COVID-19
Restaurant Revitalization Fund – The Small Business Administration announced that it is shutting down the grant program designed to provide relief to restaurants impacted by the pandemic. The agency said it will hold onto the applications in the event that Congress allocates additional dollars and pledged to process those requests in the order in which they were received. But the program will be “disabled” July 14, meaning applications will no longer be accepted or handled otherwise. Legislation has been introduced in the Senate to replenish the fund with an additional $60 billion but the bill has not progressed. More details.
OSHA – The United Food and Commercial Workers union and the AFL-CIO filed a petition asking the D.C. federal appeals court to review the Biden administration’s recently issued emergency COVID-19 workplace safety rules. The unions argue that the rules don’t do enough to protect workers. Earlier this month, the Biden Administration issued a COVID-19 workplace safety rule requiring health care employers to take certain precautions to protect their workers from exposure to the virus. The unions want the standard to cover all employees as it appears was the intent of the original draft of the rule. More details.
California – The state revised its emergency temporary standard regarding masks and vaccinations.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Chicago, IL – The city council approved an amended version of the mayor’s pandemic relief package.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Wages
Southwest Airlines – The company announced plans to raise its minimum wage to $15/hr effective Aug. 1 though the timing for some employees will depend on negotiations with unions.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Paid Leave
New Hampshire – The governor signed the state budget which contained provisions establishing a voluntary paid leave program that will allow workers of participating companies in the program to get paid at least 60 percent of their regular wages for up to six weeks if they take time off for personal health or family reasons.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Los Angeles, CA – The city issued an emergency paid leave order requiring all employers with either 500 or more employees in L.A. or 2,000 or more employees in the U.S, to provide COVID-19 vaccine related leave to employees who work within the City of Los Angeles.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Bed, Bath & Beyond – The company is making permanent many of their COVID-related benefits including a paid leave program for full and part time employees that will pay their employees in full for up to two months following childbirth, adoption, or welcoming foster children.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Labor Policy
Labor Department – The White House budget office is reviewing a final rule that would rescind the Trump Administration’s joint employer standard.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Packaging
Oregon – The house passed senate-approved legislation creating a producer responsibility program for packaging and food service ware.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe