DOL Issues Proposed Overtime Rule From the National Restaurant Association on March 7, 2019 The Department of Labor (DOL) just released its rewrite of the Obama Administration’s overtime rule, which more than doubled the salary threshold from the current level of $23,660 to $47,476 per year. The DOL’s rewrite of the rule proposes a salary threshold of $35,308 per year. The Department of Labor’s revisions to the rule reflect a review process including a Request For Information and a nationwide series of listening sessions allowing the regulated community and stakeholders to offer input on this important federal regulation. The National Restaurant Association said it supports the department’s commonsense approach to salary increases and the absence of a provision for automatic adjustments. A National Restaurant Association email to members said the association is continuing to review the proposed rule and will provide a more in-depth analysis in the days to come. Read the full story here along with the March 12 update summary. Tech Trends Driving Changes in Restaurants, Report Says Generational differences increasingly mean restaurant technology options are a must-have, not just a nice-to-have. Gen Z and millennial expert Jason Dorsey says people refer to Gen Z and millennials as “tech savvy.” But that’s not necessarily true, says Dorsey. He says they’re actually “tech dependent” -- and that’s a different thing altogether. Read the full story on restaurant.org: https://www.restaurant.org/Articles/News/Tech-trends-driving-changes-in-restaurants 9 Ways Restaurants Can Fight Harassment in the #MeToo World After the shock and gut-wrenching details of #MeToo story, the restaurant industry is left asking what it means to have a positive, supportive work environment. How can restaurants and brands move forward, post-#MeToo, to create a better environment in its wake? “I think it’s simple: Listen and be proactive. [This] is no time to be passive,” says Natasha David, co-owner of Nitecap bar in New York City. This simple piece of advice rings true throughout the industry. Women leaders and HR professionals alike agree that it’s about setting a good example as a leader, making expectations clear, listening to and making resources available to staff, and acting when needed. Restaurants that choose not to heed the call put themselves at risk of alienating staff and ultimately losing good talent, especially when competitors are following the movement in more honest and effective ways. “[What] keeps restaurateurs up at night, from our most-recent research, is attrition, keeping employees,” says Sara Anderson, workforce development director at the National Restaurant Association. “The workforce landscape is getting more and more competitive. When you have a great, positive environment, people have a tendency to be very attracted to that and want to stay longer.” Lead and protect “There won’t be a positive, supportive work culture if it doesn’t start at the top,” says Janet Hendrick, employment litigator and partner at Fisher and Phillips LLP. Whether you are the head of a small mom-and-pop operation or a large conglomerate, it is up to you to make clear what is acceptable and what is unacceptable in the workplace and model that behavior, Hendrick says. Read the full article: https://wahospitality.org/blog/9-ways-restaurants-can-fight-harassment-in-the-metoo-world/
(This article originally appeared on foodnewsfeed.com by Laura Zolman Kirk) To stay up-to-date on the issues that can affect your business, be sure to visit the Washington Hospitality Association website at www.wahospitality.org
|