The COVID-19 pandemic hit young workers hard for many reasons, unemployment being one. The unemployment rate for workers under 24 soared to 27.4 percent in April of 2020, the highest ever recorded. It rebounded through the course of last year but remains at a record low; 9.6 percent in May 2021, a number that hasn’t been seen since the…

This graphic design winner from Ridgeview High School nicely captured common hazards related to slips, trips and falls with some great images.  You can see the restaurant worker slipping on a wet surface, the health care worker tripping on cords, and the retail worker falling down stairs while carrying a box.  Injuries from slips, trips and falls can be…

O[yes] is wrapping up the 2020-21 O[yes] Media Contest and the results are in! For the first time in the contest’s 13-year history, the 2020-2021 contest featured a graphic design category and a new theme. Students were invited to create a 30-90 second video or a graphic design that inspires young workers to think twice…

Getting a job in the middle of a pandemic may feel scary, but we know that taking the time to learn more about COVID-19 and other job hazards, along with precautions you can take, makes a difference. Join Averie Foster from Oregon OSHA and O[yes] Board Member Dede Montgomery, who works at the Oregon Institute…

As we watched the new administration sworn in on January 20th, we thought about all the opportunities young people can experience within local, state, and federal government. If you didn’t get a chance to watch the inauguration, we want to share a special moment when Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate shared a poem. There is…

Most workers have experienced additional stresses related to work during the pandemic, and young workers are no different. In fact, young workers may be even more impacted during this period of time because of their lack of work experience, seniority and telework opportunities, making most jobs public-facing. Additionally, some of the factors that put young…

For the first time in the contest’s 12-year history we are featuring a new theme and have added a graphic design category to the contest! High school students across Oregon are invited to create a 30-90 second video OR graphic design that inspires young workers to think twice about their personal health and safety at…

It is exciting to have a job and the opportunity to learn new skills in a work environment. Have you considered that workplaces may have potential hazards?  A recent study on injuries reported in Oregon workers’ compensation claims shows that young workers most often encounter two types of injuries at work. More than 1/3 of…

Hearing loss – you may think that’s something that happens to people just when they get older.  Not the case, according to Deafness and hearing loss, a March 2020 news piece by the World Health Organization (WHO): 60% of childhood hearing loss is due to preventable causes. 1.1 billion young people (aged between 12–35 years)…

We know it may feel like a tough time to get a job if you are a young worker. Whether this is your first job or the ideal job you are hoping to find, now is a good time to think about how to better set yourself up as a top candidate. One thing we…