We Propose Adoption of the Most Robust Standard of Just Cause in the United States by Recognizing a Property Right to Employment.

Employment relationships create value and property interest. Employers count on work, and employees count on income and benefits for personal security. Just Cause ensures that employment relationships are fair by ensuring decisions about disciplinary action, job loss and layoffs are not based upon misunderstandings or imposed in bad faith. A just cause standard and due process ensure these actions are informed by objective evidence, requiring equitable treatment, reasonability, notice, and more. 

Property rights and protected property interests are already recognized in certain types of work in Oregon, including Registered Nurse (RN) licensure. An RN's license to practice is property and it cannot be taken away arbitrarily. Due process applies, requiring notice of charges and opportunity for a fair hearing. It is time to protect all working people's property interests by recognizing a fundamental property right to employment.

Why A Constitutional Right?

We, the people shall not be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process. The right to due process is fundamental to democracy. It protects the practice of all freedoms, including expression and association. It is a procedural guard against exploitation and cronyism. 

Worker rights are human rights. The nature of which is to have agency, dignity, security, and prosperity. Specifically including protection against unemployment, this principle has been recognized significantly since 1948 in The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights .

A right to due process is established by the 5th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Derived from such, civil service employees have due process rights at work stemming from the recognition of the property interest to their employment (unless explicitly limited by a state law). Read more about Loudermill Rights here.

We Propose New Worker Rights. 

We propose rights that shall not be infringed upon, waived or limited on a capricious whim. Expanding the application of due process constitutionally is intended to meaningfully protect working Oregonians. The current standard of Just Cause provided by Oregon state law is limited, applying only to public safety officers and classified school employees. All workers deserve job security and employment protection.  

Union and private employment contracts conventionally include just cause, due process, and job security provisions, but most private sector employees in Oregon and throughout the United States are employed at-will. This means they can legally be fired on a whim, without any reason or prior notice, so long as the action does not violate other laws that protect against discrimination. At-will employment practices are a vulnerability to workers that attempt to form or join unions to advocate for improved working conditions.  Unjustly, still to this day, not all workers even have the right to collectively bargain over the terms and conditions of their employment.

Today, without Just Cause, employers are not required to satisfy a burden of proof to terminate an employee. It is possible for bad actors to escape existing legal workplace protections and too easy to hide mistreatment, discrimination and retaliation.

OUJC proposes to expand Just Cause protections to employees in Oregon, public and private, through the ballot initiative process.  

Just Cause is a people's initiative.

The initiative process is a method of direct democracy that allows ordinary people to propose laws, and amendments to the Oregon Constitution. Filing requirements to qualify a constitutional initiative for the ballot include that at least 8% of Oregon registered voters sign an approved petition.

To qualify for the ballot and become law, the public must consent. We value democratic process and informing registered voters of their ability to enact new worker rights for Just Cause, Due Process, Job Security.

Do you think it's time for working people in Oregon to have fundamental job security?

Download and sign our petition today from our homepage.

Meet an Organizer, sign our petition, and learn about volunteer opportunities.

• Contact us: Info@OUJC.org or (971) 413-2895 (text or call)

• Join our contact list for campaign updates here

• Make a one-time or reoccurring donation to the Just Cause Petition Committee or to OUJC