The Oregon DOR Taxpayer Advocate Office

The Oregon Department of Revenue has launched a new office to help create a smoother experience for Oregon taxpayers. Codi Trudell will serve as Oregon’s first Taxpayer Advocate.

The Office of the Taxpayer Advocate will:

• Identify issues or barriers to equitable and fair tax collection.
• Provide expeditious service to taxpayers whose tax-related problems are not resolved through ordinary channels.
• Receive and evaluate complaints of improper, abusive, or inefficient service by agency employees.
• Identify systemic issues and make recommendations to address them.
• Have the authority to issue taxpayer assistance orders to compel the agency to act in an individual taxpayer’s case.

To reach the Taxpayer Advocate Office email taxpayer.advocate@dor.oregon.gov or call 503-945-8700. You can subscribe to the Taxpayer Advocate email news update list on the advocate’s page of the Department of Revenue website.

Adapting to Changes in Mask Requirements On March 12, Oregon lifted most mandates regarding indoor-mask use. This has raised many questions about remaining compliant with OSHA and OHA safety protocols. Businesses with questions about compliance with OSHA are encouraged to contact OSHA directly. Free and confidential consultations are available at https://osha.oregon.gov/consult/Pages/index.aspx. Businesses are allowed to require masks at their own discretion, and any member of the public may continue wearing masks. Some employers or workplaces may still require staff to wear masks, such as workers in health care settings or airports. Many of these requirements are based on ongoing federal regulations, which cannot be changed at the state level. Many state and local government offices have shifted to some form of remote work and may not immediately reopen to the public. Check an agency website or call ahead to make sure an office is open to the public before appearing at a possibly locked door in person.

Coming Clean on BOLI’s Property Services Contractor License Any business or individual that hires workers to perform janitorial services for others must have a valid Property Services Contractor License from the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. In other words, a property services contractor includes anybody who receives compensation for recruiting, soliciting, supplying, or employing workers to provide janitorial services to another business or individual. Under Oregon’s administrative rules, “janitorial services” does not include residential housecleaning services. Questions about the Property Services Contractor License? To learn more about the license and to find out if your business needs a license, check out the information from Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) available on its website. Para obtener más información y recursos útiles en español, visite el sitio web de BOLI.

OED Modernization Program

The Oregon Employment Department (OED) has launched a multi-year initiative that will transform OED’s business processes and core technology systems. "Frances Online*," OED’s new system, will support both Unemployment Insurance and the new Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (PFMLI) program. The system will improve customer service to diverse populations by providing flexibility and enhanced functionality around points of access, expanded and customized language use, gender preference, and ADA compliance.

Frances Online will replace the Oregon Payroll Reporting System (OPRS) and the Employer Account Access (EAA) portal, beginning with the third quarter filing in 2022. The system will support combined payroll reporting; and beginning in the first quarter of 2023, Statewide Transit Tax (STT) and Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (PFMLI) contributions.The second phase of the Frances project will focus on systems and processes that support PFMLI benefits (live in September 2023), and UI benefits (live in March 2024).

OED is inviting ongoing input from partner state agencies and stakeholders, and feedback from employers.To learn more, visit oregon.gov/employ/Businesses

Oregon Business Rebounds from the Pandemic New business registrations in Oregon continue to increase. Data for January showed 507,242 active registrations with the Secretary of State, reflecting an increase of 1% since December and 4.6 since January of 2021.

Technical Assistance Corner

SCORE is a 501c3 nonprofit that is here to help small businesses achieve their goals, whether they’re new, established, or still in the works. With support from the US Small Business Administration and the time and energy contributions of over 10,000 volunteers, SCORE provides most of their services for free. SCORE’s mentors comprise the nation’s largest network of volunteer business experts, and the organization has helped over 11 million entrepreneurs since 1964. SCORE mentorships are both free and confidential. With local chapters all over the United States and the ability to provide a virtual connection with a mentor, you’re almost sure to find the guidance you need to move your business in the direction it needs to go. If mentoring isn’t what you’re looking for right now, you can also find webinars, courses on demand, online resources, and local events.

If you’re interested, please visit www.score.org to learn more.

Upcoming Events

4/7/22, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Tektronix, Beaverton – Business Expo West by BESThq –https://besthq.net/business-expo-west/

4/20/22, 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center – Central Oregon Business Expo and Job Fair - https://www.visitredmondoregon.com/event/central-oregon-business-expo/#!event-register/2022/4/20/c-o-business-expo-job-fair

4/26/22, 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM, Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry – Salem Capitol Connections -  https://salemcapitolconnections.org/

5/12/22, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Oregon Convention Center, Portland – OAME Trade Show –https://oame.org/tradeshow/

If you’ve spent time on websites for state agencies here in Oregon, you may have noticed this button. Clicking on the Need Help button will take you to a page on our website that explains how we can help, as well as the circumstances under which we can or can’t assist you.

It’s not unusual for businesses to click this button thinking that they’re contacting the agency whose website they were visiting, but it’s actually us, at the Office of Small Business Assistance. We’re here to help you deal with those agencies, but we aren’t part of any of them: we’re with the Secretary of State’s Corporation Division. If you find yourself with an issue you’ve genuinely tried to resolve, and you just aren’t getting anywhere, please reach out to us.

Following the money – where do entrepreneurs get startup funding?

A recent report from the U.S. Small Business Administration examined where small businesses obtain their startup financing. According to the report, “new business financing options typically fall into two categories: debt and equity.” Most often, however, new business owners will use their own funds as start-up capital. The report found:

• 75% of new businesses use the personal savings of the founder(s)
• 19% reported using a bank loan for startup capital
• 10% of entrepreneurs reported using a personal credit card
• Another 10% reported using other personal assets
• 7% used other funding sources, including friends and family members
• 3% reported using government loans
• 3% of startups used no capital

The Kauffman Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes entrepreneurship, has produced a brief YouTube video that examines the most common sources of startup funding. More than half of all new companies rely exclusively on a combination of founder savings and subsequent cash flow from the new business. After founder savings, according to the video, credit cards are the single largest source of capital for young companies.

Need help accessing capital for your small business? Contact your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Capital Access Team.