New Oregon Workplace Laws Include Immigration Protections for Construction Workers — What Employers Need to Know Now
Oregon’s HB 4111, now in effect, prohibits employers — including construction employers — from discharging, discriminating against, retaliating against, or taking adverse action against an employee because they have updated or attempted to update their personal information based on a lawful change in their federal employment authorization documentation. The law does not prohibit employers from taking actions necessary to comply with federal employment authorization requirements, nor does it hold employers responsible when a third-party benefit administrator independently takes adverse actions — but it does create new exposure for construction employers who have workers updating their documentation status. This law takes on particular significance in the current federal immigration enforcement environment, where construction employers are navigating a complex and shifting landscape of federal requirements, state protections, and workforce management obligations simultaneously. Oregon construction employers should review their HR policies and consult with qualified employment counsel to ensure their procedures for handling documentation updates comply with both federal requirements and Oregon’s new state-level protections.
