As infections from the coronavirus pandemic have plummeted across the country, one would think a loosening of restrictions would logically follow and in many states, it has and we’re seemingly on the road back to “normal”. Under new Governor Glenn Youngkin, Virginia this week officially repealed its Emergency Temporary Standard addressing COVID-19 in the workplace…
“You have to ask yourself, ‘Do we really even need dining rooms?’” That question, from Florida franchisee John Griffey, is on the mind of virtually every QSR operator. “I think the world has changed forever. More and more, people don’t really want to come inside the stores, and Covid moved everybody to the digital world,”…
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will hold a special session today, January 7, 2022, to hear oral arguments on the large employer vaccinate-or-test mandate of the Biden administration. You’ll recall that the Appellate Court for the 5th Circuit Court had previously issued a temporary restraining order against the mandate back in November.…
It’s been a long journey since the coronavirus pandemic reached our shores back in early 2020. Over the course of those first few months, governments ordered non-essential businesses shut, indoor dining was banned and people who left their homes were told to wear masks (even for a solitary jog). Houses of worship were ordered closed;…
Hampered by the coronavirus pandemic and the impact that COVID fears have had on attendance at in-person meetings for most organizations, the Small Business Administration will host its annual Small Business Week Summit virtually again this year. The 2021 SBA Small Business Summit will take place from 11:00 AM until 6:00 PM ET on September…
Summer 2021 is being billed as a return to “normal,” as vaccinations against COVID-19 continue and businesses resume regular operations. But, behind some of the rosy projections for the resumption of life as we knew it, there are some hard realities facing business owners in every sector, particularly quick-service restaurants. In this edition of “What’s…
The coronavirus pandemic has had a profound impact on the restaurant industry. By the beginning of Q4 2020, more than 1.4 million jobs in franchised businesses were lost and more than 32,000 franchised businesses had closed. Now, with states opening up and a gradual return to business as usual, we are cautiously approaching the light…
When you stop and think about it, the amount of change we have endured over the last 15 months is astonishing. Without warning, virtually every aspect of our lives changed. But, at the same time, certain fundamental principles remained the same. Among those, that franchise owners have to protect themselves from uncertainty and unfair practices.…
As franchisees address the many employment issues related to the pandemic, the question now is what to do about vaccines. When considering how best to proceed, franchisees must be familiar with the employment law issues that are implicated. We’ve chosen several to highlight here. Vaccination Relaxes Quarantine Mandate Stopping short of eliminating quarantine requirements for…
There was some legal and legislative headway made this past week on the question of business interruption protections being applicable during the pandemic. First off, the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio ruled last week that a claim for insurance protection under business interruption coverage by a multi-state restaurant owner was valid…
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