Payment of wages on termination of employment; exception for collective bargaining.

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(2)(a) When an employee who does not have a contract for a definite period quits employment, all wages earned and unpaid at the time of quitting become due and payable immediately if the employee has given to the employer not less than 48 hours’ notice, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, of intention to quit employment.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this subsection, if the employee has not given to the employer the notice described in paragraph (a) of this subsection, the wages become due and payable within five days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, after the employee has quit, or at the next regularly scheduled payday after the employee has quit, whichever event first occurs.

(c) If the employee has not given to the employer the notice described in paragraph (a) of this subsection and if the employee is regularly required to submit time records to the employer to enable the employer to determine the wages due the employee, within five days after the employee has quit the employer shall pay the employee the wages the employer estimates are due and payable. Within five days after the employee has submitted the time records, all wages earned and unpaid become due and payable.

(3) For the purpose of this section, if employment termination occurs on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, all wages earned and unpaid shall be paid no later than the end of the first business day after the employment termination, except that if the employment is related to activities authorized under ORS chapter 565, all wages earned and unpaid shall be paid no later than the end of the second business day after the employment termination.

(4) The employer shall forward such wages by mail to any address designated by the employee if the employee requests the employer so to do. An employer may deposit such wages without discount in the employee’s account in a financial institution, as defined in ORS 706.008, in this state, provided the employee and the employer have agreed to such deposit.

(5) This section does not apply to employment for which a collective bargaining agreement otherwise provides for the payment of wages upon termination of employment.

(6) When a termination of employment results from the sale of a business or business property and the purchaser employs or continues the employment of an individual employed at the business, this section does not apply to the payment to such an individual of wages for earned but unused accrued holiday leave, sick leave, vacation leave or other leave benefits payable upon termination of employment pursuant to a collective bargaining or other employment agreement or employer policy, if the following conditions are met:

(a) On the first day of such an individual’s continued employment the purchaser of the business credits the individual with all such earned but unused accrued leave; and

(b) The leave, when used, is paid at a rate not less than the rate at which the leave was earned or, if paid at a lesser rate, the number of hours credited is increased to compensate the individual for any difference. [Amended by 1957 c.242 §1; 1975 c.192 §1; 1991 c.966 §1; 1995 c.753 §1; 1997 c.233 §1; 1999 c.59 §192; 2005 c.664 §1]


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