COVID-19
Restaurant Revitalization Fund – The Small Business Administration (SBA) will begin accepting applications May 3 for the $29 billion grant program aimed at boosting the restaurant industry. Grant recipients are eligible to receive funding equivalent to their pandemic-related revenue loss, up to $10 million per business. A single physical location can receive no more than $5 million. More details.
Liability – Legislation in North Dakota protecting businesses from COVID-related liability was signed by the governor. More details.
Wages
Federal – President Biden signed an executive order raising the minimum wage for all federal contractors to $15/hr.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Labor Department – The agency issued guidance delaying until Dec. 31 the effective date of three portions of a 2020 final rule on tip sharing.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Connecticut – Both the house and senate passed legislation removing COVID-related claims from counting against the state’s unemployment compensation fund. The bill now goes to the governor for his expected signature. More details.
Wisconsin – The governor signed legislation allowing an employer to require a tipped employee to use an electronic signature or other electronic means that uniquely identifies the employee to acknowledge the counting of tips or similar gratuities. More details.
Amazon – The company announced that more than 500,000 of its employees would see pay increases of between $.50/hr and $3/hr.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Paid Leave
Federal – During his address to a joint session of Congress, President Biden called for a national paid and family medical leave policy.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Labor Policy
Federal – President Biden signed an executive order creating a task force aimed at making it easier for workers to unionize.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Federal – The Biden administration is advancing emergency workplace safety rules to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after weeks of delay and growing pressure from Democrats and safety advocates.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Labor Department – The White House has named David Weil to return to head the Wage & Hour Division.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
California – An assembly committee advanced AB 257, the Fast Food Accountability and Standards (FAST) Recovery Act.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Chipotle – The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protections sued Chipotle Mexican Grill for violating the Fair Work Week Law requiring quick service restaurants to schedule employees at least two weeks in advance.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Alcohol
Colorado – The house unanimously passed legislation allowing for cocktails to-go and home delivery of alcoholic beverages. The bill now goes to the senate for its expected passage. More details.
Florida – Both the house and senate gave final approval to legislation permanently codifying the governor’s year-old executive order permitting cocktails to-go and home delivery of alcohol. The bill is on its way to the governor’s desk for his expected signature. More details.
Tennessee – House-passed legislation advanced out of the senate extending by three years the current law for off-premise sales. It allows licensed entities to sell liquor and beer by the drink for consumption on the premises or to sell alcoholic beverages and beer for off-premise consumption if certain requirements are met. The bill is now on its way to the governor. More details.
Texas – Legislation is on its way to the governor’s desk allowing for cocktails to-go and home delivery of alcoholic beverages with a restaurant meal. Once Governor Abbott receives the bill, he has 10 days to sign it and it will then go into effect immediately. More details.
West Virginia – The governor signed legislation permanently allowing for cocktails to-go and home delivery of alcoholic beverages. More details.
East Baton Rouge, LA – The city council voted to permanently allow curbside pick up and home delivery of alcoholic beverages with a food order. More details.
Delivery
Arkansas – The governor signed legislation requiring that third-party delivery services enter into an agreement with a food service establishment (or food retail store) before offering delivery service. More details.
California – An Assembly committee advanced legislation mandating that a food delivery platform shall not arrange for the delivery of an order from a food facility without a prior agreement. More details.
Colorado – The senate passed a bill prohibiting a third-party food delivery service from advertising or delivering from a retail food establishment without a prior, written agreement. The bill now moves to the house. More details.
Packaging
Florida – Senate-passed legislation unanimously passed the house that would require the Department of Environmental Protection to review and update the department’s 2010 Retail Bags Report. The agency’s conclusions and recommendations are due to the legislature by Dec. 31, 2021. Until the report is concluded, the legislation prohibits local governments from restricting, banning, or taxing auxiliary containers, wrappings, or disposable plastic bags. The governor is expected to sign it. More details. To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe