The Slice gives you all the news you can use. Each issue will include the latest news, COVID-19 updates, legislative news, and other relevant items for our readers. Please let us know if you'd like to see anything in particular or have other feedback - just email marketing@vrlta.org.

Yesterday, Governor Ralph Northam issued a proclamation calling the members of the General Assembly into special session on Monday, August 2. A special session is necessary to fill judicial vacancies and allocate more than $4.3 billion in federal relief funding. VRLTA will continue to work to ensure that some of the funding gets to the hospitality and tourism industries.

Welcome to the newest addition to the VRLTA staff, Carla Murray. Carla joins us after a 23 year career at the Maymont Foundation. Learn more about Carla and the work she'll be doing for VRLTA here, and be sure to welcome her at carla@vrlta.org.

Each year, the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association recognizes the best of the best with the Ordinary Awards. Anything but ordinary, we know that there are amazing businesses and people that make up the hospitality and tourism industry. We need your help to identify and recognize them for the great work they do. The 2021 Ordinary Awards feature 21 individual and organizational awards. Each award will be given to an honoree who demonstrates exemplary passion for hospitality and travel. The Hospitality Heroes awards will continue this year, and we've added a new category for Supplier Employee of the Year. This year's event is October 4, and nominations are due August 23.

The Strengthening Unemployment Programs to Provide Opportunities for Recovery and Training (SUPPORT) for New Workers Act would help unemployed Americans get back into the workforce by helping cover the necessary costs inherent to the transition — while also continuing to provide critical assistance to Americans who are unable to find suitable work. Additionally, Spanberger’s bipartisan bill would help address ongoing hiring challenges faced by Central Virginia small businesses and restaurants.

Specifically, the SUPPORT for New Workers Act would create a “Newly Employed Worker Allowance,” which would provide individuals who have recently become employed — after previously receiving unemployment insurance — with weekly payments of $180, which represents approximately 60 percent of their previous $300 per week payment through the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Benefit. These new, weekly payments would extend from the date of an individual’s hiring until the expiration of the FPUC on September 6, 2021 — or a maximum of nine weeks.

AHLA fighting for fair Per Diem Rates - Action Alert

AHLA led successful efforts on Capitol Hill and with the GSA to preserve FY 2020 per diem rates, and we need your help in passing this bill to ensure the same relief through the next two fiscal years. The impending legislation will likely mirror the efforts of Congressmen Charlie Crist (FL-13) and Bill Posey (FL-08) who introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives earlier this year. Please ACT NOW and send a letter to your Representative asking them to support this bill. Help SAVE our industry and our employees.

Mark Your Calendar!

Should you have questions or concerns, please contact VRLTA Director of Government Affairs, Robert Melvin at robert@vrlta.org.

The U.S. DOL just issued a proposed rule that seeks reinstate the Obama-era 80/20 interpretation of the Department’s dual jobs regulation to address the application of the FLSA’s tip credit to tipped employees who perform both tipped and non-tipped duties. Specifically, it proposes that if an employee performs work that directly supports tip-producing work for a substantial amount of time – that exceeds 20 percent of all of the hours worked during the employee’s workweek or exceeds 30 continuous minutes – “that worker is no longer performing labor that is part of the tipped occupation.” The proposal goes on to clarify that employers may not take a tip credit for work that is not part of the tipped occupation.

The NRA is on record opposing the arbitrary “80/20” rule and was strong proponent of the Trump DOL final rule that restored much needed clarity to employers and employees regarding the dual jobs function. Assigning arbitrary caps and attempting to micromanage restaurant work at the level of task assignment has led to mass compliance burdens and unnecessary and costly litigation. Restaurants attempting to emerge from the pandemic on solid footing should not be saddled with impossible compliance and legal challenges that the reinstatement of this so-called rule would create.

You can view an article on the court decision here, the letter from the NRA to the SBA on the subject here, and take action here.

Action Alert! Save Hotel Jobs Act Update

AHLA and Unite Here have joined forces to save hotels and hotel jobs. The organizations have been working for months on the Save Hotel Jobs Act. The bill provides a lifeline to hotel workers and hoteliers, providing critical assistance to bring back workers and to help bridge the gap until travel returns. While leisure travel is resuming, business travel -- the largest source of hotel revenue -- is down 85% and is not expected to return soon. Full recovery is not expected until 2024. To gain support for this bill so it has a chance of becoming law, your help is needed. Contact your legislators using this quick form today!

Action Alert! Sign on to support VRLTA's funding request to help hospitality and tourism

VRLTA recently submitted a request to the general assembly asking for comprehensive support for tourism and hospitality. The request totals over $273 million. See the proposal here. To show the General Assembly that our request has widespread support, we are asking members and others in the industry to sign on to the request. You can do that in less than 2 minutes by filling out this quick form. Thank you to all who have already signed on (over 230 organizations!); if you haven't yet had a chance, please take a minute to advocate for tourism and hospitality.

VRLTA recently received grant funding from GO Virginia Region 4 and local partners to create a free job training and upskilling program. In addition, some funds will be used to promote VRLTA's hospitality industry job board. See the press release here. Key details of the program include:

VRLTA members get unlimited listings for free (choose 30, 60 or 90 days - up to $100 value for each listing!). A 30-day listing for nonmembers is just $50. Job seekers can search jobs statewide and post their resume in the resume bank. Take advantage of your membership and get free listings. There's no cost or risk to members -give it a try!

Let’s get back to business! Apply for Fairfax grant funds here.

In early June, President Biden announced a National Month of Action to mobilize an "All-of-America" sprint to increase vaccination rates to 70% of adults by July 4. This week, Virginia became the 16th state to reach this goal. Across the U.S., over 66% of adults have received at least one dose.

Virginia continues to do well with vaccinations; according to the Washington Post, Virginia ranks 14th of all states in the share of the population vaccinated. According to the Virginia Department of Health, as of today, 49.8% of all Virginians are fully vaccinated. That figure jumps to 60.8% of Virginia adults (aged 18 and up), and 70.3% of Virginia adults have at least one dose of the vaccine. See more data on the VDH website.

We want to share your story! Each week, we highlight a member on our social media accounts, and it could be you! Tell us what's special or new about your organization, why you joined VRLTA, and what benefits you like. Want to have a chance to be featured? Fill out this quick form for us. Thanks!