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CCB’s Live Webinar Fall Schedule Is Posted! Sign Up Today!

CCB’s live 3-hour webinars have been scheduled through the end of November. You can view the schedule below or on this website: https://www.oregon.gov/ccb/Pages/ccbclasses.aspx

All CCB 3 hour webinars are free. Sign up today!

About the Speakers

• OSHA varies its presentation based on current events and hot topics in the industry. Recent topics have included information about COVID-19 safety in the workplace, worker safety during wildfire season and heat illness prevention.
• DEQ presents information about compliance with asbestos regulations.
• 811 shares information about the Call Before You Dig program.
• Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) teaches contractors how to get the most out of their insurance and how to protect their client’s secure information.

Is Your Email On File at CCB Up to Date?

CCB uses email to communicate with contractors – now more than ever before!

Why email?

This type of communication allows the agency to operate more efficiently while also providing timely service to contractors. Email also drives down the agency’s operational costs, so we can keep costs consistent for contractors and provide more services to our licensees and the public.

What do we use email for?

• Reminders about license renewals
• Insurance expiration reminders
• And more!

How can you update your email at CCB?

If your email address on file at CCB is old, update your email as soon as possible. Use your online portal account. Once you’ve logged in, select the “Business Activities” tab, then select the “Edit Business Information” tab. Alternatively, you can also submit an address change form.

Are you familiar with OSHA’s new Heat Illness rules?

On May 9, 2022, Oregon adopted two permanent rules – 437-002-0156 and 437-004-1131 – following direction from Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to protect workers from heat-related illnesses. The rules’ key requirements are identical and apply to any workplace where extreme heat caused by weather can expose workers to heat-related illnesses – medical conditions resulting from the body’s inability to cope with a particular heat load.

437-004-1131 applies to agricultural workplaces and 437-002-0156 applies to all other workplaces. Oregon OSHA’s rules for preventing heat illnesses apply to workplaces whenever an employee is working and the heat index equals or exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The rules do not apply to buildings and structures that have mechanical ventilation that keep the indoor heat index less than 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

The heat rules address access to shade and cool water, preventive cool-down breaks, and prevention plans, information, and training. The rules apply to workplaces whenever an employee is working and the heat index equals or exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit. More requirements apply when the heat index exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

See below, resources to provide insight on these new rules:

• Review the Oregon OSHA fact sheet - https://osha.oregon.gov/OSHAPubs/factsheets/fs91.pdf
• Read the rules: Rules to Address Employee and Labor Housing Occupant Exposure to High Ambient Temperatures
• Take a class (this counts for contractor continuing education; the course is designed to satisfy five of the seven training requirements in Oregon OSHA’s requirements ): https://osha.oregon.gov/edu/courses/Pages/heat-illness-prevention-online-course.aspx
• Visit Oregon OSHA’s A-to-Z topic index on heat stress prevention. It includes many free resources, including additional fact sheets, sample heat illness prevention plans, and a video guide to using a Heat Safety App to plan outdoor work activities.

Renewing your license? Leave time for processing

Renewal isn’t instant – even when you renew online. CCB licensing staff reviews each submission. If you wait until the last minute to renew, your license may expire before your renewal has been reviewed by the licensing group. Online renewals are faster, but not instant! Avoid a license expiration – renew your license in advance.  

Don’t forget about your contractor’s manual - it’s a great resource!

Most contractors purchase a manual from their pre-license provider when they sign up for the 16-hour pre-license course. This manual contains helpful information and answers questions that contractors often ask throughout their career. Inside the manual, you can find information about:

• Insurance
• Bond
• License endorsements
• Warranties
• Dispute resolution
• Employment laws
• Pay checks
• Contracts
• Bidding and Estimating
• …and a lot more

Don’t forget about your manual when you’re seeking answers to questions like:

• Do I need workers compensation insurance?
• What should I include in my employee handbook?
• What should be in the contract?
• What’s a lien?

Not finding the answers you need? Try these resources.

• Many of these topics are addressed in CCB’s catalog of approved classes. See our listing of trade, business and safety courses for the information you need.
• Call CCB for information that relates specifically to your license. 503-378-4621.
• Get free business counseling from your nearby Small Business Development Center.

