|
[Update 1.7.21] - Key dates and CAT forms from the Oregon Department of Revenue and the Corporate Activity Tax team Key dates for 2021 include:
CAT forms can be found on the Department of Revenue website forms page by scrolling down to Corporate Activity Tax or entering Corporate Activity Tax in the search block. Important online resources include a worksheet to help with estimating payments, registration and payment training, a list of frequently asked questions, and a series of short subject-specific instructional videos. Taxpayers with questions about the CAT can email cat.help.dor@oregon.gov or call 503-945-8005. Relief options available to taxpayers negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can be found on the agency’s tax relief options page. Information about tax relief available for those affected by wildfires is also available on the agency website. [Update 12.16.20] Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) The new Commercial Activity Tax is imposed only after a taxpayer exceeds $1 million of taxable commercial activity. Once they pass that threshold, the tax is $250 plus 0.57% on gross receipts greater than $1 million after subtractions. Proceeds of the tax are directed by statute to boost funding for public schools. The Department of Revenue's website includes a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) for tax payers to better understand what the tax is and who is subject to the tax. Latest Announcements & Updates:
 Click image to download CAT calculator example. Resources & Webinars to Help You Understand the CAT The Commercial Activity Tax is complicated and calculating your potential tax can be confusing. Therefore, ORLA has created a CAT calculator example to help our members understand how to calculate the tax. This exercise is only meant to help you project what your tax liability could be; as always, be sure to consult your tax advisors. ORLA hosted two members-only informational webinars on Nov. 19 and Dec. 3 that explained the new tax, the Department’s implementation plans and what you can expect as a business owner. Tax experts with accounting firm Moss Adams LLP in Portland also provided some best tax practices for the hospitality industry. ORLA members can access the slide deck from the presentation by logging into the Member Portal on ORLA's website and clicking the Resource Library. FAQ: Can we include the CAT tax on our customers’ bill? A. The legislation that established the CAT (Oregon Laws 2019, Chapters 122 and 579) does not specifically prohibit a business from passing on additional cost of the tax. If you do choose to add a new line item to the receipt, the line item itself still counts as “commercial activity” when determining your tax liability. Consult with an attorney or financial advisor before making any final decisions. How the Commercial Activities Tax Came About This was one of the 2019 Legislative Session bills having the biggest impact on businesses. ORLA was opposed to this bill as it raised taxes on commercial activity for businesses with gross revenues of over one million dollars. ORLA, along with others in the business community, was able to amend the original bill to include a deduction for labor or cost of goods sold. The association will work during the rule making session to ensure hospitality businesses will be able to include the tax increase on receipts so customers can see the impact of the tax. Additional Information and Timeline for the CAT
 DOR Sought Industry Input in CAT Rule Making The Department of Revenue (DOR) held a series of town hall meetings across the state in September-October to seek input from business taxpayers about the administrative rules for Oregon’s new Commercial Activity Tax (CAT). Nearly 900 business taxpayers and tax professionals took part in these public forums or participated in video conferences and conference calls. More information is now available on the CAT page of DOR website. If you have any questions, please email Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, at Astley@OregonRLA.org. This is for general informational purposes only. The information is not, and should not be relied upon or regarded as, legal advice. Please consult with your legal advisors.
0 Comments
 Why, Where to Begin, and Current Resources
"The really important thing is that we be vulnerable with ourselves and with our teams in asking why Oregon doesn’t look like the rest of the country. We need to understand how we are influenced and make decisions based on biases that we have been conditioned with our entire lives. Recognizing the environment in which we live and operate can at times be a hard pill to swallow. But unless we are willing to challenge our status quo, we will be unable to evolve… and if we aren’t evolving, we are dying off….” Ken Henson, Director of Restaurant Operations, Pelican Brewing Company & Kiwanda Ken’s comment is so powerful to me. Being vulnerable and realizing that many of us lack the perspective and experience necessary to plan, create, and implement programs that encourage representation and participation of diverse groups in our organizations may feel daunting. And, though many of us have the desire, creating welcoming environments that are inclusive also of all guests’ needs is similarly challenging when we recognize that unconscious bias is a reality. What resources are available to help understand these challenges? I asked a few industry colleagues, who have been invested in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work for quite some time, for recommendations and I’m including several of their favorites below. I will be posting more soon on the Foundation’s webpages. ACKNOWLEDGING THE NEED FOR STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND INVESTMENT Oregon history: why do we find ourselves where we are? Dawnielle Tehama, executive director of the Willamette Valley Visitor’s Association recommends this article to help everyone understand the history behind and the extent of bias which continues to present challenges in our state: https://bit.ly/RHofPDX. “Oregon is often touted as the most liberal State in the union, but the state continues to crawl from its deeply racist history…. In 1844, the provisional government of the territory passed a law banning slavery…. Any black person remaining would be flogged publicly every six months until he left. Five years later, another law was passed that forbade free African Americans from entering into Oregon.” Even as recently as 2016, “Portland is the whitest big city in America, with a population that is 72.2 percent white and only 6.3 percent African American… Because Oregon, and specifically Portland, its biggest city, are not very diverse, many white people may not even begin to think about, let alone understand, the inequalities.” Understanding unconscious bias – This exercise, a free online tool from Harvard’s Project Implicit®, can help team members understand the term and how, despite best intention, most of us do have unconscious bias which affects the way we perceive, approach, and respond to those who are different than us. The surprising results of these tests often convince participants about their own need for training assistance and may help create buy in: Implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest. SUCCESSFUL MODELS Company culture first – As the Director of People & Culture for Kimpton’s Portland properties, Alex Thompson is intrigued with successful DEI hiring, mentoring, and company culture models. He notes “While Slack is about as far away from hospitality as you can get and this article is a few years old, the principles are exactly the same. Key points include, ‘…the absence of a single diversity leader seems to signal that diversity and inclusion aren’t standalone missions, to be shunted off to a designated specialist, but are rather intertwined with the company's overall strategy.’” https://bit.ly/TAslackdiversity Alex says he also appreciates this article, https://wapo.st/3g4nb95, which notes, “DEI-forced training appears to have the opposite of the intended effect, companies need to find more organic ways to communicate values and expectations and influence outcomes.” Intention and result – Ken Henson shared the following with me, “Doing the right thing and wanting equality and inclusion for all isn’t enough. There are studies, such as this article in the Harvard Business Review (https://hbr.org/2001/04/race-matters), which document how and why even the best-intentioned recruiting policies often fail from lack of insight and proper support.” RESOURCES The Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), whose mission is to “bring the economic benefits of diversity and inclusion to the food and hospitality industry by building bridges and delivering solutions,” offers a myriad of resources. These include free webinars ranging from ‘Moving Beyond Unconscious Bias with Cultural Intelligence’ to ‘Insights for Building Effective Multicultural Teams during COVID-19.’ Find out more including podcasts, Town Hall meetings, and speakers for hire at mfha.net/category/news/webinars. The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute collaborated with MFHA to create a five-part interactive training suite for employees that focuses on unconscious bias with topics that include Understanding Bias, The Impact of Bias at Work, and Dealing with Bias: Ours and Others.’ A Manager’s Training Edition is also available, visit ahlei.org/program/unconscious-bias. Recommended Reading - On Dawnielle Tehama’s extensive list of recommended reading resources she includes this article https://bit.ly/3qmH9AG, written in 2017 and updated July 2020. Topic groups include Talking About Racism, Anti-Racist Facilitation, and The Role of White People in Anti-Racist Work. The Oregon Hospitality Foundation is exploring opportunities to collaborate with statewide hospitality partners, as well as our counterparts in other states, with the intent to create an unconscious bias video training toolkit for Oregon’s frontline hospitality service staff. We will provide updates as we make progress with identifying funding for this project. “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” - Leo Tolstoy In the meantime, I would love to hear of your own favorite resources on these topics, so please feel free to drop me a line! | Wendy Popkin, Oregon Hospitality Foundation About Wendy Popkin is the Executive Director of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, a nonprofit 501c3 dedicated to providing educational, training, and philanthropic support to Oregon’s restaurant, lodging, and tourism industry. Wendy is a 35-year career veteran who describes herself as “fanatically enthusiastic about helping others enjoy the same type of fabulous career opportunities I have enjoyed in the hospitality industry.” OregonHospitalityFoundation.org
[January 8, 2021] - Continued Work with the Governor's Office; New PPP Rules
Local Updates: ORLA is communicating daily with the Governor’s Office as the suffering and economic toll continues to push hospitality businesses to the brink. Our latest conversations are revolving around:
Federal Updates: On Wednesday, the Small Business Administration (SBA) released several interim final rules related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the second draw of PPP loans as outlined in the recently passed Economic Aid Act. The SBA announced that PPP will re-open the week of January 11 for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers. The National Restaurant Association has distilled this new PPP information into a seven-page "user manual" that can be accessed online here: PPP 2nd Draw: Helping Restaurants and Small Businesses. The American Hotel & Lodging Association shared a few details on the eligibility and documentation requirements for new and second draw PPP loans in their latest communication to the industry. Hoteliers considering a second draw of PPP are urged to contact their lenders and begin gathering the data and information necessary to complete the application process as soon as possible.
Additional Resources:
For more information and updates, visit SBA.gov/PPP and Treasury.gov/CARES.
[January 6, 2021] – Formal Request Submitted by ORLA for a Dedicated State Relief Fund for Hospitality
In Monday's blog post we referenced the importance of additional relief funds to further support Oregon’s struggling hospitality industry. Yesterday we formally submitted our request for a dedicated relief fund on top of funds received by hospitality operators to date managed by counties, Travel Oregon, and Business Oregon. The Oregon Legislative Emergency Board is scheduled to meet January 8 and you can read our formal request through the following link:
[January 4, 2021] – 13 Counties Now Open for Indoor Dining / 23 Counties Still Labeled as ‘Extreme Risk’
This past week, Governor Brown announced the movement of 6 counties in Oregon from ‘Extreme Risk’ to ‘High Risk.’ The move results in the availability of indoor dining in these counties as well as 7 others who had already qualified as ‘Low’ to ‘High Risk’ counties. Indoor dining went back online as of January 1 for Clatsop, Lincoln, Douglas, Coos, Morrow, and Baker counties. For a review of activity restrictions in each of the 4 risk categories, click the following link: Regardless of risk category, restaurant and lodging operations across the state remain challenged with ongoing hardship due to health emergency restrictions, consumer demand, or a combination of both. The development this past week confirming the passage of an additional federal aid package in Washington DC was welcome news. Restaurant and hotel operations will be able to secure 3.5 times their monthly payroll costs (Total loan cap of $2 million) in the form of a forgivable loan which will certainly help many operators during the challenging winter months ahead. Additional communication and details will continue to be released by lending institutions who will participate in the next round of Payroll Protection Program loans for small businesses. Make sure to stay in close contact with your CPA, tax advisor, and/or lending institution to take full advantage of the next round of PPP funding. The Oregon State Legislature has passed legislation creating a new revenue opportunity through the passage of Senate Bill 1801. Restaurant cocktails can now head out the door as a part of food deliveries. In addition, the costs incurred by restaurants who choose to partner with third party delivery companies has been capped at 15 percent statewide. To review all the details and text of the bill signed into law by Governor Brown on December 23, click the following link: ORLA continues the important work of preparing for ongoing communication with the Emergency Board of the Oregon Legislature which will meet again in the coming weeks. The joint committee of both state representatives and senators makes important investment decisions with dollars made available through federal aid packages. We will continue to advocate for additional relief funds from the emergency board to further assist hospitality businesses as vaccine supply and access becomes more readily available to Oregonians in the months ahead. Also, the 2021 session of the Oregon Legislature starts later this month and we must address the inequity in charging Oregon’s restaurant and lodging establishments higher unemployment insurance taxes for Covid related furloughs and layoffs. ORLA will work closely with elected officials in the Oregon House and Senate to address these inequities as employers prepare to pay first quarter taxes for 2021 in the month of April. And in case you missed it, DOL released a final rule on tip pooling December 22, 2020 which will go into effect across the country on February 20, 2021. The final rule further establishes the legality of overseeing and managing a tip pool that includes staff who do not customarily and regularly receive tips by directly interfacing with a customer. Announcement of this final rule codifies our collective win advocating for the importance of tip pools. Read more here.
