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Annual Conference

 

Save the Date!

BOLI's 42nd Annual Employment Law Conference is set for Thursday, November 5th, and Friday, November 6th, 2026.


BOLI's conference connects employers with resources to navigate complex, often-changing workplace rules.

Things to know:

  • Registration will open in September, and we want you to be the first to know! If you haven't subscribed to our listserv yet, we highly encourage you to do so. Scroll to the bottom of this page to enter your email address in the 'Subscribe for Updates' box.
  • For questions about the conference, contact marie.gustafson@boli.oregon.gov or call 971-358-3942.


Our 42nd annual event will include sessions on the topics that concern Oregon employers the most.

This year's conference will be 100% virtual.

Early bird pricing until September 18th: $350 per person

Regular pricing after September 18th: $375 per person

Group rate for 3+ people: $325 per person

Can't make a session? Attendees will have access to recorded sessions shortly after the event.

HRCI, SHRM, and CLE recertification credit approval pending.


2026 agenda 

Session Description

Coming soon!

​​Speaker​s

Christine Sargent​ and Paul Cirner Littler Mendelson P.C.​

Christine Sargent and Paul Cirner are Shareholders in Littler’s Portland office who advise and defend employers on a wide range of workplace law issues. Christine and Paul combine practical workplace counseling with strong litigation experience, helping employers navigate complex workforce challenges while minimizing legal risk.​

Session Description

Most performance problems don't begin with poor performance—they begin with unclear expectations, avoided conversations, inconsistent follow-through, and missed coaching opportunities.

Great leaders don't wait until the annual review—or the need for corrective action—to address performance. They create a culture of accountability through everyday conversations that clarify expectations, recognize success, address concerns early, and support employee growth.

In this interactive session, participants will learn practical communication strategies to strengthen performance, build accountability, and coach employees with greater confidence. Rather than focusing solely on documentation and discipline, this session explores how intentional leadership conversations can prevent many performance issues before they require formal corrective action.​


​Speaker​

Deborah Jeffries SHRM-CP, PHR, CPC, Vice President and Director of Training for HR Answers Inc.

Deborah has spent nearly four decades helping leaders strengthen communication, emotional intelligence, and workplace relationships. Known for her practical approach, engaging stories, and interactive learning style, Deborah equips participants with tools they can immediately apply to improve conversations, strengthen leadership, and create healthier workplace cultures. Her passion is helping organizations develop leaders who address challenges early, build trust, and create workplaces where people and organizations thrive.​

Session Description

Coming soon!


Speakers

Karlee Demos​ Employer Assistance Division, BOLI

Karlee is a Learning and Development Specialist with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI). She is a graduate of Oregon State University with a degree in Public Health and currently resides in eastern Oregon, where she can meet with individuals, employers, and organizations to discuss employment law best practices. In her free time, she likes to run, read, and hike with her twin daughters, husband and dog Lola.​​​



Session Description

An annual favorite, this session will cover recent case law updates on the Oregon and national level that may have an impact on employers, and will offer key takeaways for how employers, managers, and human resources personnel can avoid potential compliance pitfalls.​

​Speakers​

Anthony D. Kuchulis Dunn Carney LL​P

Anthony is an attorney at Dunn Carney LLP where he focuses his practice on helping employers and managment solve difficult employment questions and challenges. Anthony prides himself on being a partner to his business clients and an experienced legal consultant who examines all aspects of a challenge for the most expeditious solution.  

Cristin Casey​ Buchanan Angeli Altschul & Sullivan LLP

​Cristin has over 16 years experience litigating and advising on employment law issues including wage and hour, leave laws, employment discrimination, harassment, whistleblowing and retaliation, disability and reasonable accommodation. Cristin also has conducted workplace investigations and trainings. Cristin currently serves as the co-chair BOLI Oregon Employer Advisory Council.

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Session Description

Workplace investigations face increasing scrutiny, with expert witnesses regularly evaluating whether an investigation was conducted properly. This session, presented by Kyle Abraham—recognized as an expert witness in state and federal courts—will identify common pitfalls that expert witnesses cite when assessing investigations. Attendees will learn how to prepare and plan effective investigations and develop practical skills to conduct defensible inquiries that withstand external review. Whether you are in-house counsel, outside advisor, or HR professional, this program will sharpen your approach and help you avoid the missteps that most frequently undermine investigations.. 

