Oregon Employment Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced Oregon employment attorneys who handle ORS 659A discrimination, wage, retaliation, and wrongful-termination claims for workers across Portland, Salem, Eugene, Gresham, and Hillsboro.

Free to use — no fee unless you win
Matched with an Oregon attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free Oregon employment case review

A Oregon attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

How we match your Oregon employment case

When you submit a Oregon employment matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A employment matter needs someone who handles employment work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Oregon law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Oregon who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with an employment claim in Oregon

Day 0
Something happens at work.
A firing, demotion, missed pay, harassment, retaliation. Write down dates, names and what was said, and save emails and pay stubs before access disappears.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A Oregon employment attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Weeks 1–4
Your attorney builds the record.
Personnel file, pay records, texts, witness accounts, the handbook. Employers keep meticulous files; you need one too.
Months 1–3
Demand, or an agency charge.
Many Oregon employment claims start with a demand letter or a charge with the state agency or the EEOC. Your attorney picks the route that protects your deadlines.
Before the 1-year deadline
Suit is filed if it has to be.
Oregon gives 1 year from the date it happened. Filing keeps your leverage; missing it ends the claim.
Resolution
Settlement or judgment.
You pay nothing along the way. The fee — typically 33% — comes only out of what’s recovered. If nothing is recovered, you owe nothing.

State Anti-Discrimination Statute: Oregon anti-discrimination
Oregon anti-discrimination statutes, ORS Ch. 659A. Protected: race, color, religion, sex (incl. pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age 18+, disability, source of income (housing), familial status, military status, protected hairstyles.
Deadline to File Charge: 1 year
1 year to file with Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) or 5 years to file directly in court (ORS 659A.875 — among the longest SOLs in the country).
At-Will Doctrine: At-will state
At-will state with public-policy exception (Nees v. Hocks, 1975). Statutory protections for workers' comp retaliation (ORS 659A.040), whistleblowing (ORS 659A.199, 659A.203), jury duty, military service.
Non-Compete Enforceability: Restricted
Restricted under ORS 653.295 (2022 amendments). Must satisfy strict requirements: written notice at least 2 weeks before hire OR signed as part of bona fide advancement, salary above threshold (~$108,575 in 2024), max 12-month duration. Otherwise void.
Minimum Wage & Overtime: $15.95
Oregon minimum wage tiered by region: $15.95/hour (Portland metro), $14.70/hour (standard), $13.70/hour (non-urban) as of July 2024. Overtime under ORS 653.261 and FLSA. Oregon Sick Leave (ORS 653.601). Paid Leave Oregon (PLO, ORS 657B).
Typical attorney fee: 33%
33%–40% contingency — no fee unless you win

Oregon's anti-discrimination statutes (ORS Ch. 659A) prohibit employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age (18+), disability, source of income (housing), familial status, military status, and protected hairstyles (CROWN Act) at employers with 1+ employee for most claims. Charges may be filed with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) within 1 year, or filed directly in court within 5 years (one of the longest SOLs in the country). Oregon is at-will with a public-policy exception (Nees v. Hocks). Non-competes restricted under ORS 653.295 — must satisfy strict requirements (advance notice, salary threshold ~$108,575 for 2024, maximum 12 months, severance pay if enforced). Oregon minimum wage varies by region ($14.20-$15.95 in 2024) and adjusts annually. Oregon Sick Leave Law and Paid Leave Oregon (PLO) provide leave benefits.

Exhibit B

When to call an employment attorney in Oregon

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Employment cases we take in Oregon

Which one is closest to yours?

Race and national-origin discrimination

ORS 659A and Title VII. Portland tech and corporate workforces generate ongoing claims.

Sound like yours? A Oregon attorney reviews it free — no fee unless they win.

Start my free review

Exhibit D

How much do Oregon employment attorneys cost?

Sample settlement statement

Oregon · Employment

Recovery$100,000

Attorney fee · 33%− $33,000

Case costs (advanced by firm)repaid at the end

To you$67,000

Due today$0

Try a different recovery$100,000

$5,000$3,000,000

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Most Oregon employment attorneys work on contingency: the fee is a share of what they recover, and nothing if they don’t.

Oregon employment attorneys work on contingency or hybrid arrangements — typically 33%–40% of recovery. ORS 659A, Oregon Wage Claim Act, and federal employment statutes shift attorney fees to the employer when the worker prevails. Oregon's 5-year SOL and broad worker protections make it one of the more plaintiff-favorable states.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your Oregon employment compensation can include

A Oregon employment recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Back Pay

Lost wages and benefits from termination to judgment under ORS 659A and federal law. Uncapped.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

Oregon employment questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Oregon attorney will review it for free.

Start free review

File with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) within 1 year, or file directly in court within 5 years (ORS 659A.875 — among the longest in the country). BOLI has a work-share with the EEOC.

Race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age (18+), disability, source of income, familial status, military status, and protected hairstyles (CROWN Act). Oregon has broader coverage than federal Title VII.

Restricted. ORS 653.295 (as amended 2022) requires: written notice at least 2 weeks before hire OR signing as part of bona fide advancement, employee salary above ~$108,575 (2024 threshold, adjusts annually), maximum 12-month duration. Otherwise the agreement is void.

Paid Leave Oregon (PLO, ORS 657B, fully operational 2023) provides up to 12 weeks of paid family, medical, or safe leave at up to 100% wage replacement (subject to cap). Funded by employer/employee payroll contributions.

Oregon minimum wage is tiered by region as of July 2024: $15.95/hour in Portland metro area, $14.70/hour standard, $13.70/hour non-urban. Annual cost-of-living adjustments.

No. ORS 659A.040 prohibits retaliation for workers' comp claims.

Not without legal review. ORS 659A claims have a 5-year SOL and allow compensatory and punitive damages plus attorney fees. PLO accrued benefits are also valuable.