The lack of retirement savings among Americans is almost universally bemoaned but nudging, prodding and lecturing have done little to build up nest eggs for old age. So some states say they are going to make it easier to save with a simple plan: an automatic payroll deduction for retirement savings.

Oregon is the first state to roll out a plan that covers private sector workers who do not otherwise have access to a savings plan in their workplace. The deduction is an automatic 5 percent of gross pay, unless the worker opts out. Participants can reduce the percentage, if they choose. The state directs the money gathered under the OregonSaves plan to privately run low-cost investment funds.

With its heavy concentration of small businesses, Oregon calculates that it has more than one million workers whose employers do not offer a retirement savings vehicle. Many small employers say they cannot afford the expense or time to set up such plans.

Luke Huffstutter, who co-owns a hair salon in Portland, was among them.

“I had looked into setting up an employee savings plan. We met with four different companies but the plans were either too expensive or the fees were too high,” said Mr. Huffstutter, who, with his wife, Natasha, owns Annastasia Salon.