​Speaker

Kyle Abraham Ogletree Deakins   

Kyle Abraham is a shareholder in the Portland office of Ogletree Deakins, where he has practiced labor and employment law in Oregon for over 15 years. A recognized expert in workplace investigations, Kyle has conducted hundreds of investigations — including high-profile cases — presented at dozens of conferences, and served as an expert witness in the field.​

Session Description

This presentation provides practical guidance on adopting AI responsibly while managing employment, privacy, and legal risks.  AI is already embedded in common workplace tools and should be viewed as a productivity enhancer, not a workforce replacement solution.

​Speaker​s

Tyler Killeen Stoel Rives LLP 

Tyler represents individual and business clients before federal and state courts, private arbitration panels, and federal agencies. In his practice, Tyler handles disputes ranging from complex commercial matters to consumer protection, antitrust, labor and employment, land regulatory and constitutional compliance.

As a litigator, Tyler brings substantial experience in motion practice, e-discovery, and case management.

As a trusted advisor and advocate, Tyler endeavors to resolve disputes outside of litigation when possible, and he advises clients on compliance and mitigation techniques that can reduce the likelihood of litigation. Tyler has counseled industry-leading clients on maintaining compliance with marketing and consumer-protection laws and assisted in navigating corporate governance and trade-secret disputes.

In addition to his time at Stoel Rives, Tyler has worked as senior counsel at Intel Corporation and as a judicial law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.

 

Jon Washburn Stoel Rives LLP 

Jon Washburn brings more than 30 years of information technology, security, and governance experience—nearly 20 years of which have been in the legal industry—to his role as Chief Information Security Officer, leading the firm’s information security and business intake teams and the firm’s administrative governance and compliance functions.

As a resource for Stoel’s AI, Privacy & Cybersecurity practice, Jon assists the team with breach response, performing risk assessments, identifying information governance policy and process improvements, and evaluating information systems architecture, operational resilience, and security strategies.

Jon spends considerable time volunteering with the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA), the Legal Services Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (LS-ISAO), and the Global Resilience Federation (GRF), where he collaborates with other leaders to transform the cybersecurity capabilities and culture of the legal industry.​

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Session Description

Employees are far more likely to engage, raise concerns early, and remain committed to an organization when they trust the systems designed to support them. This session explores how organizations can move beyond viewing compliance as a legal obligation and instead use it as the foundation for building a culture of accountability, transparency, engagement, and trust.

Participants will learn how thoughtfully designed HR systems—including recruiting, onboarding, training, performance management, and employee development—create clear expectations through consistent communication and documentation at every stage of the employee lifecycle. The session will also examine how well-designed policies and processes provide employees and leaders with confidence when navigating more complex workplace situations, including employee relations concerns, workplace investigations, requests for protected leave, reasonable accommodations, performance issues, and other unexpected challenges. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for building sustainable people systems that reduce organizational risk, strengthen employee trust, and create workplaces where compliance and culture work together to support long-term organizational success.​

    

​Speakers

Joy Cox and Holly Elmore EthosyncHR, LLC

Joy Cox and Holly Elmore are the co-founders of EthosyncHR, where they help organizations build workplace systems that strengthen compliance, employee trust, and long-term organizational success. Joy brings more than 20 years of human resources leadership experience, advising organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to privately held businesses and educational institutions on talent strategy, organizational culture, and operational effectiveness. Holly is an attorney, former Assistant Attorney General, and former CEO with more than 25 years of executive leadership experience specializing in regulatory compliance, workplace governance, and ethical leadership. Together, they combine practical HR expertise with legal and executive experience to help organizations translate complex employment laws into clear policies, effective leadership practices, and sustainable people systems. Their work focuses on proactive compliance, employee relations, workplace investigations, leadership development, and creating cultures where employees understand expectations, feel comfortable raising concerns, and trust that issues will be handled fairly. Through EthosyncHR, they partner with employers to reduce risk while building workplaces where compliance and culture work together to support both employees and business success.​​

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Session Description

Every business will have to confront the question of whether to separate an employee at some point, and questions about severance and settlement logically follow. While severance and settlement offers can help buy certainty, no two sets of negotiation are the same, and careful consideration must be given to terms, timing, tone, and other aspects of an agreement to best position your organization for resolution. In this session, Stoel Rives attorneys Melissa Healy and Laura Rosenbaum will discuss ways to mitigate risk beforehand, basic and novel severance terms, real-life lessons learned, and creative solutions that allow all parties to move forward. This session is relevant to all employers regardless of size and industry, and draws on Melissa and Laura’s experience advising clients in complex employment matters for over 30 years combined.

​Speaker​s

Melissa Healy Stoel Rives​ LLP

​Missy represents employers in all areas of labor and employment law. She has a strong traditional labor background and regularly represents employers in collective bargaining and arbitrations, and before the National Labor Relations Board. She also has significant litigation experience and has first- or second-chaired over 25 jury trials and arbitrations. She frequently counsels clients on a wide range of labor and employment-related issues, conducts internal investigations for public- and private-sector clients, provides training to employees and management, and assists with the employment-related aspects of corporate transactions. She particularly enjoys working with in-house counsel, Human Resources professionals, and managers to craft thoughtful and effective solutions to complex workplace challenges and serving as their advocate in litigation.​

Born and raised in Albany, Oregon, Melissa works with clients throughout the state. She has experience representing clients in several industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality.​

Laura Rosenbaum Stoel Rives​ LLP

​Laura has ​represented clients in employment-related litigation in court and before administrative agencies for nearly 20 years. Her experience includes defending employers against a wide range of employment claims relating to employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; medical leave laws; disability accommodation; wage and hour disputes; and workplace torts, as well as litigating non-competition agreements. She has experience representing clients across industries, including in large healthcare, manufacturing, and retail and wholesale businesses, as well as mid-size companies and start-ups.

Her practice also involves counseling employers on employment-related issues including performance management, employee terminations, disability accommodation, and leaves of absence; conducting internal investigations; and preparing employee contracts, handbooks, and policies. Laura also conducts internal investigations for clients into employment-related issues including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

Before joining Stoel Rives, Laura practiced in Boston, Massachusetts. She also worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Nancy Gertner, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.​



Session Description

​​Oregon employers manage a wide range of leave obligations, and it can be difficult to separate what is required from what is optional. This session will provide a practical, high-level overview of Oregon’s most common required workplace leaves and the discretionary leave practices employers often use to fill the gaps. Participants will learn how to identify where leave obligations may overlap, where employer choice still exists, and how policy language can either support or complicate leave administration. The session will focus on practical decision-making, consistency, documentation, and communication rather than a detailed legal analysis of every leave law. Attendees will leave with a clearer framework for organizing leave obligations and making thoughtful employer decisions.​

​Speaker

Laurie Grenya President and Owner of HR Answers, Inc.​

Laurie helps employers navigate practical HR compliance, workplace policy, employee relations, and organizational decision-making. She has extensive experience supporting Oregon employers with leave administration questions, policy development, supervisor guidance, and the practical challenges that arise when employee needs and business operations intersect. Laurie is known for making complex employment requirements easier to understand and apply, with a focus on real-world decision-making rather than one-size-fits-all answers. Her approach helps employers clarify what is required, where discretion exists, and how to build consistent, workable practices that support both employees and the organization.



Session Description

Done right, hiring can be a fair and rewarding process that results in a promising new hire. Handled incorrectly, however, your hiring processes can open the door to discrimination claims. Come get practical guidance from a seasoned employment attorney on legally compliant hiring practices.  Attendees will learn how to navigate anti-discrimination laws, structure job postings and interviews to avoid legal pitfalls, and implement fair screening and selection procedures. The session will cover federal and state requirements, including those related to background checks, immigration verification, and accommodations. Are you sure your job application is legally compliant? Are your managers avoiding asking candidates interview questions that violate the law? Are you administering pre-employment tests and running your background/reference checks the right way? Do you know how to close the deal and make an offer to your best candidate without running afoul of those pesky employment laws? If you aren’t sure, “yes” is the answer to all of those questions. Come​ brush up on legally compliant hiring practices. 

