Labor
Opinion: Lorena Gonzalez once again puts union power ahead of workers
The Orange County Register 5/16
Leave it to Lorena Gonzalez to name a bill the FAST Recovery Act even though it would slow the state’s economic rebound.
Bay Area Restaurant Owners, Operators Face Charges on Tax, Labor Practices
CBS SF Bay Area 5/15
They are facing 65 counts, including filing a false tax return with intent to evade paying taxes, failure to pay unemployment insurance and training taxes, failure to pay disability insurance, failure to collect and pay income tax, and grand theft of labor.
Former restaurant employees give medical marijuana industry the green light
KSHB Kansas City 5/15
As many restaurants struggle to fill jobs, another industry is seeing former food service employees line up to work for them – and they’re shifting from cooking on pots in a restaurant to making pot edibles.
Food Industry Policy
What the new CDC mask guidance means for dining out
ABC7 San Francisco 5/15
The agency said Thursday that “fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.” While there was no succinct or defined set of recommendations specific to bars and restaurants, industry leaders have responded to what this new guidance means.
The Post-Covid-19 Rules of Tipping
The Wall Street Journal 5/15
As more vaccinated Americans venture out to their favorite bars and restaurants, they are also confronted with a new set of circumstances when it comes to tipping. What is standard gratuity, for example, following a year that has wreaked havoc on the hospitality industry? Is it rude not to tip on takeout orders? How do I tip responsibly—to my waiter and for my budget?
On the Side
Despite pandemic closures, it’s nearly impossible to get a restaurant space in the Bay Area
San Francisco Chronicle 5/16
The Chronicle interviewed a dozen restaurant and pop-up owners looking for spaces throughout the Bay Area who described a real estate landscape that’s nearly as heated as pre-pandemic levels. They expected to see tons of options on the market at reasonable rates, but there are few deals — and competition for what’s available is intense, with 1,000-square-foot spaces in prime San Francisco neighborhoods getting snapped up for $7,000 a month, according to pop-up owners and real estate agents.
Partners overcome odds to open northeast Fresno taproom during the pandemic
ABC30 Fresno 5/14
They serve California and local beers, wine and other drinks. The bar has formed partnerships with restaurants to give food options to customers and stay open.