[December 21, 2020] - Update from the CEO on federal and state developments
Congress unveiled a $900 billion relief bill to provide short-term economic relief to the country in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The plan includes several items that will benefit restaurants and lodging establishments, most importantly a second round of access to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), with unique provisions aimed to assist the restaurant and lodging industries, which continue to endure unparalleled job and revenue losses. The federal plan announced today targets restaurant and lodging relief with provisions including:
Other provisions in the bill that will benefit hospitality operations include the deductibility of business expenses paid with PPP loans, enhancement of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), extension of the augmented Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), and increased tax deduction for business meals. In other news, the Oregon State Legislature is holding a third Special Session of 2020 and is poised to pass To-Go Cocktails legislation as well as statewide caps on third party technology and delivery expenses charged to restaurants. Today’s developments in the Oregon Legislature are expected to assist operators in realizing additional revenue for cocktail programs accompanying food purchases for takeout and delivery while also assisting operators with cost control on expenses. Our ongoing communication with the media and with our stakeholders throughout the state will continue to acknowledge these tools will help some restaurant and lodging establishments stay in business while not doing much to help others. The depth and severity of the crisis continues to create winners and losers inside of specific industries as well as more broadly. Oregon’s second largest private sector industry needs more help and we will fight for ongoing assistance in our advocacy efforts with both the Oregon Legislative Emergency Board which will meet again in January as well as the longer term 2021 Oregon Legislative Session which starts in January and will most likely end around the beginning of Summer. Much more needs to be accomplished and we will remain vigilant in pursuing all avenues of relief in our mission to help save as many Oregon restaurant and lodging establishments as possible in our state.
[December 18, 2020] - Here’s the latest from your state association.
Watch for another update next week before Christmas with more developments following Monday's Special Session. Special Session This Monday - The third special session of 2020 takes place for one day on Monday, Dec. 21. Thank you to ORLA's Director of Government Affairs Greg Astley for providing testimony last night as part of two public hearings scheduled for this Monday special session. The public hearing last night will be followed by a second hearing this Saturday (more info). ORLA is well positioned to provide leadership in getting LC 10 passed and we believe we have favorable chances in getting there. Federal Elected Leaders Close in on Covid Stimulus Deal - Progress continues on a COVID relief package and a deal could be announced soon. The proposal would include roughly $325 billion in small business relief, including $257 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program that helps employers keep workers who otherwise might go on unemployment. Both the National Restaurant Association and American Hotel & Lodging Association continue pressing to lower the revenue loss for eligibility from 30% to 25%, increase overall size of the loans, and allow deductibility for business expenses paid with PPP loans. ORLA will keep members apprised of the rollout if a PPP deal is reached. It's not too late to share your voice, visit ORLA's website to learn how you can take action. Status of HB 4204 - We're hearing from lodging operators asking if there's a possibility at getting an extension to HB 4204 which provided flexibility to operators for mortgage obligations with financial institutions with an expiration on that flexibility coming up on December 31. We know the extension will not be a part of the special session on Monday but ORLA is still moving forward in advocating for an extension in the upcoming 2021 session. The initial passage of HB 4204 has proved to be a unique tool available to our industry here in Oregon that many other states do not have. We feel fortunate to have it in the first place and will work hard to get it extended if at all possible. Give the Gift of Oregon and Get a Lodging Certificate - If you’re looking for last minute gifts for the holidays there are still several lodging gift certificates available which directly support ORLA’s nonprofit, the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. Most of the gift certificates are worth 40-90% more than the minimum donation value and make great gifts. Choose your destination here: oregonrla.org/winter.html.
