Paid Leave Oregon Bulletin

September spotlight: New tools for employers and employees

We have launched several new tools that employers and employees can use to connect with our program and staff.  

• Printable brochures in English and Spanish: You can print these brochures using a standard office printer. Employers: Please give these brochures to your employees to inform them about Paid Leave Oregon. Brochures in Russian, Vietnamese and Chinese are coming soon.
• Social media pages: Paid Leave Oregon just launched Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Follow us to get instant updates and all the latest Paid Leave Oregon news. Encourage your employees, coworkers, and friends to follow our accounts!
• YouTube Videos: Videos from Paid Leave Oregon are available on our YouTube playlist. These videos are short summaries of our most important topics. Subscribe and you will receive a notification anytime we post a new video.

Paid Leave Oregon is listening!

Since July, we have been able to connect and respond to more than 800 inquiries by phone, email, and our new Contact Us form. If you have a question or a concern, please connect with us. Our current response time is averaging at less than two business days.

Three questions about Frances Online and equivalent plans

1. What is Frances Online, and when does it launch?
   • Frances Online is the new online portal Oregon Employment Department. As of Sept. 6, customers can now use it for things like filing combined payroll reports, submitting applications for equivalent plans, reading letters, and making changes to their business account. We also have a Frances Online resources page if you need any help.
2. When can I submit my equivalent plan?
   • We are now accepting equivalent plans applications. You can submit them through Frances Online. To find out more, please go to our equivalent plan webpage. 
3. As a reimbursing employer, do I need to contribute to Paid Leave?
   • Paid Leave Oregon does not have a reimbursement option program like there is for Unemployment Insurance. Each quarter, all employers will include Paid Leave Oregon wages and pay Paid Leave contributions on their combined payroll reports. Read more in our message to reimbursing employers sent out in August. 

Upcoming Events

September Community Conversations

Paid Leave Oregon continues its Community Conversations in September with a new schedule. This is an opportunity for employers, workers and community members to learn more about Paid Leave Oregon.

Sign-up links for September Community Conversations on Zoom are below: 

• Every Thursday starting Sept. 1, 3-4 p.m., English (sign language and Spanish interpretation provided)
• Saturday, Sept. 17, 10-11 a.m., Spanish (English interpretation provided)
• Tuesday, Sept. 20, 7-8 a.m., English (sign language and Spanish interpretation provided)

Equivalent Plans Explained

Do you have questions about equivalent plans? Join one of our question-and-answer sessions, from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays in September.

All sessions are in English with ASL, and Spanish interpretation provided.

Please register in advance:
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIscuisrz8iHE-fZRqwHnJh1qAqsXZp9Fs 

Using feedback from the community

Thank you to those who participated in the Oregon Employment Department’s Budget Engagement Sessions focused on the new Paid Leave Oregon program.

During the sessions, we told you we would follow up with how we would use the information you gave us. We took your feedback and used it to build the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) found on the employers and employees sections of our new website, paidleave.oregon.gov. FAQ documents from the sessions are on the Resources webpage. Here are some other actions we took based on your feedback:

• Targeted our outreach and engagement with historically underrepresented communities, including hosting webinars in Spanish, and used feedback from budget sessions to hold community conversation webinars three times per week.
• Incorporated our non-traditional advertising, including Spanish radio, into our statewide media plan.
• Modified our agency budget request to incorporate additional non-traditional outreach methods, as well as increasing internal capacity for bilingual staffing.
• Developed 'transcreation' model for translating material and increased language access:
  • We are building an accessible website in our top 11 languages and translating all materials and resources.
  • We are transcreating our logo and working with community partners to make sure our translations are accurate and correctly represent the program.
• Enhanced our data collection and review efforts. We refocused our commitment to data collection, review, and analysis with additional staff to ensure equity and continuous improvement of our programs.

Your feedback also helped shape our recent Racial Equity Impact Statement, which we shared with the Racial Justice Council. This is a new requirement for the 2023-25 budget development process for the Oregon Legislature.

Opportunities to join Paid Leave Oregon and OED

Are you passionate about providing benefits to others and ensuring businesses, small employers, and employees are treated fairly? Consider joining the Paid Leave Oregon team at the Oregon Employment Department. Job openings are posted under Employment Department in Workday.

Contact Paid Leave Oregon 
Form: Contact Us
Email: paidleave@oregon.gov
Call: 833-854-0166 (toll-free)