ORS 659A.203
Prohibited conduct by public or nonprofit employer

  • prohibited conduct by school services employer during public health emergency
  • remedies

(1)

Subject to ORS 659A.206 (Effects of ORS 659A.200 to 659A.224 on employees), except as provided in ORS 659A.200 (Definitions for ORS 659A.200 to 659A.224) to 659A.224 (Short title), it is an unlawful employment practice for any public or nonprofit employer to:

(a)

Prohibit any employee from discussing, either specifically or generally with any member of the Legislative Assembly, legislative committee staff acting under the direction of a member of the Legislative Assembly, any member of the elected governing body of a political subdivision in the state or any elected auditor of a city, county or metropolitan service district, the activities of:

(A)

The state or any agency of or political subdivision in the state; or

(B)

Any person authorized to act on behalf of the state or any agency of or political subdivision in the state.

(b)

Prohibit any employee from disclosing, or take or threaten to take disciplinary action against an employee for the disclosure of any information that the employee reasonably believes is evidence of:

(A)

A violation of any federal, state or local law, rule or regulation by the public or nonprofit employer;

(B)

Mismanagement, gross waste of funds or abuse of authority or substantial and specific danger to public health and safety resulting from action of the public or nonprofit employer; or

(C)

Subject to ORS 659A.212 (Policy on cooperation with law enforcement officials) (2), the fact that a person receiving services, benefits or assistance from the state or agency or subdivision, is subject to a felony or misdemeanor warrant for arrest issued by this state, any other state, the federal government, or any territory, commonwealth or governmental instrumentality of the United States.

(c)

Require any employee to give notice prior to making any disclosure or engaging in discussion described in this section, except as allowed in ORS 659A.206 (Effects of ORS 659A.200 to 659A.224 on employees) (1).

(d)

Discourage, restrain, dissuade, coerce, prevent or otherwise interfere with disclosure or discussions described in this section.

(2)

A public or nonprofit employer may not invoke or impose any disciplinary action against an employee for employee activity described in subsection (1) of this section or ORS 659A.212 (Policy on cooperation with law enforcement officials).

(3)

It is an unlawful employment practice for any school services employer to invoke or impose any disciplinary action against a school services employee for reporting or filing a complaint alleging a violation of any law, regulation or standard pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(4)

The remedies provided by this section are in addition to any remedy provided to an employee under ORS 659A.199 (Prohibited conduct by employer) or other remedy that may be available to an employee for the conduct alleged as a violation of this section.

(5)

A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor. [Formerly 659.510; 2010 c.24 §1; 2016 c.73 §4; 2020 s.s.3 c.4 §5]
Note: Section 6 (2), chapter 4, Oregon Laws 2020 (third special session), provides:
Sec. 6. (2) The amendments to ORS 659A.203 (Prohibited conduct by public or nonprofit employer) by section 5 of this 2020 third special session Act apply to retaliatory conduct that occurs at any time regarding protected employee activity described in ORS 659A.203 (Prohibited conduct by public or nonprofit employer) (3) that occurs during the period in which any declaration of a state of emergency related to COVID-19 and issued by the Governor on March 8, 2020, and any extension of the declaration, is in effect. [2020 s.s.3 c.4 §6(2)]

Source: Section 659A.203 — Prohibited conduct by public or nonprofit employer; prohibited conduct by school services employer during public health emergency; remedies, https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors659A.­html.

Notes of Decisions

“Disclosure” of information includes report of wrongdoing that is circulated solely within agency or department. Bjurstrom v. Oregon Lottery, 202 Or App 162, 120 P3d 1235 (2005)

“Mismanagement” means serious agency misconduct having the effect of actually or potentially undermining ability of agency to fulfill its public mission. Bjurstrom v. Oregon Lottery, 202 Or App 162, 120 P3d 1235 (2005)

Where plaintiff, labor relations director and affirmative action officer employed by defendant community college, reported violations of federal and state laws and internal policies and procedures as well as misuse of funds, this section applies to plaintiff because section is not limited to providing less protection to employee whose job may involve regularly reporting on matters within scope of this section than to other employees. Harper v. Mt. Hood Community College, 283 Or App 207, 388 P3d 1170 (2016)