[December 10, 2020] - ORLA Engages in 3 Frontline Battles to Save Hospitality Businesses
ORLA is anticipating the announcement of a third special session of the Oregon Legislature very soon and the session will most likely take place this coming week before the holidays are upon us. Your state association is keenly aware your ability to stay in business while adhering to business restrictions laid out in the ‘Extreme Risk’ category for applicable counties is near impossible. The ongoing taking of your dining rooms while paying all the bills associated with those dining rooms is anything but sustainable. ORLA is engaging on 3 frontlines for the foreseeable future with our #1 goal being saving as many restaurant and lodging locations in Oregon as possible. Those 3 frontlines are:
We realize everyone is exhausted from an unbelievable year. But we need you to find that extra gear. Stand up, share your story, and make a difference for yourself, your business, and the Oregonians depending on us who no longer have a job.
[December 7, 2020] - Congress Must Support Restaurants This Year!
Congress needs to hear from restaurants today as they are in session for only a few days more. If they do not get their job done, restaurants will be in the cold until this February at the earliest. Read the National Restaurant Association's letter to Congress sent today along with the results of their latest survey on the economic health of the industry: Oregon Findings (full survey results):
National Findings (full survey results):
Congress needs to hear from you in these final days of 2020! We're helping the National Restaurant Association put the pressure on Congress to take action for the future of the restaurant industry.
For months, Congress has been trapped in a political tug-of-war while restaurants continue to go dark. A group of moderate Democrats and Republicans last week unveiled a compromise plan that has brought both parties back to the negotiating table. They are calling for a $909 billion relief bill, including a second round of Paycheck Protection Program grants, which with improvements could provide immediate assistance to restaurants.
We need Congress to pass the Blueprint for Restaurant Revival, but we also need to ensure they at least make a “down payment” on a relief plan before leaving town for the year. Our industry simply cannot wait for relief any longer. Efforts in Washington to find the “perfect” solution are laudable, but the lack of progress in the meantime has led too many operators to give up on the government and close down for good. Thank you for your continued support!
[December 4, 2020] - Updates from Your Association
Outdoor Dining ORLA is in active discussions with the Oregon Fire Marshall’s Office (OFMO) to ensure our industry has the guidance necessary to provide safe outdoor dining space. As soon as next week the OFMO will have a new “outdoor checklist” that aligns with Oregon Health Authority guidelines, providing operators with a 'one stop shop' resource to know what they can do with dining outdoors and how to get there. We'll keep in contact with Assistant Chief Deputy Chad Hawkins and the Fire Marshall's Office as they finalize this resource so we can get it posted and out to all operators across the state. [To continue reading previous blog posts from ORLA's CEO, click "Read More" to the right] ORLA in the News with U.S. Department of Labor Final Rule on Tip Pooling
A final rule on tip pooling in the United States was recently released on December 22, 2020 and will go into effect across the country on February 20, 2021. The final rule further establishes the legality of overseeing and managing a tip pool that includes staff who do not customarily and regularly receive tips by directly interfacing with a customer. Managers and supervisors are still prohibited from participating in tip pools. The final rule does define further, explaining as follows: “...the final rule defines a manager or supervisor for purposes of section 3(m)(2)(B) as any employee (1) whose primary duty is managing the enterprise or a customarily recognized department or subdivision of the enterprise; (2) who customarily and regularly directs the work of at least two or more other full-time employees or their equivalent; and (3) who has the authority to hire or fire other employees, or whose suggestions and recommendations as to the hiring or firing are given particular weight. The definition also includes as managers or supervisors any individuals who own at least a bona fide 20 percent equity interest in the enterprise in which they are employed and who are actively engaged in its management.” The one exception to this rule is “a manager or supervisor may keep tips that he or she receives directly from customers based on the service that he or she directly provides.” In summary, the final rule simply codifies our collective win advocating for the importance of tip pools. Pages 11 and 12 of the Rule states: “In 2016, a divided Ninth Circuit panel upheld the validity of the 2011 regulations. See Oregon Rest. & Lodging Ass’n (ORLA) v. Perez, 816 F.3d 1080, 1090 (9th Cir. 2016). Although the Ninth Circuit declined en banc review of the decision, ten judges dissented on the ground that the FLSA authorized the Department to address tip pooling and tip retention only when an employer takes a tip credit. The dissent noted that the Ninth Circuit itself had decided in Cumbie that the FLSA ‘clearly and unambiguously permits employers who forgo a tip credit to arrange their tip-pooling affairs however they see fit.’ … In its 2018 response to the petition for a writ of certiorari in the ORLA case, the government explained that the Department had reconsidered its defense of the 2011 regulations in light of the Ninth Circuit’s ten-judge dissent from denial of rehearing in ORLA and the Tenth Circuit’s decision in Marlow … the Department published in December 2017 an NPRM that proposed to rescind the challenged portions of the regulations.” The actual regulation and a summary of the final rule can be found here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/tips. Restaurant Employee Compensation Tools With tip pooling being legal with back of the house employees, employers may have questions about what their options are. ORLA launched a Restaurant Compensation Solutions Workgroup to review tools being implemented in restaurant operations across the state, including mandatory service charges, tip pooling policies based on sales that assist in compensating kitchen staff, and dual tip lines notating tip options for both servers and kitchen staff. Tip pooling policies should be carefully reviewed with counsel before implementation to ensure compliance with all applicable requirements. For more on this subject, click the links below.
