GRA Weekly

January 20, 2022

This week's newsletter is brought to you by GRA Corporate Partner, Atmosphere TV.

TASTE OF GEORGIA

13th Annual Taste Of Georgia Legislative Reception

This annual event is an opportunity for GRA members to showcase their food to elected officials and for our legislators to network with our state’s second largest employer. The honorees of the 2022 Georgia Grown Executive Chef Program will also be recognized.

GRA Restaurant Members: If you are interested in participating and showcasing your restaurant, send us an email at info@garestaurants.org.

When: Wednesday, February 23, 2022 | 5:00PM - 7:00PM

Where: Georgia Railroad Freight Depot | 65 Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive SE, Atlanta, GA 30334

Attendance is complimentary for lobbyists, dignitaries, legislators, staff and their guests however registration is required. Discounted registration is available for GRA Members.

Interested in sponsoring? Send us an email at info@garestaurants.org

FREE COVID TEST KITS

Free COVID Home Testing Kits | Order yours today!

The Federal government and the USPS have partnered to deliver free home testing kits to anyone who register here.

Insurance companies are also required to reimburse you for certain test costs, which you can read about here.

UPCOMING WEBINARS

FEDERAL UPDATES

Association Pushes to Reinstate ERTC

The Association joined other business groups and charitable organizations in sending a letter this week to President Biden and congressional leaders, urging them to restore the Employee Retention Tax Credit as part of the bipartisan ERTC Reinstatement Act (H.R. 6161); it’s spearheaded by Reps. Carol Miller (R-WV), Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), Terri Sewell (D-AL), and Kevin Hern (R-OK).

Supreme Court Blocks OSHA Mandate

When the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the rule last Thursday, restaurants no longer had to comply with the Biden Administration’s Emergency Temporary Standard mandating employers of 100+ employees require COVID-19 vaccination proof or testing. The majority of justices agreed with the Association’s position that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration did not have the authority to implement or enforce the rule. Find the court ruling here.

Regulation on Tipped Employee Pay Goes Live

The Department of Labor’s new “dual jobs” regulation, which governs how tipped employees are paid, is now in effect. The regulation breaks down work into three different categories: tip-producing work, directly supporting work, and work that is not part of the tipped occupation. Operators can no longer take a tip credit for the time employees spend on tasks considered “directly supporting work” that exceeds 20% of the workweek or 30 continuous minutes. Read More.

Dual Jobs Hearing Set for Feb. 24

A hearing on the Dual Jobs tip credit regulation in the case of the Restaurant Law Center (RLC) v. United States Department of Labor takes place Feb. 24 before the U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas-Austin Division. The RLC jointly filed a complaint with the Texas Restaurant Association on Dec. 3, 2021, arguing that revisions made to the Dual Jobs tip credit regulation created a new statute and conflicts with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

FREE SERVSAFE COURSE

ServSafe COVID-19 Conflict De-Escalation Course is FREE

Course offers restaurant employees guidance on how to reduce tensions and promote a safe environment when following mask and vaccination proof mandates. Teach employees how to ease tensions while maintaining the spirit of hospitality throughout all interactions. Get it here.

NEW GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

Small Business Grant Opportunity for Hispanic-Owned Restaurants

The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Educational Fund has joined forces with Grubhub to support Hispanic-owned restaurants throughout the country with a grant opportunity. Grants will range from $5,000 – $10,000 per business based on financial need. The deadline to submit an application is Wednesday, January 26 at 11:59PM ET.

Learn More and Apply.

Grants for Growth

Visa and Uber Eats have partnered to present Grants for Growth, a grant program that aims to support small businesses affected by COVID-19, hurricanes, natural disasters or other unexpected events. Read the guidelines carefully and apply before the deadline of January 24.

Learn More and Apply.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

Scholarship Applications available from the National Restaurant Association

Anyone pursuing a secondary education in the restaurant, foodservice & hospitality industry is invited to apply for an undergraduate scholarship starting Sat., Jan. 15 through Tues., March 15.

-Scholarships range from $2,500 to $10,000.

-For more info and to apply, visit ChooseRestaurants.org/Scholarships.

ATMOSPHERE TV FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Here’s why business TV streaming needs a reboot The TV screens in businesses often broadcast muted content that is not relevant to the customer experience - and is often tuned out. Switching to a curated-content, streaming model for business TV screens can improve engagement and give businesses more control over their own messaging. Read the blog post to learn more about making this switch.

Learn More.