Employee’s reports to another employee of unlawfulness of that other employee’s conduct without threatening to reveal that conduct to anyone else does not constitute “disclosure” under this section and therefore is not protected activity. Lindsey v. Clatskanie People’s Utility District, 140 F. Supp. 3d 1077 (D. Or. 2015)

659A.001
Definitions
659A.003
Purpose of ORS chapter 659A
659A.004
Short title
659A.006
Declaration of policy against unlawful discrimination
659A.009
Declaration of policy against discrimination in employment because of age
659A.012
State agencies to carry out policy against discrimination in employment
659A.015
Affirmative action reports to include information on contracts to minority businesses
659A.029
“Because of sex” defined for ORS 659A.030
659A.030
Discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age or expunged juvenile record prohibited
659A.033
Violation of ORS 659A.030 by denying religious leave or prohibiting certain religious observances or practices
659A.036
Short title
659A.040
Discrimination against worker applying for workers’ compensation benefits prohibited
659A.043
Reinstatement of injured worker to former position
659A.046
Reemployment of injured worker in other available and suitable work
659A.049
Rights of reinstatement and reemployment protected
659A.052
Reemployment rights of injured state workers
659A.060
Definitions for ORS 659A.060 to 659A.069
659A.063
State to continue group health benefits for injured worker and covered dependents
659A.066
Worker may continue benefits after employer’s obligation ends
659A.069
Discrimination against state worker applying for benefits under ORS 659A.060 to 659A.069 prohibited
659A.082
Discrimination against person for service in uniformed service prohibited
659A.086
Employment rights of members of organized militia when called into active state service
659A.088
Violation of ORS 659A.086 as unlawful employment practice
659A.089
Notification to Director of Veterans’ Affairs
659A.090
Definitions for ORS 659A.090 to 659A.099
659A.093
Employer required to provide leave
659A.096
Denial of leave, retaliation and discrimination prohibited
659A.099
Short title
659A.103
Policy
659A.104
Description of disability for purposes of ORS 659A.103 to 659A.145
659A.106
Employers to whom ORS 659A.112 to 659A.139 apply
659A.109
Discrimination against individual for using procedures in ORS 659A.103 to 659A.145 prohibited
659A.112
Employment discrimination
659A.115
Qualification for position
659A.118
Reasonable accommodation
659A.121
Undue hardship
659A.122
Definitions for ORS 659A.124, 659A.127 and 659A.130
659A.124
Illegal use of drugs
659A.127
Permitted employer action
659A.130
Conditions that do not constitute impairment
659A.133
Medical examinations and inquiries of job applicants
659A.136
Medical examinations and inquiries of employees
659A.139
Construction of ORS 659A.103 to 659A.145
659A.141
Damages recoverable for harm or theft of assistance animal
659A.142
Discrimination against individual with disability by employment agency, labor organization, place of public accommodation or state government prohibited
659A.143
Assistance animals
659A.144
Required accommodations in transient lodging
659A.145
Discrimination against individual with disability in real property transactions prohibited
659A.146
Reasonable accommodation
659A.147
Prohibited conduct
659A.148
Employers to whom provisions relating to reasonable accommodation apply
659A.150
Definitions for ORS 659A.150 to 659A.186
659A.153
Covered employers
659A.156
Eligible employees
659A.159
Purposes for which family leave may be taken
659A.162
Length of leave
659A.165
Notice to employer
659A.168
Medical verification and scheduling of treatment
659A.171
Job protection
659A.174
Use of paid leave
659A.177
Special rules for teachers
659A.180
Postings by employer
659A.183
Denying family leave to eligible employee prohibited
659A.186
Exclusivity of provisions
659A.190
Definitions for ORS 659A.190 to 659A.198
659A.192
Leave to attend criminal proceeding
659A.194
Denying leave to employee prohibited
659A.196
Notice to employer
659A.198
Use of paid leave
659A.199
Prohibited conduct by employer
659A.200
Definitions for ORS 659A.200 to 659A.224
659A.203
Prohibited conduct by public or nonprofit employer
659A.206
Effects of ORS 659A.200 to 659A.224 on employees
659A.209
Effect on public record disclosures
659A.210
Affirmative defense
659A.212
Policy on cooperation with law enforcement officials
659A.215
Remedies not exclusive
659A.218
Disclosure of employee’s name without consent prohibited
