COVID-19
Federal Relief Bill – The Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC) recruited senior members of the U.S. Senate, both Republican and Democrat, to sponsor their relief bill. The $120 billion dollar relief fund would only be available to restaurants with 20 locations or less. More details.
SBA Loan Program Update – The Small Business Administration (SBA) in association with the Treasury Department released new and revised guidance for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) implementing the recently enacted PPP Flexibility Act. The new SBA guidance clarifies that if a borrower uses less than 60% of the loan amount for payroll costs during the forgiveness covered period, the borrower will continue to be eligible for “partial loan forgiveness,” subject to at least 60% of the loan forgiveness amount having been used for payroll costs. The guidance further explains that this interpretation is consistent with the new safe harbor in the PPP Flexibility Act, which provides that if a borrower is unable to rehire previously-employed individuals or similarly qualified employees, the borrower will not have its loan forgiveness amount reduced based on the reduction in full-time equivalent employees. Meanwhile, Democrats continue to push for a simplified loan forgiveness application. And, under pressure from Congress, the SBA reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program.
Main Street Lending Program – The Federal Reserve’s Main Street Lending Program, which is designed to provide liquidity for small and medium-sized businesses, is off to a rocky start. Scaling a program of this scope in a compressed time frame (as we saw in the opening weeks of the Paycheck Protection Program) almost ensures there will be some confusion. However, the administration is committed to its success so employers need to continue to work with lenders to access the monies.
McDonald’s – Fight for $15 continues to organize workers at an Oakland location. This week workers brought a lawsuit alleging that they were forced to work while exhibiting coronavirus symptoms, prevented or discouraged from taking paid sick leave, were denied adequate protective equipment and could not comply with social distancing requirements, among other things. Workers allege 25 cases can be traced to the location. The case could become precedent-setting. More details.
Wages
Seattle, WA – The city approved legislation requiring delivery and rideshare companies like Instacart, Uber, Postmates and Grubhub, to provide a $2.50 per transaction hazard payment to the delivery driver, in addition to regular rates, tips and other commission, for any work-related stop in the city.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Target – The company announced that it is accelerating the increase to a $15/hr starting wage.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Paid Leave
California – The legislature approved the state budget which included language removing the 20-employee threshold for eligibility for paid leave benefits.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Colorado – The legislature unanimously approved a paid sick leave mandate, requiring employers to provide paid sick leave related to the COVID-19 pandemic through the end of 2020.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Allegheny County, PA – The county which encompasses Pittsburgh is poised to pass legislation replicating Pittsburgh’s paid sick leave law.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Sonoma County, CA – The county Board of Supervisors heard testimony from paid leave advocates arguing that the county needed to close “loopholes” in the federal CARES Act and require companies with 500 or more employees to provide two weeks of paid sick leave.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Philadelphia, PA – Legislation will be debated in committee next week to allow an employee that works 40 hours per week to automatically receive 112 hours of emergency leave.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Activism
Juneteenth Protests and Demonstrations – The SEIU and other unions are joining with a number of civil rights groups, holding protests and actions across the country.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Uniform Policies – A number of companies have struggled with uniform policies recently. Many workers have reported to work wearing Black Lives Matter facemasks, pins or other items.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Labor Policy
U.S. Supreme Court – In a landmark ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court found that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects gay and transgender workers from discrimination in the workplace.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Delivery
Beverly Hills, CA – The city council voted to cap commission fees charged by third-party delivery platforms at 15 percent and other fees at 5 percent.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Hoboken, NJ – The city council voted to cap commission fees charged by third-party delivery platforms at 15 percent.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Philadelphia, PA – Legislation to cap delivery fees at 10 percent and other fees at 5 percent continues to make its way through the process.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Rockville, MD – City officials sent letters to third-party delivery platforms to encourage them to cap their commission fees at 15 percent.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Alcohol
Colorado – The house unanimously approved legislation that would extend the provisions of the governor’s executive order through July 2021, allowing for alcohol takeout and delivery with food purchases.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Iowa – The legislature approved changes to the state’s alcohol law, allowing bars to sell alcoholic beverages, mixed drinks and cocktails for carry out and delivery, something that was only temporarily permitted under Governor Kim Reynolds’s COVID-19 orders.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Missouri – The governor extended the state’s COVID-19 emergency order through the end of 2020 and as a result, it will continue allowing to-go and delivery of beer, wine, and spirits (but not cocktails).To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Chicago, IL – The city is the latest to approve cocktails to-go. The governor had signed a bill into law earlier in the month making sales legal in Illinois, joining 34 other states but Chicago’s bars still needed council members to sign off on the matter. The ordinance goes into effect immediately.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe