A virtual cup of coffee with DDIFO Executive Director Ed Shanahan

Congress Unveils More RRF Funds  Earlier this week, bi-partisan legislation was introduced in Congress to pump an additional $60 billion into the depleted Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). As we advised just weeks ago, all $29 billion of the original RRF funds were committed within the 3-week priority window (women, veteran or socially/economically disadvantaged business owners) that Congress mandated when the… Read More »

Court Rejects RRF Priorities  A panel of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the 21-day exclusive priority for businesses owned by a “woman, veteran and/or socially or economically disadvantaged individual” to apply for and access funds from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) is unconstitutional. The Small Business Administration (SBA) officially opened the $29 billion RRF… Read More » SBA Expands Targeted EIDL Pool  The SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman has announced that the agency will expand eligibility for its $25 billion cash grant program to a host of additional businesses. SBA’s Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance grant program, which provides up to $10,000 to eligible businesses as well as its Supplemental Targeted Advance program ($5,000 follow-up grants) will… Read More » Paycheck Fairness Act Fails in Senate  This week, the U.S. Senate failed to advance the Paycheck Fairness Act by a vote of 49 – 50. The legislation, which required 60 votes to clear the upper chamber, did not come close to reaching that threshold, without any Senate Republicans voting in favor. A declared priority of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Shumer (D-NY),… Read More »

Massachusetts Clears Millionaire’s Tax  Despite the fact that tax receipts have been well above expectations in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Massachusetts legislature this week cleared the so-called Millionaires tax to appear on the state ballot in 2022. The measure, which required approval by two consecutive legislative sessions in order to advance, was passed Wednesday on a… Read More » Assembly Kills AB 257  In a final vote last week, California Assembly defeated the FastFood Accountability and Standards Recovery Act or FAST Act, as it became known. The legislation (AB.257) came within only 3 votes of clearing the Assembly and making its way to the Governor’s desk. With 41 votes required for passage, the final vote tally was 38… Read More » Delaware Eyeing $15 Minimum  Notwithstanding that the current labor shortage is driving wages up without any kind of government mandate being necessary, efforts continue to impose a $15/hour minimum wage. While there’s still no movement in Congress on the national minimum (currently $7.25), Delaware – the home state of President Biden – is moving towards setting a $15 state… Read More »

Virginia Overtime Change  Virginia employers have more negative hits on their horizon. The minimum wage, which jumped $2.25 per hour to $9.50 on May 1, 2021, is slated to rise by another $1.50 to $11/hour on January 1, 2022; and then another $1 in 2023 to $12/hour. However, if the General Assembly chooses to reenact these rate increases… Read More » Has She Got a Deal for You!  Michigan Governor Gretchen Witmer is proposing a deal for small business owners in The Wolverine State that would put a $15/hour minimum in place for many Michigan workers. The Governor’s plan would provide 3-month wage grants to businesses that agree to increase worker wages to $15 per hour with the grant paying the differential between… Read More » Northeast Regional In-Person Meeting  We are “all systems go!” and looking forward to getting back together with the franchisee at the June 23 Northeast Regional Meeting at the Framingham Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center. Register now for “Protect Yourself and Your Dunkin’ in the New Normal” and learn the details of the new Emergency Paid Sick Leave requirements in… Read More »

June 11, 2021

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