Oregon Wage & Hour Claim Calculator

Wage and hour claims in Oregon are governed by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and by Oregon's own wage laws, whichever is more protective. The most common violations are unpaid overtime (time-and-a-half over 40 hours a week), misclassifying employees as exempt or as independent contractors, off-the-clock work, and minimum-wage shortfalls.

A powerful feature of wage law is that it often doubles the recovery: under the FLSA, unpaid wages can be awarded together with an equal amount in liquidated damages, and many states add their own penalties for willful violations. Prevailing employees are also typically entitled to attorney fees, so an Oregon wage claim can be worth substantially more than the raw unpaid wages alone.

The FLSA generally allows 2 years to recover back wages, extended to 3 years for willful violations. Oregon's own wage statute of limitations is about 2 years, shorter than the national average of 3.6 years, and the longer applicable period usually controls — so the sooner you act, the more back pay you can recover.

You can pursue unpaid wages in Oregon even while still employed — retaliation for asserting wage rights is illegal under both federal and state law. Claims can go through your state labor agency, the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, or a private attorney, and many wage cases proceed as collective or class actions when one policy affected multiple workers.

Breaks at work in Oregon, as recorded on a review of official state sources completed 2026-09-15. Meal break: required for adult workers, at least 30 minutes, unpaid; when: work period of 6 hours or more; for 7 hours or less, taken after hour 2 and before hour 5. Meal break exceptions: tipped food and beverage servers 18+ may waive in writing; paid 20+ minute meal where industry custom; on-duty meal in rare exceptional circumstances or undue hardship; some hospital nurse rules differ. Rest break: required, paid 10 minutes per 4 hours worked or major part thereof (2 hours 1 minute through 4 hours), separate from meal periods. If a required break is not given: no general premium; hospital employees: $200 statutory penalty per missed meal or rest period on an OHA complaint.

Final paychecks in Oregon. If you are fired: by the end of the first business day after discharge (also termination by mutual agreement). If you quit with notice: immediately, if the employee gave at least 48 hours notice excluding weekends and holidays. If you quit without notice: within 5 days excluding weekends and holidays, or the next regularly scheduled payday, whichever is first. Unused vacation: whether earned, unused vacation is paid out depends on the employer's policy or the employment agreement. If the final paycheck is late: penalty wages: 8 hours of pay per day from the due date until paid, up to 30 days, for willful nonpayment. A break that was never given or a final paycheck that arrives late can be part of a wage claim, and the break and final paycheck guide in the related reading below compares every state.