How does your bond work?

Contractors know that they’ve got to have a bond in order to carry a CCB license, but many don’t know how their bond works.

It’s a common misconception that the bond is like an insurance policy, designed to provide protection for a contractor that faces a judgement. This is incorrect.

A bond is a guarantee made by a bonding company to make a payment if a contractor fails to pay a judgement. The purpose of the bond is to provide some reassurance to homeowners that they will not be left without compensation in the event that their contractor does not pay their judgement.

Contractors are responsible for paying their own court judgements. Contractors that rely on their bonding company to pay their judgement will face suspension of their license. In addition, contractors that do not reimburse their bonding company for paying their judgement may have difficulty finding a new bonding company in the future.

 Let’s look at an example of how a bond might work for a residential project:

• A homeowner files a complaint with the CCB against a contractor for breach of contract or for negligent or improper work.
• A CCB mediator attempts to help the homeowner and contractor reach a settlement, but no settlement is reached.
• The homeowner seeks a court judgement against the contractor, and wins a court judgment.
• The contractor is responsible for payment of the judgement, but for whatever reason, does not pay the amount owed.
• The bonding company pays the judgement up to the amount of the bond. The bonding company notifies the CCB that the contractor has not paid their judgement.
• The contractor’s license is suspended when the CCB receives notice from the bonding company. The contractor is unable to work until they’ve reimbursed the bonding company and paid any additional money owed.

Want to avoid this problem? We’ve got tips.

• Avoid disputes. Maintain good communication with clients throughout the project to avoid misunderstandings.
• Resolve disputes before they become complaints. If you receive a pre-complaint notice, contact the homeowner immediately. Strive to reach a resolution without CCB mediation. The homeowner cannot file a complaint with the CCB until 30 days has passed since sending the pre-complaint notice. This is your window of time to reach a resolution with the homeowner.
• If the homeowner does file a complaint with the CCB, the CCB will attempt to mediate the dispute. Arrive at the mediation prepared and ready to offer cooperation. This is the last opportunity for both parties to resolve this dispute outside court.
• If the mediation is unsuccessful and the homeowner does take the dispute to court, pay any resulting judgement without assistance from your bonding company.

Contractors spoke, we listened!

Since 2020, over 3,500 contractors have attended CCB’s live 3-hour webinars. Following every class, attendees are offered the opportunity to fill out a survey about their experience. We have consistently reviewed the class surveys and have received excellent feedback and great ideas for additional topics.

Sometimes, contractors request more information about certain topics in the 3-hour webinar. Right now, we’re in the midst of developing an updated version of the webinar class, and will be expanding the way we cover topics in response to these requests. In addition, we provide contractors with resources to help them find the information they’re seeking.

Following are several of the most common requests we have received:

I would like to see more on worksite safety.

Oregon OSHA will continue their participation in our webinars to keep you informed of the most recent safety developments. In addition, CCB’s catalog of approved courses features a wide range of safety classes that count toward your continuing education. You can also get more personalized information with an OSHA safety consultation. Consultations count toward your continuing education!

Provide more information about writing contracts and provide examples.

Since we cannot provide legal advice, this is a challenging topic. However, we will continue to provide awareness of contract best practices and add more examples of contract provisions and resources that may be useful for you. Some of our education providers offer classes on contracts. Take a look at our Business Courses section to find classes on contracts.

What can we do when we have a no pay or slow pay homeowner and/or general contractor?

This fall, we will be updating our 3-hour webinar to include more information about the CCB dispute resolution process. For information about liens, see the NASCLA manual, or take a look at our Business Courses section to find classes on liens.

I would like to know more about building codes and pulling permits. Building Codes Division (BCD) is your source for information about pulling permits. You can call them at 503-378-4133, or see their website at https://www.oregon.gov/bcd/pages/index.aspx. We also have a number of approved courses in our online catalog that deal with building codes topics – see the trade section of our catalog.

What is the process for getting a Lead Based Paint Renovation (LBPR) license?

See the portion of our website that addresses lead based paint licenses - https://www.oregon.gov/ccb/licensing/Pages/lead-based-paint.aspx

You can also call our licensing section at 503-378-4621 for more information.