The Office of Small Business Assistance is trying something new with our newsletter in 2026!
Our job is to help small businesses in their interactions with state and local government agencies, but we’re also here to assist our partner agencies in their interactions with small businesses. One way we’re trying to improve how we do that is by giving our partner agencies the opportunity to increase their reach to small businesses through our newsletter.
For January, we asked the Bureau of Labor and Industry (BOLI), Oregon Employment Department (OED), and the Department of Revenue (DOR) if they wanted to share any information with our audience. You'll find their helpful advice and details below. We hope to have segments from other agencies in future newsletters, but we'll also be providing similar opportunities to our nonprofit partners in the private sector.
Worry Monster Project Brings Comfort to Children Across Oregon
Last month, brothers Wyatt and Ben Lamont visited Oregon's Capitol to share the story behind their Worry Monster Kindness Project with Secretary Read and members of our team. Their handmade "Worry Monsters" are part of an ongoing mission to help children feel supported during tough times. Ben and Wyatt donated 100 of these unique creatures over the holiday season, bringing comfort and spreading kindness to children all across Oregon.
If you’re interested in getting in touch with the Worry Monster Project, they can be reached at stitcherdesigns@gmail.com or their Facebook Page.
Learn more about their inspiring work in these related stories:
4-H family creates worry monsters to spread kindness for kids in need | OSU Extension Service
An Oregon City kid helps nightmares turn to dreams come true | Central Oregonian
Oregon City kids invent Worry Monsters to ease nightmares, anxiety
News from the Oregon Department of Revenue
The Oregon Department of Revenue (DOR) reminds employers that the Oregon Quarterly Tax Report (Forms OQ and 132), Oregon Annual Withholding Reconciliation Report (Form WR), and all Forms W-2 must be submitted through Revenue Online by February 2, 2026.
DOR offers employer payroll tax training quarterly. The next available training will be held online, via Zoom:
- Tuesday, March 10, 2026: 9-11:30 a.m.
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Register for the employer payroll tax training.
Due to changes at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), returns and checks mailed in after January 25, 2026 may not receive a postmark on time. Taxpayers who still want to mail their paper returns and checks can take them to a local USPS office and request a postmark no later than February 2, 2026.
Visit our Withholding and Payroll Tax webpage for more resources. Employers with questions or who need assistance can contact payroll.help.dor@dor.oregon.gov.
Subscribe to stay in the know with the Oregon Employment Department Employer News
Each month, the Employer News delivers timely reminders, important updates, helpful resource links, and event information specific to Oregon employers. Hosted by the Oregon Employment Department, editions cover topics from multiple state agencies that impact Oregon’s businesses.
Each issue is full of useful information, including tips to make payroll reporting easier, legislative policy changes impacting taxes and contributions, special grant and incentive opportunities, and more.
The Employer News features articles about Unemployment Insurance, Paid Leave Oregon, Workforce and Economic Research, WorkSource Oregon business services, as well as relevant employer information from other state agencies, such as the Department of Revenue (DOR), the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), and the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS), to name a few.
The Employer News comes out the second Thursday each month with special editions as needed for urgent employer updates.
If you want to stay up to date on the state issues that impact you, you can subscribe the Employer News by sending a request to: communications@employ.oregon.gov. Let us know if you would prefer to receive the Employer News in Spanish.
BOLI’s Employer Assistance Team Supports Businesses Large and Small
Within how many days does an employer have to provide a final paycheck for an employee who quits without notice? How much Oregon sick time should an employer roll over from one year to the next? What’s the maximum amount of leave available to a pregnant employee?
Every day, employers of all sizes reach out to BOLI’s Employer Assistance Division for help navigating these and other frequently complex state and federal employment law questions. Call us! We can help you stay compliant and avoid potentially costly litigation and enforcement actions.
As a division within the Bureau of Labor and Industries, the Employer Assistance team is dedicated to helping employers manage compliance litigation risk. Employer Assistance compliance experts offer guidance on state civil rights questions, wage and payroll obligations, leave protections and more.
We offer a free employment law hotline at (971) 361-8400 staffed by employment law experts who can walk you through sticky or fraught scenarios in your workplace. Chances are that you will connect with a live person immediately, but if not, most calls are returned within 24 hours.
Employers that reach out to Employer Assistance should know that BOLI has a firewall between the team and the two major enforcement divisions: contacting us – and seeking to do the right thing – will never trigger a complaint, audit, or enforcement action. The Division conducts more than 150 low-cost, high-value employment law seminars focused on civil rights, leave protections, wage and hour rules and more.
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