​Speaker

Joy Ellis Foster Garvey PC

Joy advises and represents employers in all aspects of their employment-related legal needs, including advising employers on how to avoid being sued; answering day-to-day questions about discipline, discrimination, harassment, leave laws, accommodations, hiring, and termination; developing and updating employee handbooks; and drafting employment contracts and severance agreements. Joy’s practice also includes conducting independent workplace investigations. In addition to her advice practice, Joy is a litigator who defends employers against employment claims. She has successfully handled hundreds of BOLI and EEOC complaints, and she regularly defends lawsuits in Oregon and Washington’s courts.​

Session Description

Oregon's Equal Pay Act is one of the broadest pay equity laws in the country. The Act covers wages, bonuses, benefits, and equity-based compensation across ten protected classes. This session gives HR managers, executives, and business owners a practical grounding in what the law requires, starting with the "work of comparable character" standard and the multi-factor analysis that determines when employees must be paid equally regardless of job title. We will walk through the bona fide factors that legally justify pay differentials, explain why those factors must account for the entire compensation gap, and address the law's hiring restrictions, including the prohibition on salary history inquiries and setting pay based on a candidate's prior compensation. We will also cover recent developments employers cannot afford to miss. Finally, attendees will learn how conducting a regular equal-pay analysis can serve as a critical shield against compensatory and punitive damages in litigation.


Speaker​

Jean Back Schwabe

Jean is a seasoned employment and labor attorney with more than 30 years of experience advising employers and HR professionals on workplace law and compliance. She helps organizations navigate complex issues including wage and hour claims, discrimination, workplace investigations, non-compete agreements, and trade secret protection. Combining practical day-to-day counseling with extensive litigation experience, Jean provides actionable guidance that helps businesses reduce risk and resolve challenges effectively. A sought-after speaker, she has presented for SW Washington SHRM, the Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition, Women in Manufacturing, and other professional organizations on emerging employment law trends and workplace best practices.​

Session Description

Barran Liebman Partner Wilson Jarrell will provide practical and strategic guidance for Oregon and Washington employers on how to proactively prepare for accommodation and leave requests that will inevitably arise, minimize legal risk, and balance compliance with organizational needs. Key topics will include the following:
  • ADA requirements and the real extent of legal obligations for employers.
  • Interactions between protected leave and workers’ compensation.
  • Best practices for preparing for potential ADA requests and protecting organizational needs.
  • Emerging trends and developing ADA needs – mental health, neurodivergence, etc.​

​Speaker

Wilson Jarrell Barran Liebman LLP

Wilson Jarrell advises and represents employers, management, and higher education institutions on a wide range of labor and employment issues. He proactively counsels management in developing effective workplace policies, and works closely with clients to ensure satisfactory resolution when the need for litigation arises. His labor practice also includes negotiating collective bargaining agreements and assisting employers in grievance disputes. Additionally, he frequently serves as a workplace investigator, regularly conducting investigations into allegations of employee misconduct, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or other sensitive issues.​ 

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Session Description

In this presentation, Barran Liebman partner Nicole will cover several state and federal regulatory updates, including recommendations and best practices for employers. The updates will also cover the impact of the impact of recent United States Supreme Court precedent in the Slaughter case and the impact on federal agencies. Nicole will also cover changing enforcement priorities at both the state and federal level to ensure employers are informed on compliance priorities..​

​Speakers

Nicole Elgin Barran Liebman LLP

Nicole Elgin is a partner at Barran Liebman LLP, where she represents employers in labor relations and employment law matters. As the firm’s Labor Practice Chair, Nicole’s labor practice ranges from advising employers through union campaigns to negotiating collective bargaining agreements. Nicole represents employers in hearings before arbitrators and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Her employment law practice includes working with employers to adapt workplace policies to the latest legislative changes at the state and federal levels. Nicole earned her B.A. from the University of Washington and her J.D., cum laude, from Lewis & Clark Law School.​




Session Description

Coming soon!

Speaker​

Brenda Baumgart Stoel Rives LLP ​​

Brenda is practice group leader for Stoel Rives’ Labor & Employment group and devotes her practice to assisting companies of all sizes navigate the complexities of employment and labor laws. She partners with clients to provide day-to-day advice and compliance counseling, assisting them with finding practical solutions while minimizing litigation risk. Her litigation and trial work includes defending employers in federal and state courts in all areas of employment law (including single plaintiff cases and class/collective actions), handling appeals exclusively on matters of labor and employment law before appellate courts, including the Oregon Court of Appeals, the Oregon Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit, the Eighth Circuit, and the Fifth Circuit, and administrative proceedings before various governmental agencies. Brenda also has a strong traditional labor practice and represents clients in labor arbitrations and matters before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). She conducts internal workplace investigations for private and public sector clients. Brenda is a frequent speaker in the community and provides on-site client training on numerous topics including workplace harassment and discrimination, the intricacies of family medical leave laws, disability law, wage and hour compliance, and drug and alcohol issues. Although Brenda supports clients across numerous industry sectors, she has extensive experience representing healthcare clients.​​

Session Description

This presentation provides a practical overview of the National Labor Relations Act that governs employee rights – in union and non-union workplaces - to organize and engage in protected concerted activity. Ryan will highlight common management mistakes that can create legal risk and discuss how to avoid them and also cover best practices for maintaining positive employee relations, training supervisors, and ensuring compliance before labor issues arise.

