ORLA Update: December 14, 2022

From the Desk of Jason Brandt, ORLA President & CEO

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) is your statewide partner tasked with important work to advocate on your behalf. We continue to stay focused on our mission of improving, protecting, and promoting our state’s hospitality industry. Recently, ORLA shared the latest updates on some of the notable outcomes during this past year as outlined below. While we are confident our members recognize the importance of being an active member of their statewide association, our hope is that more industry members see the value in joining their peers and assisting the association in achieving greater outcomes in the years ahead. 

Recently, ORLA has:

• Successfully passed House Bill 3389 in the 2021 Oregon Legislature which resulted in 19,000 employers receiving Oregon Employment Department relief checks totaling $43.3 million. The legislation was historic and has also resulted in 125,000 employers across Oregon realizing a decrease in their tax rate for 2022. Unemployment insurance tax experience ratings will stay the same through 2024 thanks to the legislation. Overall, House Bill 3389 is expected to save Oregon employers $2.2 billion in unemployment insurance taxes through 2029.
• Entered a new partnership with Adesso Capital to assist restaurant and lodging members in processing their amended quarterly payroll tax forms to maximize federal employee retention tax credit money. Adesso can walk you through the entire process with a free consultation, so you know how much money you’re entitled to. It is very common to receive more than $100,000 back in tax credits as a hospitality operator disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. If you haven’t filed, you can get started at: www.adessocapital.com/partner/orla.
• Submitted over 10 public records requests of local government jurisdictions who collect a local lodging tax from our industry. It’s important that we stand together in making sure industry tax dollars are being spent in accordance with state law and that our dollars are maximizing opportunities to assist restaurant and lodging establishments with their ongoing recovery through strong tourism promotion campaigns.
• Launched a new workforce data tool to run customized reports for ORLA members at the city, county, and state levels by industry job type to keep up with ongoing changes in market rate compensation. These customized reports are included in your membership and are extraordinarily helpful in times like these.

If you're not already a member, please consider joining ORLA today. This organization exists for you and more than ever we need to stand together to protect the industry and the crucial contributions it makes to local economies around the State of Oregon. | Jason Brandt, President & CEO