Oregon
Oregon Bill Combines Pay Transparency And Fair Chance Hiring
Oregon’s HB 2746 reflects a broader legislative trend: the convergence of pay equity, fair chance … More
You’ve posted a job, screened a few resumes, and started your first interview with a promising candidate. Before discussing compensation, you ask a seemingly simple question: “What did you make in your last role?” Under Oregon law, that question is already off-limits. A new bill under consideration would extend these rules further—and change how employers navigate not just compensation conversations, but also criminal background checks and job postings.
House Bill 2746, introduced during Oregon’s 2025 legislative session, proposes a sweeping update to state employment regulations by combining three interrelated policies—pay transparency, salary history restrictions, and fair chance hiring practices—into a single compliance framework. This approach reflects a broader national trend to address systemic barriers to employment through unified legislation rather than isolated reforms.
Compensation Disclosure and Pay Transparency
At the heart of HB 2746 is a proposal to mandate proactive compensation disclosures. If passed, the bill would require employers and employment agencies to include wage or wage range information, a general description of benefits, and any other compensation in all job postings. This requirement would apply not only to external advertisements, but also to internal opportunities related to promotions and transfers.
In addition to postings, the bill would require employers to provide the same compensation information:
- To job applicants upon request and before any compensation discussion or offer;
- To employees at the time of hire, transfer, or promotion;
- And once per calendar year, if requested.
These requirements would apply to any position that could be performed in whole or in part within Oregon—including remote or hybrid roles.
This marks a significant shift. While some states—such as California, ColoradoNew York, and New York—have already adopted similar requirements, Oregon currently has no statewide pay transparency mandate. HB 2746 would place Oregon among a growing number of jurisdictions emphasizing compensation clarity to help reduce wage disparities and foster transparency in hiring.
Salary History Inquiries: Expanded Restrictions and Clarified Boundaries
Oregon law already prohibits employers from requesting salary history before making a job offer that includes a pay amount. HB 2746 does not change the core restriction but expands its reach to include employment agencies, which are currently outside the scope of the statute.
The bill preserves a key nuance that’s important for employers to understand: while it prohibits asking about past pay, it does not prevent employers from asking about salary expectations. Employers may still ask questions such as:
“What are your compensation expectations for this role?”
However, questions that solicit information about previous wages remain impermissible unless the candidate voluntarily discloses that information after an offer is made, and the employer receives written authorization to verify it.
This clarification can help employers strike a balance between compensation strategy and compliance as they assess candidate fit within established salary bands.
HB 2746 mandates proactive compensation disclosures.
Criminal History Inquiries: Reinforcing Fair Chance Hiring
HB 2746 also revisits Oregon’s existing “ban-the-box” law, which prohibits employers from inquiring into an applicant’s criminal history prior to an initial interview—or before a conditional offer, if no interview occurs. The bill retains that timing restriction and explicitly extends it to employment agencies, ensuring that recruiters and staffing partners adhere to the same standards as direct employers.
The bill outlines specific exceptions for roles where background checks are required by federal, state, or local law, or where the employer operates in law enforcement or the criminal justice system.
Notably, the bill does not incorporate elements of Portland’s Fair Chance Ordinance, such as the requirement to conduct individualized assessments or provide written notice if an offer is rescinded due to a candidate’s criminal record. However, HB 2746 does create a statewide baseline that would standardize compliance expectations for employment agencies across Oregon.
HB 2746 expands on Oregon’s existing “ban-the-box” law.
Implications for Employers
If passed, HB 2746 would affect multiple facets of hiring and talent management, particularly for organizations with multistate operations, remote roles, or third-party recruiting partnerships.
Employers and employment agencies would need to:
- Review and update job postings to ensure wage ranges and benefits are clearly disclosed;
- Confirm interview guides exclude questions related to salary history, while safely allowing discussions about expectations;
- Adjust the timing of criminal background checks to align with interview or offer stages;
- Train recruiters, hiring managers, and HR professionals on the new requirements.
Employers would also be required to:
- Retain compensation-related records—including wage ranges and wage history—for the duration of employment and two years after separation.
Importantly, HB 2746 does not contain a preemption clause, meaning local ordinances like Portland’s Fair Chance Ordinance would continue to apply. Employers operating in or hiring for roles based in Portland must still comply with more restrictive local requirements, such as conducting individualized assessments and providing written notice when adverse action is taken based on criminal history.
Preparing for a Potential Shift
HB 2746 reflects a broader legislative trend: the convergence of pay equity, fair chance hiring, and anti-discrimination measures into integrated compliance frameworks. While the bill remains under consideration, it signals where employment regulation is heading—not just in Oregon, but nationwide.
Employers who proactively evaluate their hiring processes, compensation disclosures, and background screening practices will be better prepared to adapt should the bill become law. Those who wait may find themselves navigating compliance after the fact.
As regulations continue to evolve, employers may need to ask not just whether their hiring practices are competitive—but whether they’re compliant, equitable, and ready for what’s next.
The man wanted in connection with two Pierce County homicides was shot and killed by police in Seaside, Oregon, Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank announced on X Wednesday night.
Hayes McCloud, 24, was identified earlier in the day by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) as a person of interest in two killings — the first in Puyallup around 2:40 a.m. and the second in Tacoma shortly after 3 a.m.
On Wednesday night, authorities referred to him as a suspect.
“The suspect has been contacted by police in Seaside, Oregon,” PCSO said in a Facebook post. “We are no longer looking for the suspect and details of the contact and major incident that transpired in Oregon will be available once the investigation is concluded.”