Speaker

Ryan Kunkel Stoel Rives LLP

Ryan Kunkel is a trial lawyer who litigates employment-related disputes in federal and state court and private arbitration, and counsels employers to help mitigate risk and prevent disputes from reaching litigation in the first place. Ryan specializes in pursuing and defending cases involving unfair competition, such as employee non-competition, non-solicitation, and trade secret obligations, especially in the financial and manufacturing industries. His practice also includes litigating before the National Labor Relations Board, arbitrating labor grievances, and helping management navigate and resolve complex labor disputes, including organizing drives and work stoppages.  





Session Description

Coming soon!    ​   ​     

Speakers

Coming soon!​

Session Description

Coming soon!

​Speakers

Leila Wall Civil Rights Division, BOLI

Leila Wall is a senior policy analyst in the Civil Rights Division at BOLI, which enforces laws related to discrimination in employment, housing, places of public accommodation, and vocational schools. Leila has worked for BOLI Civil Rights in various roles, including service as the Administrator, since 2016.

Leila received her juris doctorate from Lewis and Clark Northwestern School of Law. During law school, Leila studied employment law, spending her final year of law school as a law clerk with the Northwest Workers’ Justice Project and completing her capstone research project on whistleblower retaliation under ORS 659A.199.

Emily Sitton Wage and Hour Division, BOLI

Emily Sitton (she/her) is a program manager with the Wage and Hour Division at BOLI.  In that role, she manages two teams of investigators: the Labor Standards Unit and the Strategic Enforcement and Outreach Units.  Emily has been with BOLI for 11 years where she worked as an investigator prior to joining the management team in 2022.  

Before joining BOLI, Emily worked as an attorney practicing employment law.  She holds a BA in Communication Studies (Journalism) and Spanish from the University of Portland, and a JD from the University of Oregon School of Law.  


Jody Robbins Apprenticeship and Training Division, BOLI

Jody is a college educated, apprentice trained sheet metal worker by trade currently serving as the Division Director and Secretary to the Oregon State Apprenticeship & Training Council (OSATC). He comes to BOLI by way of the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries where he served as State Director of Apprenticeship and the state’s Industrial Statistician setting wages on public works projects.

With an extensive background in all things registered apprenticeship, Jody served a two-year term as President for the National Association of State and Territorial Apprenticeship Directors (NASTAD). Having been raised in SE Portland, graduating from David Douglas High School in 1980, Jody has returned home to help shape the future of registered apprenticeship regulation in Oregon.


Moderator

Dylan Morgan Employer Assistnace Division, BOLI

As a member of the executive management team at the Bureau of Labor and Industries, Dylan directs statewide employer assistance programming for business owners, managers, human resources professionals, and attorneys. He is a graduate of Azusa Pacific University and Trinity Western University. Outside of work, Dylan has an abiding passion for trail running, backpacking, and a growing interest in woodturning.​


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Session Description

Coming soon!

​Speakers​​

Jessica Sandrock Employer Assistance Division, BOLI​

Jess is a Learning and Development Specialist for Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI). Before joining BOLI, Jess worked in higher education, developing and delivering classes to adult learners pursuing career technical education. Her work focuses on providing outreach, training, and educational resources for employers statewide. 


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​Session Description

Coming soon!

​Speakers​

Jeff Burgess Employer Assistance Division, BOLI

Jeff received his undergraduate degrees in Business Economics and Law and Society from the University of California at Santa Barbara where he was a Scottish Rite scholar. He went on to law school at the University of Mississippi and practiced law in California and Colorado for 15 years, focusing on litigation. He joined the Bureau of Labor and Industries in 2002 where he was an agency prosecutor for 7 years, taking civil rights and wage and hour cases to administrative hearing. In 2009 he joined the Employer Assistance Division where he teaches seminars, edits handbooks and answers inquiries about employment law for business owners, managers, human resources professionals and attorneys. Jeff lives in McMinnville with his wife Tiffany and various critters.


