Oregon Hurts Job Seekers With More ‘Barriers To Work’ Than Any Other State, Study Finds

Excerpt:

Oregon has been the most hoops to jump through of any state in order to start employment, according to a new report from the Archbridge Institute. The report evaluated all 50 states and the District of Columbia on occupational licensing and their “barriers to work” and Oregon came in dead last. Missouri was ranked number 1.

“Oregon licenses 180 occupations, but Missouri licenses only 123,” Archbridge Institute Ed Timmons told The Center Square. Timmons added that “twenty-eight occupations are licensed in five states or less.”

According to the study, occupational licensing affects more than 1 in 5 American workers.

t’s not just prospective employees that suffer, consumers also bear the brunt of excessive red tape.

“Occupational licensing increases service prices by as much as 16%,” said Timmons. “Occupational licensing also reduces consumer choice, innovation, and economic growth… There is almost no evidence that licensing improves the quality of services that consumers receive.”

Read the full article at Seattle Red.

Read the State Occupational Licensing Index here.