Oregon Labor Bureau announces it will dismiss hundreds of worker lawsuits without a $22 million budget increase

The Oregon Labor Bureau has asked Governor Tina Kotek and lawmakers to increase the agency's budget by about $22 million so it can address the huge backlog of complaints from workers who say they have been wrongfully denied wages or have had their civil rights violated.

The agency is requesting $81.2 million for the biennium that begins next July – a whopping 36% increase over its current budget. Kotek will consider proposals from state agencies as she works to develop a budget proposal that the Legislature will consider and finalize next year.