I would be remiss if I didn’t lead off this week with the admonition that you don’t know what you’re missing if you haven’t registered or don’t plan to attend the DDIFO National Conference this week! Why not join your peers for an outstanding schedule of speakers including Don Fox, CEO of Firehouse Subs; Rob…
Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta has announced the members of the new Apprenticeship Task Force and franchisees should be proud of their participation in Coalition of Franchisee Associations among others. The CFA was instrumental in guiding task force appointments that would best represent the interests of small business man and woman. With CFA input, we…
This week, while the Coalition of Franchisee Associations met in Washington DC (although I’m sure it was just coincidental), the US House of Representatives passed an amended version of the Senate budget, paving the way for the introduction of significant tax reform legislation as a topic of discussion. The budget legislation is a far cry…
The House Judiciary Committee approved the Legal Workforce Act, H.R. 3711, late Wednesday night by a vote of 20-10. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) would make E-Verify mandatory nationwide over a 24-month period. As we all know, E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9 and Employment…
Hard to fathom how elected officials can see an idea fail in one community only to think the failure was so good that they should give it a try in their own community, but that appears to be what happens more than not. The City of Philadelphia adopted a 1.5 cent per ounce tax on…
Earlier this week while attending an excellent CFA Forum and Lobby Day in Washington DC, we learned that the Department of Labor sent a revised rule on tip pooling to the White House Office of Management and Budget for approval. OMB must approve new regulations before they are published in the Federal Register. The proposed…
McDonalds reported strong sales worldwide but missed earnings by one cent this week. In their earning report call earlier this week, the Golden Arches reported US Same Store Sales were up 4.1%, a full half point above projections. They also announced they are rolling out a national $1/2/3 platform soon, a platform they hope will…
With the National Labor Relations Board now at full strength, with his final Director appointments confirmed, sworn in and seated, President Trump this week announced his nomination of antitrust attorney Joseph Simons as the new chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Simons, whose formal appointment is also subject to US Senate confirmation, is co-chairman…
As the US Treasury advised would happen a few weeks back, the Internal Revenue Service this week officially withdrew the Section 2704 regulations implemented by the Obama administration last year. Ostensibly, the regulations targeted the process of valuation of business interests for estate or gift tax purposes with an eye of more stringently taxing family…
In the wake of the drumbeats of alleged sexual abuses and harassment of women by movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and Amazon Prime Videos executive Roy Price, we noted that SEIU, the labor organization self-described as “united by the belief in the dignity and worth of workers” suspended Executive Vice President Scott Courtney over nepotism charges.…
Small Regular - No Sugar Newsletter is weekly email with news and updates - it is like a virtual cup of coffee with DDIFO Executive Director Ed Shanahan