COVID-19
Health and Safety – The Biden Administration continues to ramp up efforts to boost vaccine uptake. This week President Biden advocated for states and localities to use federal funds to make $100 payments for those getting vaccinated, and mandated that federal workers must get vaccinated or get regularly tested. Private companies, across sectors, took cues from the White House and have begun mandating vaccines as well. Some companies are also requiring vaccines for patrons. And, a number of independent restaurants made news this week with similar requirements. The issue of masks and mandatory vaccinations continues to be politicized with some governors banning mask and/or vaccine mandates while localities and companies, in some cases, are openly defying those state orders.
Federal Relief – The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the creation of a portal for Paycheck Protection Program recipients of $150,000 or less to directly apply for forgiveness through the agency. Roughly 6.5 million businesses are eligible. Prospective applicants for loan forgiveness will be able to use the portal starting next week. Additionally, the agency announced that it still has $27 billion remaining and available in their Emergency Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. More details.
Paid Leave – The Treasury Department expanded a paid-leave tax credit to include workers who take time off to accompany a family or household member getting vaccinated, or to care for them if they have side effects. Congress initially provided the tax credit to businesses and tax-exempt organizations with fewer than 500 workers, along with some government employers, to cover the wages of employees who take time off to get themselves vaccinated or to recover from the shots. The move is part of the Biden administration’s larger effort to promote vaccinations amid a sharp rise in coronavirus cases linked to the Delta variant and the large number of people who aren’t vaccinated.
California – The state labor commissioner fined three El Super grocery stores in Southern California for failing to provide or for delaying supplemental paid sick leave or other benefits to 95 workers impacted by COVID-19.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Wages
New Hampshire – The governor signed legislation freezing the cash wage for tipped employees at its current $3.27/hr.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Coach – The owner of Coach stores in the U.S. announced that the new starting wage for workers at their retail outlets will be $15/hr, starting in Sept. More details.
Paid Leave
Infrastructure – The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (BID) is advancing in the U.S. Senate.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Maine – The governor signed legislation creating a commission tasked with devising a family and medical leave program for the state.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Oregon – The state labor department issued a temporary rule that expands the reasons employees can use leave under the state’s paid sick and safe leave law during a public health emergency.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Pittsburgh, PA – The city council extended its COVID-19 paid sick leave policy for another year.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Airbnb – This week, the company publicly endorsed a national paid leave program after participating in a related press event with House Speaker Pelosi last month.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Labor Policy
U.S. Senate – The Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions is expected to vote next week to confirm the nomination of David Weil to head the Labor Department’s Wage & Hour Administration.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
NLRB – The U.S. Senate confirmed President Biden’s two nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Labor Department – The agency rescinded a Trump-era joint employer rule.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Maine – The state senate failed to override the governor’s veto of the so-called Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
New York – Employers are subject to new requirements under the recently enacted HEROES Act.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Rhode Island – The state expanded its existing equal pay law.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
McDonald’s – A federal judge in Chicago declined to certify a nationwide class in a lawsuit claiming McDonald’s violated antitrust laws by prohibiting franchisees from poaching employees of corporate-owned restaurants.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Activism
Restaurant Opportunities Center – The Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC) held a press conference to release the results of its report on the State of the Restaurant Worker in 2020.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Frito-Lay – Employees ratified a new labor contract ending a nearly three-week strike.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Delivery
Massachusetts – The attorney general sued Grubhub for allegedly charging restaurants in the state illegally high delivery fees during the COVID-19 pandemic.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Alcohol
Harford County, MD – The county liquor control authority voted to keep allowing licensed restaurants to sell and deliver to-go cocktails.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe