This week's newsletter is brought to you by GRA Corporate Partner, Melissa Libby & Associates

GRACE FINALISTS AND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED

GRACE Finalists and Lifetime Achievement Recipients Announced

We are honored to announce Alan and Cindy LeBlanc as the recipients of the 2024 GRACE Lifetime Achievement Award. The LeBlancs are the founders of Brewed to Serve Restaurant Group.

Congratulations to this year's GRACE Awards finalists! It is their passion, dedication, and creativity that fuel the vibrant dining culture in Georgia! View all finalists here.

Winners will be announced at the 2024 GRACE Awards - Monday, December 9. Register to attend.

MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR SIDES WITH RESTAURANTS ON TIP CREDIT ISSUE

Massachusetts Governor Sides with Restaurants on Tip Credit Issue

Gov. Maura Healey of Massachusetts has taken an unexpected stance against a ballot measure that would end the state's tip credit, a move that surprised the restaurant industry. Question 5 proposes to gradually increase the direct wage paid to tipped workers to match the minimum wage by 2029, and Healey's decision aligns with concerns from the restaurant sector about potential business closures and reduced income for servers.

Read the full story.

MAYOR DICKENS ANNOUNCES INITIATIVE TO LEVERAGE LARGE-SCALE EVENTS

Mayor Andre Dickens Announces New Legacy Initiative to Leverage Large-Scale Events for Local Residents and Businesses

ATLANTA—Mayor Andre Dickens today introduced Showcase Atlanta, a new initiative aimed at ensuring that major events, conventions, conferences and festivals significantly benefit the city’s residents and local businesses.

Read the entire article.

DARDEN RESTAURANTS HOSTED STATE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES

Darden Restaurants Hosted State Restaurant Association Executives

Thank you Darden Restaurants for hosting a meaningful discussion at last week’s annual State Restaurant Associated Executive Meeting. Our President and CEO, Stephanie Fischer, had the opportunity to join the conversation last week around how we can continue to make a positive impact on behalf of the industry.

NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION GRASSROOTS SURVEY

Help Shape the National Restaurant Association’s 2025 Agenda

What are the trends and challenges that will define your business in 2025? Please take a few minutes to complete the National Restaurant Association’s 2025 Business Conditions Survey. Your input will provide us and the Association with data to illustrate how current business conditions are impacting the industry, and strengthen our ongoing advocacy on your behalf.

Take the survey.

2024 PEACH EDUCATION TAX CREDIT APPLICATION

2024 Peach Education Tax Credit Application

Georgia's PEACH Education Tax Credit – previously known as the Qualified Education Donation tax credit – offers an exciting opportunity to advance public education and foster excellence for students across Georgia.Your contribution to PEACH can make an immense difference in the lives of Georgia’s students – and it can also provide you with the ability to choose where you allocate your tax dollars through a dollar-for-dollar income tax credit.

Apply here.

RETAURANT RELIEF

CORE Gives

• CORE's purpose is to help restaurant employees with legally dependent children if you face any of the following grant qualifications: Medical diagnosis/crisis, injury, death of the employee, spouse or child, or the loss of home or place or work due to the natural disaster. Learn more and apply for a grant here.

The Giving Kitchen

• The Giving Kitchen's mission is to provide emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources. Food service workers can apply for assistance for up to six months after a crisis occurs. Learn more and apply for assistance here.

WHAT WE'RE READING THIS WEEK:

These Small Actions Can Have a Big Impact on Leadership

Building Legacies in Women-Led Franchising

Chipotle’s Latest Automation Tool to Help with Hiring

FEDERAL UPDATE

• Restaurant Law Center Joins Fight to Protect Unique IL Swipe Fee Law

Illinois passed a first-of-its-kind law exempting state sales taxes and employee tips from swipe fees. In both cases, restaurants do not keep any of the money but pass it on to servers or the local government.

Read the full overview.

• The FTC is Cracking Down on Misleading Menu Claims

Ten seafood restaurants recently received a warning letter on how “wild-caught, American seafood” may be advertised when the seafood is actually from farm-raised foreign sources.

The letter, sent by an official at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), said the agency will crack down on false claims of locally caught fare and how “eat local” slogans or restaurant décor could be flagged as false implied claims, which could illegally mislead customers.

Read the full overview.

• New Study Finds Eliminating the Tip Credit Has No Impact On Earning Gaps

The Employment Policies Institute (EPI) recently released a study conducted by University of California-Irvine economists, that finds eliminating the tip credit does not have any discernible impact on eliminating earnings gaps between minority, female, and white male employees.

Read the full report.

SHRM: Atlanta Works Conference

Society for Human Resource Management

Friday, November 1 l 9:00AM - 3:30PM

Register.

GRACE Awards

Georgia Restaurant Association

Monday, December 9 l 6:00PM - 10:00PM

Register.

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