Oregon SB 426 Now in Effect — General Contractors and Owners Could Be Liable for Subcontractor Wage Violations

Oregon Senate Bill 426 took effect January 1, 2026, creating a dramatic shift in wage liability that every Oregon contractor and property owner needs to understand immediately — under the new law, owners and general contractors are now jointly and severally liable for unpaid wages owed to unrepresented employees of subcontractors at any tier of the contracting chain, even if they already paid the subcontractor in full. This means a general contractor could be forced to pay workers twice for the same labor if a lower-tier subcontractor fails to pay its employees — making rigorous subcontractor vetting, certified payroll documentation, and updated contract language critical tools for every Oregon contractor working on projects with five or more units.

Source: O’Hagan Meyer / Payroll4Construction Read the full story: https://www.payroll4construction.com/oregon-sb-426-what-general-contractors-need-to-know-about-the-new-wage-liability-law/