. This page is informational only and is not legal advice.

What does a Oregon employee handbook need to include?

A compliant handbook layers Oregon-specific policies on top of the federal baseline (equal-opportunity, at-will, leave, anti-harassment, pay practices and more). The Oregon-specific items are listed on this page; the exact set depends on your headcount, industry, and the localities you operate in.

How do I create a compliant Oregon handbook?

Pacta's handbook generator builds a federal base plus a Oregon state addendum tailored to your company, then returns a formatted draft you can edit. Every draft must be reviewed by qualified employment counsel before you distribute it to employees.

Handbook requirements in other states

This page is general information about Oregon employment-policy requirements, not legal advice, and may not reflect the most current law. AI-generated handbooks must be reviewed and approved by qualified employment counsel licensed in the applicable jurisdiction(s) before distribution to employees.