2020 Election
Presidential Transition – The incoming Biden Administration continues to push forward with its transition plans. This week, the Biden team announced its landing team to oversee transitions at the Labor Department, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC). Not surprisingly, the team includes a number of political appointees from the Obama Labor Department, as well as union officials and labor-affiliated academics. Many played lead roles in crafting Obama-era policies opposed by the employer community. Some unions have also begun publicly endorsing their picks for Labor Secretary, hoping to shape the process. Meanwhile, Trump Administration officials are busily focused on finalizing any regulations that are in the pipeline. Expect a raft of executive orders from various agencies before Jan. 20. More details.
COVID-19
Study – Researchers from Stanford and Northwestern University published an article this week in Nature magazine, stating that restaurants are four times riskier than the next riskiest location (a gym).To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
California – Next week, the state will consider an emergency COVID-19 workplace rule, outlining the steps employers must take to prevent disease spread.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Oregon – This week the state labor department finalized new workplace rules intended to reduce the spread of coronavirus at workplaces, following Virginia and Michigan which were the first two states to do so.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Wages
Kansas City, MO – A city council committee heard a proposal to raise the minimum wage for certain city contractors to $15/hr.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Portland, ME – The city council voted to alter the ballot initiative recently approved by voters to raise the local minimum wage to $15/hr as well as including a hazard pay provision that would require time-and-a-half pay for certain workers during a declared emergency ($18/hr).To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Labor Policy
Uber – The rideshare company’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced this week that his tech coalition will use its victory in California last week to launch a push for similar regulation of the gig economy in other states and countries.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Alcohol
Bristol, TN – The city council approved an amendment to the city beer ordinance that would permanently allow the delivery of alcoholic drinks with an alcohol level below 8 percent.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Roswell, GA – The city council heard the first reading of an ordinance to allow home delivery of beer, wine and liquor from licensed retailers and restaurants.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Delivery
Monroe County, NY – County legislators approved a temporary ordinance to cap third-party delivery fees at 15 percent as well as capping fees at 5 percent for online orders when restaurants provide their own drivers.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Boulder, CO – The city announced their “Restaurant S.O.S. Safe Ordering Service” program to pay the restaurant service portion of third-party delivery fees.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe
Lancaster, CA – The city council passed an ordinance capping third-party delivery fees at 15 percent as well as prohibiting them from charging a retail food establishment any combination of further fees – not including delivery fees – for the use of the delivery service that is greater than 5 percent of the purchase price of each online order.To Access Align's Analysis: Log In or Subscribe