Save Local Restaurants, a coalition consisting of the International Franchise Association (IFA) along with the National Restaurant Association (NRA) and the U.S Chamber of Commerce is rapidly approaching a critical deadline for its ballot initiative to repeal the so-called FAST Act (Fast-food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act). After the FAST Act was signed into law…
Read More »Some state ballots also had questions relating compensation and tax policy looming. In that regard, voters were apparently feeling generous. Initiative 433 on the Nebraska ballot was approved and provides for a $15 per hour minimum wage to be phased in over the next three years. The measure passed easily with 62% of voters in…
Read More »Over the past few weeks, we’ve focused on various ballot initiatives around the country by subject matter – minimum wages last week, right to work laws the week prior, etc. Without getting too far into the weeds, that leaves us a couple to call to your attention. In Massachusetts, there’s a Millionaire’s tax on the…
Read More »With apologies to Charles Dickens, our tale of two states is quite a bit different from the Dickens classic by a somewhat similar name. Earlier this month, the departments of two separate states, Oregon and Washington, jointly announced a new guidance that would govern paid family leave in both Pacific Northwest states. In a joint…
Read More »With inflation continuing unbridled at record-setting levels, its impact on minimum wages across the nation is becoming clearer with each week. As we’ve advised in the past, and as recently as only two weeks ago, those states and local communities that tethered minimum wage increases to the Consumer Price Index. Unfortunately, there are more increases…
Read More »The California legislative session ended on August 31 and the Governor had until September 30 to sign or veto all legislation passed before September 1. Well, as the old saying goes, ‘watch out what you wish for, you might get it!’ And, we got it good. First in a negative to franchise owners, the Governor…
Read More »California just continues to plow new territory in employment law and business mandates. Most recently, Governor Gavin Newsom, who pundits believe is positioning himself for a possible 2024 run for President, on Tuesday signed into law SB 1162, which will require California employers with 15 or more workers to include pay ranges in all job…
Read More »Notwithstanding issues we may have with many of the political positions Governor Gavin Newsom takes on a host of issues affecting small businesses as outlined above, he delivered on the positive side for franchisees late yesterday when he signed AB 676 into law. That legislation is a franchisee equity piece that clarifies the intent of…
Read More »One unanticipated repercussion of the ongoing 40-year high level of inflation is the impact it is having on automatic minimum wage rates in a number of states. Most recently, three states announced that new minimum wage rates for 2023 will be higher than they had previously anticipated. With minimum wage rates tied to the Consumer…
Read More »As we suggested last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom wasted no time in signing into law the FAST Act (the Fast-Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act). After languishing in the state senate for the better part of the legislative session, the bill moved at breakneck speed over the last days of the session, passing with…
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