Oregon · Unpaid wages · Updated Oct 2026

Oregon wage claims: how to get your unpaid pay

Not paid for all your hours, no overtime, or no final paycheck? Here is Oregon’s minimum wage, the final-paycheck rules, the deadlines and where to file, in plain English.

$15.55minimum wage in 2026
$15.55tipped cash wage
Nodaily overtime
Next business dayfinal pay if fired
6 yearstime limit to file (see details)

Where to file in Oregon

Wage claims in Oregon go to this state office. Filing is usually free.

Office
Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), Wage and Hour Division
Phone
971-245-3844
Languages
BOLI's help line says 'Se habla español'; worksite posters are available in 7 languages
File onlineOfficial wage claim page

For federal minimum wage and overtime you can also contact the US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: 1-866-487-9243. How federal claims work.

How to file a wage claim in Oregon

  1. Gather your records

    Dates and hours worked, your pay rate, pay stubs or bank deposits, texts or schedules, and the employer's name and address.

  2. Ask in writing first (optional)

    A demand letter gives your employer a deadline to pay and shows you tried. Use the free letter on this page.

  3. File with Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries

    If you were not paid what you earned, you can file a wage claim with BOLI online through its complaint system, or call or email BOLI for help ([email protected]). BOLI investigates and can order the employer to pay. Filing is free. You can also file in small claims court in the county where the employer is located if the amount is $10,000 or less, or hire a lawyer.

  4. Watch the deadline

    In court: 6 years for unpaid wages, as a liability created by statute or contract (ORS 12.080), but only 2 years for unpaid overtime and for penalties or liquidated damages for unpaid overtime (ORS 12.110(3)).

Minimum wage and overtime in Oregon

Oregon's minimum wage depends on where you work. From July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027 it is $15.55 an hour (standard), $16.80 inside the Portland metro urban growth boundary, and $14.55 in 18 rural counties (Baker, Coos, Crook, Curry, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wheeler). It applies to minors and trainees too. Rates rise with inflation every July 1.

Minimum wage (2026)
$15.55
Tipped cash wage
$15.55
Next change
Inflation adjustment on July 1, 2027 (amount not yet announced)

Overtime

You must get 1.5 times your regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Oregon has no general daily overtime, but workers in mills, factories, and manufacturing must get 1.5 times pay for hours over the daily limit (generally 10 hours a day) (ORS 652.020). Farm workers get overtime after 48 hours a week in 2025 and 2026, and after 40 hours starting in 2027 (ORS 653.272).

Paydays: On regular paydays no more than 35 days apart. Employers may not hold back a paycheck as punishment or to get company property back (ORS 652.120; BOLI Paychecks page).

Your final paycheck in Oregon

If you are fired or laid off
By the end of the next business day after you are fired or laid off (same if you and the employer agree to end the job).
If you quit
If you gave at least 48 hours' notice (not counting weekends and holidays): on your last day. If you gave less notice: within 5 business days or on the next regular payday, whichever comes first.
Law
ORS 652.140

When was your final paycheck due in Oregon?

Enter how your job ended and your last day of work. We show your state’s rule and, when the rule is a simple number of days or your next payday, the date.

Enter your last day of workThe result appears when you pick a date.

Dates are approximate: we skip weekends for business and working days but not holidays. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Penalties your employer may owe

If the employer willfully fails to pay final wages on time, it owes penalty wages: your wage for 8 hours a day for each day late, up to 30 days (ORS 652.150). The penalty is capped at 100% of your unpaid wages, unless you sent the employer a written notice of nonpayment and it still did not pay in full within 12 days. Minimum-wage and overtime violations bring the unpaid wages plus the same penalty (ORS 653.055). Courts award attorney fees in wage cases when wages went unpaid 48 hours after a written demand (ORS 652.200). BOLI may also fine the employer $1,000 (paid to the state) for willful failure to pay at termination.

Retaliation and immigration status

Your employer may not fire or punish you for making a wage claim, asking about one, talking to a lawyer or agency about it, or testifying. This is an unlawful employment practice and you can file a complaint with BOLI (ORS 652.355). BOLI says employers may not threaten to call immigration (ICE) because you complained about wages.

Federal law also makes it illegal to fire or punish you for filing a wage complaint or cooperating in an investigation (US DOL Fact Sheet #77A).

BOLI says it enforces wage and hour laws for all employees working in Oregon regardless of immigration status, and as a sanctuary-state agency it may not share your information with federal immigration officials unless a court order or public record applies.

The US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division enforces federal wage law without regard to immigration status, and its services are free and confidential whether you are documented or not (US DOL).

Deductions and tips

Deductions are allowed only if required by law (like taxes) or if you agree in writing and the deduction is for your benefit; each deduction must be shown on your pay statement. Tip credits are illegal in Oregon: your employer must pay you the full minimum wage plus your tips (ORS 653.035(3)). Tip pools are allowed, but managers and owners may not share in them.

Good to know in Oregon

  • Tips can never count toward your minimum wage in Oregon.
  • Penalty wages for a late final paycheck can add up to 30 extra days of pay.
  • Portland-area workers inside the urban growth boundary get the higher $16.80 rate.