659A.219
Uniform standards and procedures manual for implementation of Whistleblower Law
659A.220
Bureau of Labor and Industries to collect and compile information relating to disclosures
659A.221
Uniform application to all public employers
659A.224
Short title
659A.228
Discrimination for reporting violation of election laws prohibited
659A.230
Discrimination for initiating or aiding in criminal or civil proceedings prohibited
659A.233
Discrimination for reporting certain violations or testifying at unemployment compensation hearing prohibited
659A.236
Discrimination for testifying before Legislative Assembly, committee or task force prohibited
659A.250
Definitions for ORS 659A.250 to 659A.262
659A.253
Restriction of access to employee housing owned or controlled by employer prohibited
659A.256
Regulations by employers concerning use and occupancy of employee housing
659A.259
Eviction from employee housing or discrimination against employee for reporting violations of ORS 659A.250 to 659A.262 prohibited
659A.262
Warrant on behalf of person entitled to access to housing
659A.270
Definitions for ORS 659A.270 to 659A.285
659A.272
Employer required to provide leave
659A.275
Undue hardship
659A.277
Denying leave to employee prohibited
659A.279
Required posting of summaries of statutes and rules
659A.280
Notice to employer
659A.283
Paid leave for public employees
659A.285
Use of paid leave
659A.290
Prohibited conduct by employer
659A.300
Requiring breathalyzer, polygraph, psychological stress or brain-wave test or genetic test prohibited
659A.303
Employer prohibited from obtaining, seeking to obtain or using genetic information
659A.306
Requiring employee to pay for medical examination as condition of continued employment prohibited
659A.309
Discrimination solely because of employment of another family member prohibited
659A.312
Leave of absence to donate bone marrow
659A.315
Restricting use of tobacco in nonworking hours prohibited
659A.318
Discrimination relating to academic degree in theology or religious occupations prohibited
659A.320
Discrimination based on information in credit history prohibited
659A.321
Seniority systems and benefit plans not unlawful employment practices
659A.330
Employee social media account privacy
659A.340
Interfering with employee’s good faith disclosure of information concerning unlawful conduct or certain violations prohibited
659A.343
Discrimination based on individual’s presentation of identification other than Real ID prohibited
659A.347
Discrimination related to possession of valid driver license
659A.350
Interns
659A.355
Discrimination based on wage inquiry or wage complaint
659A.357
Restricting salary history inquiries
659A.360
Restricting criminal conviction inquiries
659A.362
Enforcement
659A.370
Employer prohibited from entering into agreements that prevent employee from discussing certain unlawful conduct
659A.375
Employer policies relating to prevention of discrimination and sexual assault
659A.380
When severance or separation agreements are voidable by employer
659A.400
Place of public accommodation defined
659A.403
Discrimination in place of public accommodation prohibited
659A.406
Aiding or abetting certain discrimination prohibited
659A.409
Notice that discrimination will be made in place of public accommodation prohibited
659A.411
Definitions for ORS 659A.411 to 659A.415
659A.413
Denial of access prohibited
659A.415
Liability for damages
659A.417
Violation of ORS 659A.413
659A.421
Discrimination in selling, renting or leasing real property prohibited
659A.425
Violation based on facially neutral housing policy
659A.550
Discrimination because of employment status prohibited
659A.800
Elimination and prevention of discrimination by Bureau of Labor and Industries
659A.805
Rules for carrying out ORS chapter 659A
659A.810
Willful interference with administration of law and violation of orders of commissioner prohibited
659A.815
Advisory agencies and intergroup-relations councils
659A.820
Complaints
659A.825
Complaints filed by Attorney General or commissioner
659A.830
Authority of commissioner
659A.835
Investigation
659A.840
Settlement
659A.845
Formal charges
659A.850
Hearing
659A.855
Civil penalty for certain complaints filed by commissioner
659A.860
Settlement agreements and orders
659A.865
Retaliatory action prohibited
659A.870
Election of remedies
659A.875
Time limitations
659A.880
Ninety-day notice
659A.885
Civil action
659A.890
Civil action for violation of ORS 659A.865
659A.990
Penalties
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