GRA Weekly

September 8, 2022

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

GRA RESTAURANT INDUSTRY UPDATE WEBINAR

Please join us!

Wednesday, September 14th at 2:00PM, for the Georgia Restaurant Association monthly restaurant industry update with GRA President + CEO Karen Bremer, CAE, presented by Society Insurance.

Dial-in or watch live via Zoom as we discuss all of this plus more. We invite you to submit any questions you may have when you register and we'll be sure to address them live. Be sure to sign up today, space will be limited.

Wednesday, September 14th | 2:00PM

RESTAURANT LEGAL SUMMIT

Early bird registration for Restaurant Legal Summit Ends Tomorrow!

Registration is open for the 6th Annual Restaurant Legal Summit, Wed., Oct. 26–Fri., Oct. 28, 2022, at the Westin Buckhead in Atlanta. Keynote addresses will touch on recent developments, decisions, and enforcement priorities at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and will be led by The Honorable Marvin Kaplan, NLRB member, and The Honorable Jennifer Abruzzo, general counsel (invited). Session topics cover artificial intelligence, food safety laws, employee relations, wage/hour regulations, labor policies, and ethics.

Attendees located in Georgia also receive a special registration discount. Contact Katie Jones, GRA Director of Administration, for information.

GEORGIA'S BEST & BRIGHTEST!

Please join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating Georgia's Best & Brightest!

The Georgia Restaurant Association invites you to join us for the 14th Annual GRACE Awards gala, an event that recognizes hospitality and foodservice professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields.

Help us celebrate the amazing Georgia Restaurant Industry!

September 27 | Georgia Aquarium

2022 GRACE AWARDS FINALISTS + HONOREES

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE

Dr. Debra F. Cannon, Ph.D.

Georgia State University | Robinson College of Business | Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality

Read Press Release

RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

Amici Food Group (Michael Torino + Chris Torino)

PITA Mediterranean Street Food (Nour Rabai)

Southern Proper Hospitality (Chris Hadermann)

VanTrece Hospitality (Deborah VanTrece)

RESTAURATEUR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

Lil Ice Cream Dude Cool World Ice Cream Shop (Victor “Beau” Shell)

MAD Hospitality (Preston Snyder)

Mukja Korean Fried Chicken (Sean Chang)

Southern Belle + Georgia Boy (Joey Ward)

INDUSTRY PARTNER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

Goliath Consulting Group

Melissa Libby & Associates

Savannah Bee Company

HOSPITALITY HERO OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

Gathering Industries (Alex Reethof)

RO Hospitality (Ryan Pernice)

Sterling Hospitality (John C. Metz)

RESTAURANT MANAGER OF THE YEAR HONOREE

Pepe Fundora, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant and Cork & Glass

RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR HONOREE

Katherine Najera, Willy’s Mexicana Grill

PROSTART TEACHER OF THE YEAR HONOREE

Elissa Oliver, Riverwood International Charter School

PROSTART STUDENT OF THE YEAR HONOREE

Jennifer Pacheco, Maxwell High School of Technology

CHAIRMAN'S HONOREE

Senate President Pro Tempore Butch Miller, Georgia State Senate

GEORGIA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES + GEORGIA ON MY MIND| PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS HONOREES - TO BE ANNOUNCED AT THE EVENT.

GRA IN THE NEWS

The Numbers are in....

The Georgia Restaurant Association was named a top 14 "Trade or Business Association" and our CEO + President Karen Bremer was named a top 25 "Registered Lobbyist" out 100 by James Magazine.

The Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA) advocates for and protects Georgia's restaurants through lobbying in all levels of government. We are one of the most influential advocacy organizations in Georgia with a proven track record of saving Georgia's restaurants millions of dollars through ongoing efforts in fighting harmful policy and promoting a positive business environment for our industry.

UNDERSTANDING NATURAL GAS PRICES

Back to Fundamentals: Understanding the factors that impact natural gas prices

In 2021, the U.S. commercial sector consumed 3,263,722 million cubic feet (MMcf) of natural gas, with about 1.6% of that in Georgia alone. The hospitality market relies on natural gas for heating, cooking and drying. It’s been the steady choice for businesses because it’s reliable and effective. But recent price increases have made natural gas management more complex than ever before.

It’s no secret that natural gas prices have been exceptionally volatile in 2022. It’s normal for prices to fluctuate, but the natural gas market hadn’t seen prices reach such spectacular highs since 2008. From 2017-2021, natural gas prices averaged below $3—but in early 2022, prices hit $8.14/MMBtu (according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration).

Fortunately, prices are forecasted to drop in the coming year. Still, as we’ve come to experience, nothing is set in stone. So, what factors influence natural gas prices, and is there any way to prepare for future volatility? Continue reading.

