GRA Weekly

November 9, 2023

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

JOIN US AT THE 2023 GRACE AWARDS

Join Us at the 2023 GRACE Awards

You're invited to join us in an unforgettable evening of celebration at the 15th Annual Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence (GRACE) Awards Gala! Raise a toast to the stars of Georgia's restaurant industry, mingle with industry icons, enjoy a dinner prepared by world-renowned Wolfgang Puck Catering, choose from a curated drink menu, and celebrate excellence in hospitality against the stunning backdrop of the Georgia Aquarium.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Cocktail Reception | 5:00PM

Dinner + Awards | 6:30PM

Georgia Aquarium

255 Baker Street NW

Atlanta, GA 30313

All winners and People's Choice Awards recipients will be announced at the Gala. Interested in sponsoring the event? Please contact Sarah Thorson.

GET TICKETS

GRA ADVOCACY UPDATE

Save the Date! Atlanta Kitchen Cabinet

On Thursday, December 7, the GRA advocacy team is hosting a Kitchen Cabinet Roundtable with Atlanta City Councilmember Alex Wan. If your restaurant is local to Atlanta, we would love to have you attend to discuss your concerns with an elected official one-on-one. To RSVP, please contact Dedan McFadden or call us directly at (404) 467-9000. We look forward to seeing you there!

When: December 7, 2023 | 2:00PM - 4:00PM

Where: Ecco Midtown | 40 7th St NE Atlanta, GA 30308

DOR Centralized Alcohol Licensing Portal Update

The Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) plans to improve to the Centralized Alcohol Licensing Portal (ALP) to create a more streamlined process between licensees, municipalities, and the state. Effective Wednesday, November 1, DOR will require all jurisdictions within Georgia to use the portal and is offering to help local governments with the implementation. Additionally, DOR is changing the background check process to only require a one-time background check and fingerprinting for those registering within the system.

ANNUAL GRA BOARD RETREAT

Annual GRA Board of Directors Retreat

Last week, the GRA Leadership Team and Board of Directors attended the annual Board Retreat at Lake Oconee. Over the course of three days, Board members collaborated on a strategic plan, learned how to effectively lead the association from Retreat facilitator, Bob Harris, and spent quality time together while enjoying the beauty of Lake Oconee. The Board also celebrated Karen Bremer's 13 years as President + CEO of the GRA, while welcoming her 2024 successor, Stephanie Fischer. Many thanks to the GRA Board and our members for helping us advocate for restaurants in every part of the state!

2023 GRACE AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

2023 GRACE Awards Finalists Announced

We are delighted to announce the finalists for the highly anticipated 2023 GRACE Awards Gala! Thank you to all who submitted nominations– the caliber of talent and excellence in our restaurant industry is consistently reaching new heights and many deserving hospitality professionals and businesses were submitted for consideration. Every finalist represents a story of perseverance, creativity, and culinary excellence. View the full list of finalists here.

To celebrate their contributions to Georgia’s restaurant industry, join us at the 2023 Grace Awards Gala on November 30 at the Georgia Aquarium. Tickets are available at

https://www.garestaurants.org/grace. We can’t wait to see you there!

GRA FOUNDATION UPDATE

GRAF Hosts Dekalb Educator Bootcamp

On Tuesday, November 7, the Georgia Restaurant Association Foundation (GRAF) hosted the Dekalb ProStart Educator Bootcamp. The bootcamp brought together passionate educators from the Dekalb County Schools Culinary Arts Program to explore scholarships, mentorship programs, and training opportunities within the ProStart program, a pivotal initiative for culinary education in Georgia. Thank you to everyone who attended and made the Bootcamp a success!

2024 Georgia ProStart Invitational Announced

The 2024 Georgia ProStart Invitational will be held on Thursday, February 29, 2024 from 8:00AM - 4:00PM at Gas South Arena in Duluth, Ga. We anticipate 10-12 schools from across the state to participate. The Georgia Restaurant Association Foundation (GRAF) is currently recruiting industry leaders to be culinary and management judges and for team mentors. Want to get involved? Please contact Katie Ashley, GRAF Programs Manager, for more information.