Forms

Wage-theft calculator for Oregon

Work out what you should have been paid: at least the minimum wage for every hour, plus overtime. Then compare it with what you got.

If a higher city or county minimum wage applies where you work, enter that rate if it is more than you were promised.

Before taxes, if you know it. Leave it empty to see only what you were owed.

Fill in your pay, hours and weeksThe result appears as you type.

Oregon overtime rule: You must get 1.5 times your regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Oregon has no general daily overtime, but workers in mills, factories, and manufacturing must get 1.5 times pay for hours over the daily limit (generally 10 hours a day) (ORS 652.020). Farm workers get overtime after 48 hours a week in 2025 and 2026, and after 40 hours starting in 2027 (ORS 653.272).

Penalties your employer may also owe in Oregon: If the employer willfully fails to pay final wages on time, it owes penalty wages: your wage for 8 hours a day for each day late, up to 30 days (ORS 652.150). The penalty is capped at 100% of your unpaid wages, unless you sent the employer a written notice of nonpayment and it still did not pay in full within 12 days. Minimum-wage and overtime violations bring the unpaid wages plus the same penalty (ORS 653.055). Courts award attorney fees in wage cases when wages went unpaid 48 hours after a written demand (ORS 652.200). BOLI may also fine the employer $1,000 (paid to the state) for willful failure to pay at termination.

Tipped workers: this calculator does not count tips. In many states your employer may pay a lower cash wage if your tips make up the difference to the minimum wage; see your state’s page.

An estimate from the numbers you enter and Oregon’s rules, not legal advice. Nothing you type in this calculator is sent anywhere.

Free demand letter for unpaid wages

A short, firm letter asking your employer to pay what it owes by a deadline. Many workers get paid at this step, and in some states a written demand starts penalties or makes the employer pay your attorney fees later. Fill this in, then download the letter as PDF or Word (or copy it), sign it, keep a copy and send it in a way you can prove, such as certified mail or an email you keep.

When you download or copy the letter, the details you typed are saved on our server. See our privacy policy.

The name on your pay stubs, checks or the business sign. If you only know the owner’s name, use that.

Use the calculator above if you are not sure.

We suggest 10 days.

What were you not paid? (required)

One or two sentences with dates, hours and amounts.

Questions about wage claims in Oregon

Where do I file a wage claim in Oregon?

With Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), Wage and Hour Division. Phone: 971-245-3844. If you were not paid what you earned, you can file a wage claim with BOLI online through its complaint system, or call or email BOLI for help ([email protected]). BOLI investigates and can order the employer to pay. Filing is free. You can also file in small claims court in the county where the employer is located if the amount is $10,000 or less, or hire a lawyer.

What is the minimum wage in Oregon in 2026?

Oregon's minimum wage depends on where you work. From July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027 it is $15.55 an hour (standard), $16.80 inside the Portland metro urban growth boundary, and $14.55 in 18 rural counties (Baker, Coos, Crook, Curry, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wheeler). It applies to minors and trainees too. Rates rise with inflation every July 1.

Does Oregon have daily overtime?

You must get 1.5 times your regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Oregon has no general daily overtime, but workers in mills, factories, and manufacturing must get 1.5 times pay for hours over the daily limit (generally 10 hours a day) (ORS 652.020). Farm workers get overtime after 48 hours a week in 2025 and 2026, and after 40 hours starting in 2027 (ORS 653.272).

When is my final paycheck due in Oregon if I'm fired?

By the end of the next business day after you are fired or laid off (same if you and the employer agree to end the job).

When is my final paycheck due in Oregon if I quit?

If you gave at least 48 hours' notice (not counting weekends and holidays): on your last day. If you gave less notice: within 5 business days or on the next regular payday, whichever comes first.

How long do I have to file a wage claim in Oregon?

In court: 6 years for unpaid wages, as a liability created by statute or contract (ORS 12.080), but only 2 years for unpaid overtime and for penalties or liquidated damages for unpaid overtime (ORS 12.110(3)).

What can my employer owe besides my wages in Oregon?

If the employer willfully fails to pay final wages on time, it owes penalty wages: your wage for 8 hours a day for each day late, up to 30 days (ORS 652.150). The penalty is capped at 100% of your unpaid wages, unless you sent the employer a written notice of nonpayment and it still did not pay in full within 12 days. Minimum-wage and overtime violations bring the unpaid wages plus the same penalty (ORS 653.055). Courts award attorney fees in wage cases when wages went unpaid 48 hours after a written demand (ORS 652.200). BOLI may also fine the employer $1,000 (paid to the state) for willful failure to pay at termination.

Can my employer fire me for filing a wage claim in Oregon?

Your employer may not fire or punish you for making a wage claim, asking about one, talking to a lawyer or agency about it, or testifying. This is an unlawful employment practice and you can file a complaint with BOLI (ORS 652.355). BOLI says employers may not threaten to call immigration (ICE) because you complained about wages.

Employer still won't pay? Small claims court is often the next step for amounts under the state limit.

Small claims in Oregon
Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.

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