An lawyer and a former state lawmaker are vying for the chance to guide the Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries. The workplace is a civil rights watchdog that enforces numerous legal guidelines, trains employers on these legal guidelines and investigates civil rights violations in workplaces, housing and public lodging.
The labor commissioner would handle an company with a $35 million price range, greater than 100 workers, and oversight over a part of Future Prepared Oregon, the $200 million plan aimed toward bolstering the state workforce by coaching and getting ready employees.
Seven folks ran within the main election to interchange present labor commissioner Val Hoyle.
Lawyer Christina Stephenson obtained 46.9% of the vote through the Could election, underneath the 50% threshold wanted to keep away from a two-person runoff. Former state lawmaker Cheri Helt got here in second with 20% of the votes.
Extra concerning the candidates:
Cheri Helt
Helt is a restaurateur and former state lawmaker from Bend with a level in psychology from Michigan State. She moved to Oregon along with her husband, Steve, 18 years in the past, in keeping with her web site.
Helt didn’t reply to a request for an interview for this story from the Statesman Journal earlier than deadline, however in a previous interview with the Statesman, she cited her expertise as a legislator, enterprise proprietor and faculty board member as her {qualifications}.
She was a member of Bend-La Pine College Board for 9 years, throughout which she helped go Measure 98 in 2016.
“We now have a delegated line merchandise in our price range for profession and technical training to excessive colleges,” Helt mentioned.
She additionally pointed to her expertise working a restaurant that employs 60 folks and famous her success managing that enterprise through the COVID-19 pandemic when rules often shifted.
On her web site, Helt guarantees to “vigorously defend employees’ civil rights and proper to obtain truthful pay for his or her laborious work. Work to totally and shortly implement paid household medical depart, which Cheri helped go within the Legislature.” And he or she guarantees to “strengthen and broaden entry to apprenticeship packages.”
Helt has been endorsed by Oregon’s former Secretary of State Bev Clarno and former state Rep. Knute Buehler, of Bend, together with the Oregon Farm Bureau.
Christina Stephenson
Christina Stephenson is a small enterprise proprietor and civil rights lawyer. Born and raised in Oregon, she mentioned she is working as a result of she believes “Oregon must be the perfect place to stay, work and personal a enterprise on this nation.”
Stephenson mentioned she has labored with BOLI for over a decade on behalf of employers and workers.
“I’ve the experience and observe report that’ll assist me get issues completed,” she mentioned.
Stephenson added that as a civil rights lawyer, she represents employees “who’re getting a uncooked deal from employers that do not observe the principles,” and helps small companies adjust to those self same guidelines and rules. She mentioned she hopes to proceed defending employees.
Working households and small companies are combating rising prices, requiring a laser concentrate on how the state may also help companies develop and create the roles which might be going to permit Oregonians to discover a good-paying job, earn a elevate and sustain with inflation, Stephenson mentioned.
“I wish to ensure that we’re investing in our apprenticeship program in order that we are able to workers our colleges, our development websites and our hospitals and I wish to ensure that we’re imposing legislation. Ensure everybody can entry their rights and empowering our employers by giving them the instruments they should adjust to the principles,” she mentioned.
Stephenson mentioned she additionally desires to strengthen partnerships with different state businesses. Oregon has a lot of contact factors the place companies work together with totally different businesses, offering alternatives for the state to coach companies concerning the choices of BOLI, she defined.
Strengthening partnerships may higher inform the enterprise group about what BOLI can provide, she added.
Her endorsements embody present labor commissioner Hoyle, a number of lawmakers and unions similar to PCUN, the Oregon State Police Officers’ Affiliation, Oregon State Firefighters Council and the Oregon AFL-CIO.
from Salem – Salem Local News https://bit.ly/3g5MPhH
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