Labor
New York City set to end at-will employment for fast food workers
Lexology 12/28
The first bill also strengthens New York City’s predictive scheduling law for the fast food industry. Instead of simply providing employees a good-faith estimate of their work schedule, fast food chains must now “have scheduling practices that provide each fast food employee with a regular schedule that is a predictable, regular set of recurring weekly shifts the employee will work each week.”
New DOL Rule Allows Additional Workers to Participate In Tip Pooling and Eliminates 80/20 Rule
The National Law Review 12/28
On Dec. 23, 2020, The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its long-anticipated Final Rule addressing which employees may legally participate in “tip pooling” under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the conditions under which employers may claim “tip credit.” The Final Rule is effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register and constitutes a major departure from past guidance.
Food Industry Policy
New $908 Billion Stimulus a ‘Band-Aid on a Bullet Wound,’ Restaurants Say
FSR Magazine 12/29
The Independent Restaurant Coalition, which has fought for the RESTAURANTS Act, said the latest proposal will “not solve anything for the hundreds of thousands of neighborhood restaurants facing permanent closure this winter.”
How Subscription Services are Helping Revive Restaurants
QSR Magazine 12/29
To average consumers who probably found themselves ordering a lot more takeout and drive-thru meals during lockdown, it might seem like the quick-service restaurant industry fared better than most during the COVID-19 crisis. But while certain chains did experience growth in the mid-summer months and the sector is expected to recover more quickly than fast casual or full-service restaurants, the revenue crunch for most quick-serves is very real—and ongoing.
On the Side
These 62 restaurants in greater Redding deliver and offer takeout
Redding Record Searchlight 12/28
Many restaurants offer special delivery or takeout services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Services include meal delivery, drive-through, curbside pickup in restaurant parking lots and in-store pickup and takeout.
‘Cooking as therapy’: California’s top chefs on the recipes that got them through 2020
The Guardian 12/28 Like all of us, the Bay Area’s best chefs are cooking at home more than ever. Here, the minds behind Chez Panisse, Zuni Cafe and others share how lockdown shapes their meals, and the dishes that bring comfort.