Should it become even harder to qualify a referendum?
Tue, Mar. 28, 2023
California
The mission of the California Restaurant Association is to be the definitive voice of the California foodservice industry.
Should California referendum law become harder to use?
Lawmakers are trying to make it harder to qualify a referendum for the ballot, arguing that California’s ballot initiative process is being misused by the state’s business groups. One measure that they’ve aimed their criticism toward is the referendum on the so-called “FAST Act,” the state law that would dramatically raise the minimum wage and allow a government council to make labor law for many quick-service restaurants.
Get Your Grub On: San Diego Restaurant Week Returns
San Diego Restaurant Week is back, thanks to much hard work by the CRA San Diego County chapter. The event is giving businesses a boost by appealing to diners to try new restaurants. Participating restaurants are featuring special menu items at fixed prices. The event benefits Feeding San Diego, an organization dedicated to fighting hunger.
California workers can’t get timely hearings on wage theft claims. State orders audit.
Labor unions argued against an audit of the state Labor Commissioner’s Office, advocating instead for a number of reforms to help clear the notorious backlog in handling wage theft claims. However, California lawmakers voted for an audit after the Commissioner conceded that staffing is not the agency’s only problem.
Know a food service worker in need?
Restaurants Care can help.
Relief grants are up to $2,500 and paid directly to the worker in need. Online applications are available in English or Spanish.
National
Americans are eating out less often because of inflation
American consumers surprised economists for many months – continuing to spend, even against a backdrop of higher prices due to inflation and supply chain pressures. That trend appears to be over. New research from Morning Consult shows people are eating out less, and ordering takeout and delivery less often, too.
Early bird pricing ends soon for National Restaurant Association Public Affairs Conference
CRA members, join us on our annual trip to Washington, D.C. to attend the National Restaurant Association’s Public Affairs Conference. Early bird pricing ends this week for the June event, where the CRA Government Affairs team will guide you to Capitol Hill to speak to members of Congress about the many issues facing restaurants.
Fisher Phillips LLP & BMI Webinar: Music Licensing & Your Business: What You Need to Know
Apr. 26, 2023 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
In this webinar, you will hear from BMI on how to license music for your customers to enjoy. You will also learn what legal obligations you open yourself up to when you publicly perform music without the required permissions.
CRA Member Benefit Highlight: Legal Center Advice
Take the guesswork out of the laws and regulations affecting restaurants! CRA members get one call (not to exceed 15 minutes) of legal advice every month!
To schedule a call with one of our legal partners, please email helpline@calrest.org.
CRA News
Grow sales and simplify delivery with Otter. – A CRA short read
Thousands of restaurants around the world, country and the state of California save time, decrease errors and grow their online and delivery orders with Otter. We’re excited to help California Restaurant Association members simplify and grow your delivery operations. Get to know our business and your association representative Emily Barrett.
Keep LA Al Fresco!
The city of L.A. says it will release a more reasonable set of rules regarding outdoor dining, but we haven’t seen one yet. The current version details a long list of rules that amount to needless red tape and high expenses for restaurants wishing to continue the expanded outdoor dining service they set up during the pandemic. The CRA fought hard to win the ability for restaurants to expand outdoor dining back then, and we don’t intend to go backward. Watch this 2-minute video on what the city is proposing and click on the two links below to help us – We need your voice.
Marketplace Partner Content: Healthy Hospitality (UHC) – Medi-Cal benefits may get dropped
Medicaid eligibility evaluations were paused during COVID-19 and will resume April 1, 2023. This means that individuals whose Medicaid coverage was automatically extended during the pandemic will have their eligibility reviewed to confirm they still qualify. This eligibility evaluation will affect ~90 million individuals in the U.S. and is called Medicaid redetermination or recertification.
If you would like to learn more, please visit www.hospitality-health.com/CRA.
Event Calendar
MAR 30
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Zaller Law Group Webinar: Workplace Investigations
APR 06
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Fisher Phillips LLP Webinar: ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuits
APR 12
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
CRA Legal Center Webinar with Zaller Law: Understanding Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Employees Under California Law
CHECK OUT OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS AND REGISTER HERE
