A virtual cup of coffee with DDIFO Executive Director Ed Shanahan

SBA May Reconsider EIDL Rejections  The Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened up a new way for small-business owners to push back against a denial of their application for a Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance cash grant. The agency last week announced a process by which rejected applicants can petition for reconsideration of funding. To formally request a… Read More »

Restaurant Revitalization Moves Closer  The $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) was actually authorized by Congress back in the early part of last month. Despite the fact that the program was signed into by President Biden on March 11, it still is making very slow progress in coming to fruition. The agency succeeded in getting the RRF website launched… Read More » EEOC Clarifying Vaccine Incentives  In response to a February letter request signed by dozens of business groups (DDIFO included), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finally responded and advised that it is working on providing employers more clarity on when they can provide vaccine incentives to their employers without violating federal anti-discrimination law. According to the EEOC response dated… Read More »

OSHA Clarifies Adverse Reaction Filing   In a similar vein, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) this week clarified the obligation of employers to report an adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine. In its latest Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) posting, OSHA added a fourth requirement to its guidance on determining whether an adverse reaction is recordable. The new additional requirement… Read More » Different Direction on Minimum Wages  As we anticipate another run by progressives in Congress at a federal $15 minimum wage, it’s reported that a group of moderate Senators – led by Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) are working on bipartisan legislation that would increase the federal minimum over the next four years from the current $7.25 to $10… Read More » New Mexico Enacts Paid Sick Leave Following the lead of a host of other states along with a growing list of counties and cities, the “Land of Enchantment” last week became the latest state to enact a broad statewide paid leave mandate on private employers. The New Mexico Healthy Workplaces Act (HWA) was signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham… Read More »

Newsom Signs Right-to-Recall Law  California Governor Gavin Newsom, nephew of US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, last week signed Senate Bill 93 into law. The new law, remarkably similar to AB 3216, a bill he just vetoed last September because in the words of his veto message, its requirements would place “too onerous a burden on employers navigating… Read More » DDIFO Wednesday Webinars  After a brief respite, DDIFO has again scheduled a couple of timely and informative webinars in the coming weeks that you will want to plan on attending. In just a few weeks, on Wednesday, May 12 at 2:00 PM EDT, we’ll take a closer look at a few of the myths about background checks that… Read More » More Life After Dunkin’  Life after Dunkin’ involves pizzas for two former Dunkin’ employees, as Little Caesar’s this week announced the appointment Jeremy Vitaro to the new position of Chief Development Officer. Vitaro concluded an 18-year career at Dunkin’ as Vice President of U.S. Development, after serving in a number of executive roles throughout his tenure in Canton. In… Read More »

April 23, 2021

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