Longstanding mismanagement at the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries has weakened its enforcement of workplace protections and civil rights laws, according to an audit released Thursday by the Secretary of State’s Office.

Leaders at the labor bureau have struggled to address its most pressing issues due to inadequate funding and unclear policies, the audit found. For example, when the agency tried to eliminate a massive backlog of wage and hour violation claims, the backlog of investigations only worsened.

Starting during the pandemic, the agency stopped conducting federally mandated compliance reviews of apprenticeship programs, auditors found. In addition, outdated technology and a lack of staffing have left agency employees feeling stretched thin and unable to efficiently manag

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