Member Update
April 6, 2020
What's Inside:
CALL TO ACTION: Hearing on Liquor Posting 
Streamlining the Unemployment Benefits Process 
Guidance on Provisions in the FFCRA 
Cities Begin to Announce Relief Efforts 
Hotels Opening Their Doors to Help
CALL TO ACTION: Hearing on Liquor Posting
House Taxes Committee to hear  bill  delaying the period before a business gets “posted” for being late on liquor payments.  The Committee will conduct a virtual hearing on Wednesday April 8 at 8:30 a.m. If you want to testify, contact ben@hospitalitymn.com by 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

Contact  the committee members to let them know you support this bill (HF2693) . Ask them to also support further delay or forgiveness for the sales tax remittance payments for April and May and to delay the May 15 property tax payments for at least 60 days. Let them know that our industry needs relief NOW if we are to survive the current crisis. Additional data you may wish to include: 

  • The hospitality industry employs 300,000 Minnesotans and generates over $42 million in sales per day and 18% of the state’s sales tax during normal economic conditions
  • The American Hotel & Lodging Association reports that even prior to the “Stay-at-Home” Order, Minnesota’s hotel sector had lost 24,185 direct hotel-related jobs, with a total of 58,972 jobs lost supporting the hotel sector
  • The National Restaurant Association indicates that the restaurant industry lost an estimated $324 million in sales and more than 51,000 jobs during the first 22 days of March. Between March 23-26, the Association surveyed restaurants and found that in Minnesota, 3% of operators had already been forced to close permanently, and another 11% anticipated having to do so in the next month. These numbers pre-dated the “Stay-at-Home” Order and have undoubtedly been exacerbated within the last two weeks
  • Service industry employers are uniquely impacted by the current market conditions, as well as the “Stay-at-Home” and closure orders of last month. Their revenue is almost entirely dependent on human interactions, social events and the ability of their workers and guests to move about freely. There is no telework option for this industry. With the extremely limited exceptions of providing food to-go or limited lodging/shelter services to either long-term guests or the essential workers (truckers, etc.) that are still allowed to travel, hotels, resorts, campgrounds, and restaurants are effectively shut-down throughout Minnesota
Streamlining the Unemployment Benefits Process
Executive Order 20-29 was issued today to make two adjustments intended to streamline the administrative process. First, the Order fulfills the notification that will allow the state to process the federal provision for an additional $600/week in benefits. Next, it addresses the 45,000 individuals whose applications are stuck in the system because their layoff coincided with vacation, sick leave or personal leave. Today’s change should move those applications forward. 
Guidance on Provisions in the FFCRA
From the Department of Labor
The Department’s Wage and Hour Division has posted  the rule on regulations  laid out in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. If you missed the Department of Labor Families First Response Act Webinar, you can check out  the slides  now to get some additional guidance related to using the FFCRA paid leave provisions. Finally, Labor is sharing additional IRS  guidance  on the tax credits employers are allowed to claim under the FFCRA. 
 
From the National Restaurant Association  
Check out the  NRA webinar , " Families First Coronavirus Response Act" - What restaurants need to know to meet regulatory compliance  webinar, recorded on April 2.
Cities Begin to Announce Relief Efforts
In  Minneapolis , a fund has been set up to provide $5 million in relief to aid renters, people experiencing homelessness and small businesses. In  Saint Paul , the city has created a bridge fund for families and small businesses. The business fund currently totals $2.25 million and will give out grants of up to $7,500.    
  
If you learn of relief efforts being organized by your city or county, please let us know by sending the information to  info@hospitalitymn.com . We’ll share it with others and add it to our online resources.
Hotels Opening Their Doors to Help
Early conversations about how they can help, are turning into action as  hotels across Minnesota connect to initiatives  to provide temporary housing for health care workers, first responders, people experiencing homelessness and stranded travelers. Hotel rooms are being repurposed to provide stay at home, self-quarantining and family protection spaces as Minnesotans strive to slow the spread. 
Sincerely,
Liz Rammer
President and CEO
Our Member Updates are generally sent to members only. In the interest of public health and the health of our industry, we encourage you to share this update widely. Additional resources can be found on our  website  and through our social media posts on   Facebook , LinkedIn  and  Twitter .