Chet Nakada Employer Assistance Division, BOLI

Chet is a Learning and Development Specialist with BOLI's Employer Assistance Division. He started with the Agency in 1995. He conducts employer seminars and helps employers comply with Oregon's Wage and Hour and Civil Rights Laws. Before working for Employer Assistance, he worked as a Senior Civil Rights Investigator and prosecuted cases for the Agency in the Administrative Prosecution Unit.​​

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​Session Description

Coming soon! ​ 

​​Speaker​

Rebecca Watkins SBH Legal

Rebecca represents employers and their insurers in all issues relating to employees: wages, leave, workers' compensation, policy development, and discrimination/retaliation. She is a partner at SBH Legal with over 20 years of experience. My practice includes providing advice to employers with difficult workplace situations and defending employers in lawsuits or BOLI claims.​

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Session Description

Meet with state agencies to learn more about what employer resources are available to Oregon businesses. Each agency will provide an overview of employer services and provide tips for employers to get the resources they need. You won’t want to miss these information packed sessions with state agencies! Community Q&A will follow.  ​​ 

Agencies

Oregon Department of Revenue (ODR), Withholding and Payroll Outreach 
The primary function of the outreach events is to offer educational information and presentations on various topics to small business, associations, tax preparers, and more. Our outreach partners with private sector and government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels to best reach those who can benefit from increased knowledge and understanding regarding Oregon payroll withholding taxes and transit programs.  
Presenter: Chris Cox, Oregon Department of Revenue (DOR) 

Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) 
VR’s Workforce team provides consultation, training, and resources to business regarding disability in the workplace, and assists business in connecting with skilled talent to fill workforce needs. 
Presenter: Kim Copeland, Statewide Workforce and Business Coordinator 

Oregon Employment Department (OED), Paid Leave Oregon 
Paid Leave Oregon is a new program that ensures individuals, employers, and families of every kind have the time and support they need to care for themselves and their loved ones when they need it most.
Presenter: Meghan Wysong, Program Analyst

Oregon Employment Department (OED), Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) 
WOTC is a federal tax incentive that issues tax credits to employers ranging from $1500 up to $9600 for every new hire meeting criterion for any of 14 specified categories. 
Presenter: Kathleen James, WOTC & Federal Bonding Program Coordinator 

Oregon Employment Department (OED), Federal Bonding  
Federal Bonding provides employers with fidelity bonds worth $5,000-$25,000 of protection against fraudulent or dishonest actions of a qualifying employee for the first 6 months of employment. 
Presenter: Kathleen James, WOTC & Federal Bonding Program Coordinator 

Oregon Employment Department (OED) Veterans Program 
OEDs Veterans Program assists employers to RECRUIT, HIRE, and RETAIN veterans. 
Presenter: Jerry Flores, LVER 

U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS) 
DOL VETS provides resources to employers to understand employment and reemployment rights for servicemembers under USERRA. DOL VETS helps employers find service members, veterans, and military spouses, and offers HIRE Vets Medallion Award. 
Presenter: Eddie Abrams, Assistant Director (Oregon) 

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) 
ESGR, a Department of Defense office, promotes cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and assists in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. 
Presenter: Greg Malkasian, Oregon ESGR 

Small Business Ombudsman with the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) 
The Office of the Small Business Ombudsman for Workers' Compensation serves as an independent advocate for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and the professional advisers who serve them. 
Presenter: Caitlin Breitbach, Small Business Ombudsman for Workers’ Compensation

Workers Compensation Division, Preferred Worker Program (PWP)/ Workers Compensation Division, Employer-at-Injury Program (EAIP) 
The Preferred Worker Program helps qualified Oregon workers who have permanent restrictions from on-the-job injuries who are not able to return to their regular employment because of those injuries. EAIP encourages the early return to work of injured workers by helping to lower employer’s early return-to-work costs.  
Presenter: Zoe Tacadena, Reemployment Specialist 

Oregon State Treasury, OregonSaves 
OregonSaves is Oregon’s retirement savings program designed to give employers a simple way to help their employees save for retirement. There are no employer fees and administering the program is quick and easy. 
Presenter: Renzo Meza, Program Manager 
 
Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) 
ODHS has workforce development assistance programs, such as subsidized wages, unpaid workers, healthcare, and child care assistance, as well as a tax credit that many people in our programs help employers to qualify for. 
Presenter: Greg Ivers, State Business Outreach Coordinator 

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* Agenda and topics subject to change.