After that announcement, Swank posted an update on X.
“After he killed the person in Tacoma, he drove away. We didn’t know where he went, but he was picked up by a Flock camera in Lewis County around 4 a.m. So we knew he was headed southbound at that point,” Swank’s post said. “The suspect was shot and killed by police in Seaside, Oregon. No cops were hurt. I’m glad he was stopped before he killed anyone else. Great police work!”
The murder suspect from the homicide on Woodland Avenue also shot and killed a person in Tacoma.
After he killed the person in Tacoma, he drove away. We didn’t know where he went, but he was picked up by a flock camera in Lewis County around 4:00 AM. So we knew he was headed…
— Sheriff Keith Swank (@SaveOurSheriff) July 9, 2026
35-year-old killed in Puyallup home early Wednesday
At 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, deputies responded to the 12500 block of Woodland Avenue E. in Puyallup after receiving reports that a man was found dead in a home. Two homeowners were at the scene when deputies arrived.
“The preliminary investigation indicates there was homicidal violence in a bedroom that eventually led outside the home,” the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office reported. “The 35-year-old male was located inside the home with multiple deadly injuries. We have no suspect in custody at this time.”
Second homicide in Tacoma less than 30 minutes later
Just after 3 a.m., police responded to the 6900 block of E. D Street in Tacoma’s Hillsdale neighborhood after multiple people reported hearing gunfire. When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
Officers began lifesaving measures, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.
The Oregon Country Fair is right around the corner and got an up-close preview of the annual event with generations of revelers expected to return yet again.
Vendors and construction teams were busy setting the venue up on Wednesday. It opens to the public on Friday, and organizers are expecting a big turnout.
For over fifty years, people have come together to enjoy live music, art, food and community at the event in Veneta.
“It has definitely changed and evolved and it’s definitely still holding true to the magic that has started the fair,” said fair attendee Jill Carter.
Carter has been going to the fair for about forty years, but throughout her time there, there’s always one thing on her mind.
“I’ve had a lifelong dream to do the poster, and I’ve been working on applying for a long time, and I got to do it and I’m so excited!”
Carter says over the years, she’s fine-tuned her design proposal to accurately capture the whimsey of the fair.
“In our day-to-day world, we really don’t get to connect on this kind of level of art and whimsey.”
This curated space of art and whimsey is what keeps generations returning to the fair.
“I was at a meeting the other day and somebody was a third generation Oregon Country fairgoer. Their parents were babies here. They were babies here. Now, they’re on crews that help manage the safety of this community,” says Kate Gillespie, the White Bird Rock Medicine crew coordinator.
Gillespie has been working within medical response at the fair for sixteen years.
Before fair goers even arrive, White Bird Rock Medicine works on setting up for the two hospitals provided on site as well as staffing medical crew – which consists of almost 300 medical professionals and mental health crisis workers.
“We are prepared to deal with first aid things like scrapes, bumps, bruises; injured feet are a big thing that we see – all the way up to things like cardiac events and strokes,” Gillespie explains.
And for the attendees they serve, the event is a yearly tradition that is more than just a fair – it’s a chance to catch up with old friends and make new memories.
“I think it’s really like a reunion for a lot of the people that are out here on this property,” says Gillespie.
The Oregon Country Fair runs Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the intersection of Suttle Road and Bus Road in Veneta.
For more information, visit the fair website.
The Oregon attorney general will ask a court to pause Paramount’s PSKY.O $110 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. WBD.O for 60 days, saying on Tuesday that the company withheld records of its lobbying efforts.
While Paramount has told the state it will not close the deal before July 16, Attorney General Dan Rayfield said he will ask a Multnomah County court to order the company to hand over records and to delay the deal so the state can review them.
“We’re not going to let Paramount Skydance play hide the ball so they can rush through their massive merger,” Rayfield said in a statement. “Oregonians have a real stake in this deal – in our film industry, in our economy, in the choices they’ll have as consumers.”
A Paramount spokesperson said the information Oregon seeks “has nothing to do with whether this transaction complies with Oregon’s antitrust laws and is not a legitimate basis to delay a plainly lawful, pro-competitive transaction.”
The company has provided the state with documents relevant to the merger, the spokesperson added.
Oregon is seeking documents regarding “Project Warrior,” which was Paramount’s internal code name for efforts to obtain regulatory clearance. The state is also asking for records related to the company’s efforts to lobby the Trump administration for support of the merger.
Paramount CEO David Ellison’s father, billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, has cultivated ties with President Donald Trump, and the company has hired former Trump officials.
Oregon is also seeking information on whether Paramount had any role in the U.S. Department of Justice’s statement announcing it had cleared the deal.
While Oregon ordinarily “would afford significant weight” to the DOJ’s determination, the state plans to cite a Wall Street Journal report that officials overrode career staff attorneys at the DOJ who were leaning toward a recommendation to challenge the deal, according to documents to be filed in court that Reuters reviewed.
The DOJ issued a lengthy statement last month saying it believed the deal would “increase competition across the media and entertainment ecosystem, with benefits for American consumers and workers.”
The company has said the deal would create a stronger streaming competitor to Netflix NFLX.O and Disney DIS.N, and benefit creatives and consumers.
California, New York and other U.S. states are preparing to sue to block the deal, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters last month. The states have authority to enforce laws against mergers that they believe would unlawfully decrease competition.
Opponents of the deal, including some actors, writers and media workers, have worried that it would hurt jobs.
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