SAVE TIME ON EMPLOYEE TURNOVER

Three Simple Strategies to Save Time on Employee Turnover

We don’t need to remind you about the current labor shortage, the great restaurant resignation or how expensive it is to replace a single restaurant worker. But even in the best of times, without any of these factors amplifying current turnover rates, restaurants will always be a bit of a revolving door. Organic turnover is a challenging reality of the restaurant business, whether it’s adding seasonal staff to cover the holiday rush or hiring students that are temporarily home for the summer.

No matter the cause of your restaurant employee turnover, onboarding and training new staff takes a lot of time and effort that could be better spent on everything from inventory management to improving your customer loyalty program. Here are three simple ways to save time and improve your restaurant’s efficiency the next time you bring in a new employee - Keep reading.

FEDERAL UPDATE

Incorrectly Submitted an ERC Claim? You May Be Eligible for Withdrawal

If you filed a claim requesting a refund for an Employee Retention Credit (ERC or ERTC) and would now like to withdraw your claim, you may be in luck - check the links below to see if you qualify:

Who can ask to withdraw an ERC claim

How to request an ERC claim withdrawal

What happens next

Claims that are withdrawn will be treated as if they were never filed. The IRS will not impose penalties or interest.

If you made any other changes on the adjusted employment tax return or you only need to reduce your ERC claim (not withdraw it entirely), you can't use the withdrawal process. Instead, you need to amend your return.

New Senate bill tackles food waste

Sen. Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Grassley (R-IA) recently introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent and reduce food waste.

Dive deeper: The Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act, S. 3146, would establish a “Food Loss and Waste Reduction Certification,” and direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create:

Criteria, which businesses and organizations would have to meet to receive the certification;
A verification process, to confirm that businesses and organizations have achieved the criteria; and
A label, which certified businesses and organizations would be authorized to use on their products, buildings, and websites.

What we’re saying: “Food waste reduction efforts that increase the amount of food sent to those in need are a focus for restaurants big and small. The food waste certification program and label created by the Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act will allow restaurants with reduction programs already in place to highlight for consumers their efforts to tackle food loss and waste prevention in their community and will encourage restaurant operators that do not yet have a program to take the first steps toward certification. We appreciate Sens. Durbin and Grassley’s leadership and support their efforts to promote businesses, like restaurants, working to reduce food loss and waste,” said Sean Kennedy, Association EVP for Public Affairs.

GRANT OPPORTUNITY

Workforce Employee Retention Grant from Cobb Travel & Tourism

Cobb Travel & Tourism (CT&T) received approval by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners in January 2023 to administer an American Rescue Plan (ARPA) grant of $2,000,000 from Cobb County. The intention of this Hospitality & Tourism – Workforce Employee Retention Grant program is to help combat unemployment for four discrete and often overlooked areas of Cobb’s hospitality and tourism industries with their current workforce challenges: arts organizations, live entertainment venues, tourist attractions and craft beverage makers. Funding will be administered to benefit up to 100 organizations in two tranches to each awardee as a maximum grant allocation of $20,000 to be used for workforce recovery, recruitment, and retention. CT&T will require each company to sign a memorandum of agreement prior to receiving funds and to complete a survey series during the grant process. See if your restaurant qualifies.

AFFORDABLE MENTAL HEALTH SOLUTIONS

Prioritizing Industry Wellbeing with GRA's Affordable Mental Health Solution

After enduring years of unprecedented challenges, the hospitality industry faces significant concerns about the wellbeing of its workforce. With over 70% of restaurant workers reporting high stress levels, and nearly one-third experiencing symptoms of depression, the need for comprehensive support is undeniable. In response, the GRA is proud to highlight HealthiestYou by Teladoc, a revolutionary solution designed to address these issues.

This partnership provides members with unlimited virtual medical and mental healthcare visits for employees and their households at an astonishingly low rate of $9 per month, with no additional costs like copays, deductibles, or coinsurance—far below the normal $49 monthly rate. Importantly, this offering is accessible to all foodservice businesses with two or more enrollees, extending to both full- and part-time employees.

By enrolling in this industry-specific initiative, you take an active step to ensure affordable mental and physical healthcare for your entire team. With a staggering 27 million untreated adults experiencing mental illness and an average wait time of 6 weeks for traditional appointments, HealthiestYou offers timely and convenient access to board-certified mental health professionals via phone or video, enabling members to seek help from the comfort of their chosen environment. Together, GRA and Teladoc aim to safeguard the wellbeing of every individual within the industry. To learn more, determine eligibility, and enroll, click here.