GRA Weekly

September 21, 2023

This week's newsletter is brought to you by GRA Corporate Partner, Gas South

GRA NAMES CEO SUCCESSOR

Stephanie Fischer Named President + CEO of Georgia Restaurant Association

Hospitality Veteran is Dedicated to Advocating for State’s Restaurant Industry and Leading Association into New Era

The Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA) announced today that it has appointed Stephanie Fischer as the association’s new president and chief executive officer (CEO). Fischer will succeed longtime president and CEO Karen Bremer, who recently announced her retirement. Fischer brings 25+ years of hospitality experience to her new role. The GRA serves as a unified voice for an industry compromising over 21,916 food service and drinking establishments ... Continue reading.

RETIRING GRA CHIEF OPTIMISTIC ABOUT INDUSTRY'S FUTURE

Retiring Georgia Restaurant Association chief optimistic about industry’s future

AJC - Karen Bremer keeps a small plaque on her desk that says, “Only those who see the invisible can do the impossible.” Bremer picked it up a few years ago at a bookstore. “It said so much to me about faith and hope,” she said. It’s also a succinct way to describe Bremer’s more than 45 years in the restaurant and hospitality business, from her first job at 15 as a clerk at an S&S Cafeteria to her current role as president and CEO of the Georgia Restaurant Association.

2023 GRACE AWARDS

Nominations for 2023 GRACE Awards Are Now Open

The Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence (GRACE) Awards return to honor the best and brightest in Georgia’s restaurant industry on November 30. Nominations are open in numerous categories honoring those who have exhibited exceptional hospitality during the year.

Peer-nominated award categories include:

Lifetime Achievement
Restaurateur of the Year
Restaurateur Rookie of the Year
Industry Partner of the Year
Hospitality Hero of the Year
Restaurant Manager of the Year
Restaurant Employee of the Year
ProStart® Student of the Year
"Georgia On My Mind" People’s Choice Awards featuring four new award categories: Favorite Neighborhood Hangout, Favorite Born and Raised Beverage, Favorite Eatertainment Experience and Uniquely Georgia. These awards are nominated and voted on by the Georgia restaurant community including guests, employees, suppliers and vendors.

Nominations can be submitted online until October 10. Winners will be announced during the GRACE Awards Gala on Tuesday, November 30 at the Georgia Aquarium. To sponsor the awards gala, please contact Sarah Thorson.

HOW TO RECRUIT HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS

Three Tactics to Recruit The Next Generation Of Hospitality Professionals

The demand for skilled and efficient employees is currently at an all-time high, especially in the hospitality industry. The U.S. Bureau of Labor has reported more than 9.6 million unfilled positions in all sectors nationwide, a substantial increase from the pre-pandemic record of 7.6 million. When recruiting in today’s tight job market, hospitality and food service businesses must remain nimble and willing to adapt as the needs and desires of employees change.

Luckily, there are strategic and intentional approaches to attracting emerging talent. By investing in the development of future professionals, fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment, and providing scholarships to prospective students, restaurants can significantly enhance the recruitment and retention of the next generation of hospitality professionals. Learn More.

WHISKEY WEDNESDAY PAC FUNDRAISER

Whiskey Wednesday

Join Us for our Whiskey Wednesday PAC fundraiser and networking event! Come enjoy a guided whiskey tasting from Bardstown Bourbon, one of the top brands in bourbon, with food and drinks at Hobnob in Dunwoody. Attendees will also have an opportunity to bid on premier bottles of hard-to-find bourbon and whiskey. All proceeds from the event will support the Georgia Restaurant Association Political Action Committee.

HOBNOB Dunwoody

Wednesday, October 18 | 5:00PM - 8:00PM

GRA ADVOCACY UPDATE

Join Us for a Macon Kitchen Cabinet

Next Thursday, September 28, the GRA advocacy team will head to Macon for a Kitchen Cabinet Roundtable with Mayor Lester Miller. If your restaurant is local to Macon, we would love to have you attend and discuss your concerns with an elected official, one-on-one. To RSVP, please contact Dedan McFadden or call us directly at (404) 467-900. We look forward to seeing you there!

When: Thursday, September 28 | 2:00PM - 4:00PM

Where: The Rookery | 543 Cherry St. Macon, GA 31201

Senate Workforce Committee Meets in Commerce

On Tuesday, September 19, GRA Vice President of Government Affairs, Scott Bierman, attended the fourth meeting of the Senate Study Committee on Expanding Georgia’s Workforce in Commerce. The committee heard a wide range of testimony from the healthcare industry, manufacturing industry, and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper delivered testimony speaking to issues such as rural development, immigration and the labor market, and the rise of technology in the workplace. To learn more about the committee’s work, click here.

