Does a Chamber of Commerce sometimes get political, well, yes. Late last week the Chamber of Commerce came out in favor of the county’s $110 million tax measure for a new jail and sheriff’s station. In unrelated news, the Chamber is also anyone who visits downtown – or thinks about downtown – to fill out a survey about, you guessed it… downtown.
Their questions range from one’s general sense of the ambience and safety for the area, to what survey respondents would like to see more of. We promise it only takes about two or three minutes to complete, so click here to do that.
Big Local Credit Union Changes: Firstly, longtime Oregon State Credit Union president/CEO Richard Hein has announced he’ll be leaving in the next 12 months. Hein has led the credit union for 23 years, building it into today’s $2.1 billion institution. D. Hilton Associates has been tasked with a nationwide search for suitable a replacement.
More Big Credit Union News: OnPoint Credit Union will be entering the Corvallis market with a branch inside Fred Meyers – the opening is slated for May 15. With over 50 branches in Oregon and southwest Washington, OnPoint has $9.4 billion in assets, and approximately 500,000 members.
New Oregon Employee Bonus Laws, Maybe: The Oregon House on April 14 passed a bill that would give public and private sector employers more flexibility about offering staff bonuses. The idea being that employers would have another tool to help them with workforce shortages.
But, Oregon Business & Industry, or OBI, points out that while HB 3205 would allow employers to offer retention bonuses without conducting an analysis required by the state’s 2017 pay equity law, the bill doesn’t help as much if an employer is trying to offer a bonus for new hires. In a release, OBI says the bill does allow for hiring bonuses in a way, but “the mechanism is unnecessarily convoluted.”
As recently amended, the bill, like we said, allows employers to pay retention bonuses without conducting an equity analysis. It also would allow hiring bonuses in what OBI says is a roundabout fashion. Employers would need to define the bonus as a retention bonus, and condition it on a requirement that employees stay on the job for at least 30 days.
For those of us thinking, okay, maybe just try a higher starting wage, OBI says not so much, and they give an example.
“TriMet, Oregon’s largest public transit agency was desperate for new drivers, so they raised their starting wage for operators to $27 in December 2021. The wage bump failed to produce results even though TriMet also offered to train new drivers to obtain their commercial drivers’ licenses. They say applications rose significantly only when the agency offered $7,500 signing bonuses, which it was able to do thanks to a legislatively approved exemption from pay equity analyses that expired in September 2022.”
OBI maintains that employers of almost all types could share similar experiences, which is why more than three dozen employers and employer groups endorsed HB 3205, which as originally drafted would have allowed hiring and retention bonuses explicitly.
Anyhow, OBI believes this roundabout signing bonus requirement makes it harder to market positions to prospective employees. And, they’re hoping the Senate will improve HB 3205 and work with the House to put it on the governor’s desk.
And now, your business events calendar…
Business After Hours: Corvallis Chamber of Commerce event with a new host every time, in this instance, Knife River Training Center in Albany. Wednesday, April 19, from 5 to 7 pm. Preregister admission is $15 for members, and $20 for non-members. Add $5 if you’re paying at the door.
Knife River Training Center is at 35973 Kennel Rd SE, Albany. Click here to register.
Grad School for Biz: This virtual session introduces the Graduate Business Programs at Oregon State University. The online session we will cover graduate program options in the College of Business, including the MBA, Master’s, and Graduate Certificates programs. We will also introduce the curriculum, program tracks, admission and financial aid, and what sets Oregon State apart from other programs. Oregon State University offers graduate business programs in Portland, Corvallis, and online.
- Wednesday, April 19 from 12 to 1 pm, click here to register.
- Wednesday, April 19 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, click here to register.
Women in Business Luncheon: Leah Bayles’ talk will be titled Grow with it! Soulful Strategies to Shift “Oh No!” to “Yes, I can!”
Bayles is a holistic life coach, transformational speaker and podcast host. She seeks to empowers big-hearted, high achievers to create the life and the impact they love – without wearing themselves out. Her career in holistic wellness has included positions as Heartspring Mind-body Therapist, SHS Employee Wellness Coordinator and Integrative Yoga Therapy program director.
Bayles will cover:
- 5 common beliefs about life’s challenges that may be limiting your health, happiness and success.
- The #1 thing you need to know to instantly transform stress into productive energy.
- Why positive thinking can become a trap – plus how to escape it so you can expand into possibility thinking.
12 to 1 pm, Thursday, Apr. 20 at Courtyard Marriott in Corvallis, 400 SW 1st Street. Click here to register.
Farm 2 Fork Webinar: Crafted in Oregon. Built By Community. Oregon has created some of the most iconic food and beverage brands in the world, but what makes this state such a unique place to start and scale those types of companies? This presentation will explore some of the foundational aspects of this ecosystem.
12 to 12:45 pm, Friday, Apr. 21. Virtual. Registration required, so click here to do that.
OSU Health Professionals Fair: The Health Professions Fair connects students with admissions representatives from over 60 medical and health professions schools in Oregon and across the country. This FREE event will be held Tuesday, April 25th from 10 am to 2 pm in the MU Ballroom. Students from all majors, first-year through seniors, are welcome. For more information, visit the event website.
Tuesday, April 25 from 10 am to 2 pm, at the Memorial Union Building (MU), Ballroom.
Corvallis Young Pros: Networking opportunity for young professionals, with a touch of fundraising for Zonta, if you’re feeling it. No membership is required, and attendees are encouraged to bring a friend.
They welcome anyone interested in engaging with their community and local businesses. There will be free nibbles and drinks for purchase. 5 to 7 pm, Tuesday, Apr. 25 at 4 Spirits Distillery, 3405 SW Deschutes Street, Corvallis. Click here to register.
