As the idea of “Hero Pay”, an hourly premium paid to front-line grocery and retail workers during the existence of a public emergency, gains traction around the country (hazard pay ordinances are in effect in Berkeley, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco and a host of other California cities as well as in Seattle), more opponents of the perk are looking to overturn it in the courts. Seattle WA mandated a $4 per hour premium for grocery store workers effective February 3, which was immediately challenged by the grocery industry. Last week, US District Court Judge John Coughenour denied their request for a preliminary injunction and dismissed the challenge outright. It remains to be seen whether the Northwest Grocers Association and the Washington Food Industry Association will appeal the decision. That said, a similar dismissal of a suit against the Long Beach ordinance (also mandating a $4/hour premium for grocery workers) has been appealed by the California Grocers Association to the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals. In its brief to the appellate court, the city of Long Beach specifically cited the Seattle decision as justification for the 9^th to dismiss the appeal. And finally – again, courtesy of Seattle – a decision by the same 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals has validated a mandate on hotel owners (with 100 or more guest rooms and ancillary hotel businesses to provide full-time workers with health care benefits equal to a gold-level on the state health exchange or pay the equivalent directly to the employee. Although they may not affect QSRs yet, be aware of their growing acceptance and the inclusion of QSRs, including Dunkin’, in advocate materials!