FEDERAL UPDATES

IRS To Refund $1.2 Billion In Late-Filing Fees for Nearly 1.6 million Taxpayers

The IRS last week announced it will waive penalties for many Americans who late-filed tax returns during the pandemic. Nearly 1.6 million filers will automatically receive more than $1.2 billion in penalty refunds or credits, with many payments expected to come by the end of September. Eligible tax returns include individual, corporate, estates and trusts and more, according to an IRS notice. However, you must file the tax returns by Sept. 30 to qualify, the IRS said.

National Restaurant Association Activates Grassroots Campaign for Swipe Fee Bills

This week, our partners at the National Restaurant Association are launching a grassroots activation campaign to support the Credit Card Competition Act of 2022. Introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) earlier this summer, the legislation injects competition into the credit card network sector, which will likely lead to reduced swipe fees incurred by restaurants and handed down to consumers.

What this means for restaurants: Swipe fees are the third highest operating cost for restaurants after food and labor. Legislation that requires more competition among financial service providers is critical to help reduce that growing expense for independent restaurants as well as national chain establishments.

NLRB Proposes Rule To Expand Standard For Determining Joint-Employer Status

On September 7, 2022, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) proposed a rule expanding the standard for determining joint-employer status under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). This proposed rule rescinds a 2020 final rule that set the definition of joint employer as an employer that exercises substantial direct and immediate control over the essential terms and conditions of employment. The Board proposes to expand the definition of joint-employer status to include those that have indirect and reserved forms of control over workers, and “share or codetermine those matters governing at least one of the employees’ essential terms and conditions of employment.” The NLRB has identified the following types of small businesses or entities most likely to be impacted by this rule: contractors/subcontractors, temporary help service suppliers and users, franchisees, and labor unions. Comments on this proposed rule are due on November 7, 2022. Comments replying to comments submitted during the initial comment must be received by the Board on or before November 21, 2022. Read and submit comments on proposed rule in the Federal Register.

FOUR MEANINGFUL BENEFITS TO ATTRACT QUALITY EMPLOYEES

Four Meaningful Benefits to Attract Quality Employees

Today’s job market is competitive, but salary is not the only thing that attracts prospective employees to a company. Benefits are just as important, if not more so. Here are four benefits that can make or break employee recruitment and retention efforts.

Read about them here.

AARON SANCHEZ SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Culinary Arts Program Scholarship

The Aarón Sánchez Scholarship Fund will award four scholarships to the award-winning Institute of Culinary Education’s Culinary Arts program in New York City. The scholarship award includes tuition, fees and supplies, and mentorship, as well as flights to and from New York City, housing, utilities and more.

Eligibility requirements include:

- Legal resident of the 50 United State, the District of Columbia or US territories

- Between 18 and 25 years old as of January 1, 2023

- Must be of Latin heritage or ancestry

- Have one year of restaurant kitchen experience, be a graduate from the National Restaurant Association's ProStart Program, or be a graduate of a similar high school culinary arts instructional program

- Have a high school diploma or GED

- Cannot have been convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude

Deadline to apply is September 16, 2022. Apply today.

SUSTAINABILITY + EDUCATION

Food Safety & Quality Assurance Experts Panel

At 3:00PM on Monday, September 26, 2022, ServSafe & Ecolab are hosting a Food Safety & Quality Assurance Experts Panel. From product recalls, to dealing with Covid-19 variants, to integrating vastly different food safety cultures when acquiring a new restaurant business, the work of a food safety and quality assurance director is never done! Hear directly from your peers on this epic panel of experts who communicate their current struggles, lessons learned, and future plans.

Moderator:
Steven A. Lyon, Ph.D., Director, Food Safety, Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Panelists include:
Corrin A. Howard, MPH, Senior Regulatory Compliance Supervisor, Wawa Food Markets
Thomas Yurchak, Director, Quality Assurance & Food Safety, Restaurant Growth Services, LLC
Sarah Herringshaw, Director, Restaurant Quality Assurance, The Wendy's Company

Monday, September 26 | 3:00PM

RESTAURANT DISASTER RELIEF FUND

Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund

Disasters are unpredictable — but critical support shouldn't be. The average small business loses $3,000 every day they remain closed due to a natural disaster. To help restaurants recover in times of critical need, DoorDash has partnered with Hello Alice to create the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund. The fund supports restaurants impacted by natural disasters like fires, floods and hurricanes, and provides relief through $10,000 grants.

Eligibility requirements:

Must be experiencing hardship due to a state or federally declared natural disaster
Must be independently owned
Must have a brick and mortar location, with 3 stores or fewer currently operating
Must have revenues of $3M or less per location in the last 12 months
Must employ 50 people or fewer per store