ATLANTA WORKS CONFERENCE

Atlanta Works Conference

SHRM-Atlanta is the professional home for HR practitioners, but we realize that there are people that manage employees daily who may have no HR background, education, or training, such as start-ups and entrepreneurs.

The Atlanta Works Conference will support people managers in ensuring they understand what’s needed to hire, train, pay, schedule, and generally manage their employees. The conference will take place at Georgia Tech on October 10.

GRA and SHRM-Atlanta are partnering on presenting the Atlanta Works Conference. GRA members receive a $25 discount on the hospitality/restaurant track when using promo code GRA-ATLANTAWORKS23 at checkout. To register or to find out more about the Atlanta Works Conference, click here.

Atlanta Works Conference

Tuesday, October 10 | Georgia Tech

ICYMI: FREE SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING

Free Suicide Prevention Training for Your Employees

In observance of National Suicide Prevention Week, we are urging all food service workers to complete the FREE Question, Persuade, Refer training.

QPR, the CPR of suicide prevention training, is a simple, 45-minute course that prepares you to support a friend, family member, or teammate who is contemplating suicide.Giving Kitchen is proud to provide food service workers nationwide FREE access to the QPR suicide prevention training course online. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer - three steps anyone can learn to prevent suicide. Equip yourself and your team with the skills to help others who may be struggling with depression, mental illness, or suicidal ideation. This course is always free for food service workers using the special Giving Kitchen code GKQPR.

To begin your training, please enter code GKQPR at the link below.

TAKE THE COURSE

FEDERAL UPDATE

IRS orders moratorium on new ERC claims; urges vigilance against scammers and predatory marketers

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a moratorium on new Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claims filings beginning September 14, 2023 through December 31, 2023. This is unfortunately due to continued challenges with fraud/predatory scams and a focus on protecting legitimate business owners. Previously filed ERC claims will still be processed during the pause but will take longer due to the increased scrutiny and review of the documentation.The IRS urges business owners to remain vigilant against fraudsters and often “aggressive promoters and marketing” claiming they can assist business owners with filings. Restaurants should seek guidance from qualified tax professionals to navigate the complexity of the ERC and ensure accurate filings.

The SBA needs YOU: Small Business Roundtables

The Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Advocacy will host two Small Business Roundtables to discuss the Department of Labor’s Proposed Overtime Rule. Under the rule, salaried employees earning up to $60,000/year could be eligible for overtime pay.

When: September 26-27 | 1:00PM – 3:00PM (both days)

Where: Microsoft Teams

How to Participate: RSVP for ONE of these meetings by emailing Janis Reyes.

The SBA Office of Advocacy is interested in hearing perspectives on:

Whether the DOL’s proposed salary level threshold should be raised and whether the DOL’s proposed threshold levels are appropriate for small businesses.
The compliance costs of increasing the salary level to small entities, such as increased wages, overtime, and managerial costs.
Whether an automatic three-year increase to the salary level is appropriate.

For More Information:

Georgia Department of Revenue | Sales & Use Tax Rates Effective October 1, 2023

The Georgia Department of Revenue has posted the upcoming quarterly sales and use tax rate changes effective Sunday, October 1, 2023.

County affected: Rockdale

Visit Georgia DOR’s website for current, historical, and upcoming sales and use tax rate charts.

IRS: Georgia taxpayers impacted by Idalia qualify for tax relief; October 16 deadline, other dates postponed to February 15

This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced tax relief for individuals and businesses affected by Idalia in 28 of the state's 159 counties in Georgia. These taxpayers now have until February 15, 2024, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. This is similar to relief already being provided in Florida and South Carolina.

The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) See the full list of eligible localities here.

SERVSAFE FOOD SAFETY MONTH

WEEK 4 | Understanding your food safety regulation: The Why, and How

In week four of National Food Safety Month, we’re getting real about food safety regulations and what they mean for your operations.

Resources:

How and Why Food Safety Regulations Are Made (ebook)
What's Changed - Regulations in Review (blog article)
2023 Mid-Year Review Legislation & Regulations (John's Creek update)

DINING WITH GRATITUDE

Dining with Gratitude This October

Calling all Georgia restaurants and food service establishments, this October help Giving Kitchen raise critical funds and vital awareness by participating in Dining With Gratitude. The ask from GK is simple:

1) pledge at least $1,000 for food service workers in crisis through a direct donation or percentage of sales,

2) tell your staff about Giving Kitchen at lineup

3) in October, share with your customers you’re stepping up to support food services workers in crisis and invite them to dine with gratitude - they will send you a package for promotion kit in September. Register and find more details here.