Mylander Law focuses on a deliberately narrow slice of Oregon employment law: serious workplace cases for public employees, where the employer is a state agency, county, city, school district, transit agency, or other public entity. These cases run on different rules than private-sector employment, and Kirk Mylander spent years inside the institutions on the other side of these claims — which is exactly why the firm now represents the employees.
Public-employee employment claims operate under the Oregon Tort Claims Act in many circumstances, which means a 180-day notice deadline and damage caps that don't apply to private-sector cases. Whistleblower retaliation claims under Oregon's public-employee statutes have their own additional procedural requirements. Layering these statutes correctly — getting notice filed with the right entity within the deadline, while preserving the parallel federal track — requires familiarity with both frameworks.
Wrongful termination cases for public employees often involve constructive discharge — where the working conditions are made so hostile or untenable that resignation is effectively forced. Proving constructive discharge requires careful documentation of the employer's specific conduct and its temporal connection to any protected activity (whistleblowing, complaints of discrimination, refusal to engage in unlawful conduct).
Retaliation claims are frequently the strongest cause of action in employment cases, even when the underlying complaint or protected activity is contested. Oregon and federal anti-retaliation statutes don't require proof that the original complaint was meritorious — only that it was made in good faith and that adverse employment action followed. Documentation of timing matters enormously.
Hostile work environment and forced resignation cases under the Oregon Workplace Fairness Act now have a five-year statute of limitations — significantly longer than the older one-year BOLI rule. Many employees who were told for years that 'you waited too long' actually have viable claims under current Oregon law.
Discrimination and harassment claims based on protected categories (race, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity) follow the BOLI complaint process and have their own one-year filing deadline, with parallel federal EEOC charges available for federal-law claims. Filing the complaint correctly preserves both tracks.
Why Portland clients choose Mylander Law
- Years of experience inside public-entity legal departments — both sides of the table.
- OTCA notice work — done correctly, on time, with the right designated recipient.
- Oregon Workplace Fairness Act and BOLI complaint experience.
- Whistleblower retaliation cases under Oregon public-employee statutes.
- Free, confidential consultations.
The information above is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different — for advice specific to your situation, speak directly with Kirk.