Update: December 2019 A federal spending bill passed in 2018 abolished a 2011 regulation prohibiting tip pooling; managers can now require that servers share tips with kitchen staff in states where employers do not take a tip credit. This change allows tip sharing among both customarily and non-customarily tipped employees in Oregon, including dishwashers and cooks. Managers, supervisors, and owners cannot participate in the tip sharing. A proposed rule to implement the change has been released as of October 7, 2019; comments were due by December 9, 2019. One thing this proposed rule seeks to address is that the words “supervisor” and “manager” were not defined in the 2018 spending bill. This is especially important to our industry since many have hybrid approaches to their service positions. Supervisors and managers in some of Oregon’s smallest restaurant operations commonly serve guests and have participated in front-of-the-house tip pools as a part of a team approach to foodservice. Employers are to use the “duties test” to determine who qualifies as a supervisor or manager, and establish tip pool eligibility. Essentially, if an employee’s primary or regular duty is not management or supervising, they are still allowed to participate in a tip pool. For details on the standard of the “duties test,” read the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Field Assistance Bulletin. Prior to this change, the decision to participate in a tip pool was left to employees. For more context on the issue, check out Tipping the Scales (Oregon Business, April 2018). The Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) FAQ may answer any additional questions regarding tips at Oregon.gov/BOLI. News/Resources:
For additional questions, contact Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, at 503.682.4422. This is for general informational purposes only. The information is not, and should not be relied upon or regarded as, legal advice. Please consult with your legal advisors. Oregon State Legislature Passes Bill Allowing To-Go Cocktails, Commission Caps on Food Delivery12/21/2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 21, 2020
Contact: Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA 503.302-5060 | JBrandt@OregonRLA.org Oregon State Legislature Passes Bill Allowing To-Go Cocktails, Commission Caps on Food Delivery Legislation will provide relief to hard-hit restaurant industry Today, the Oregon State Legislature passed an important bill to help Oregon’s restaurant industry survive during the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic shutdowns and the limited dining capacity associated with both. SB 1801 passed the Oregon Senate by a vote of 21 Ayes, 3 Nays and 6 Excused absences. Senator Elizabeth Steiner-Hayward carried the bill on the Senate side. In the Oregon House, the bill was carried by Representative Rob Nosse, passing with 50 Ayes, 4 Nays and 6 Excused Absences. “We recognize To-Go Cocktails will not completely solve the crushing economic impact the pandemic, the shutdowns and the limited ability to seat customers and conduct business are having on bars and restaurants but it will help,” said Greg Astley, ORLA Director of Government Affairs. “It will help some more than others,” Astley continued. “It may mean the difference for a restaurant being able to stay open through the hard winter months when it’s likely 29 of Oregon’s 36 counties will remain in the ‘Extreme Risk’ category, only able to offer outdoor dining in a tent with three open sides or pickup and delivery as dining options.” The second part of the bill establishes a temporary cap on commissions paid by restaurants to third-party delivery platforms for facilitating food orders. “With the shutdowns essentially forcing restaurants to offer take-out and delivery or close their doors and layoff employees, operators welcome this temporary economic relief,” said Astley. “During this pandemic, there have been increases in Oregon’s minimum wage, price increases on supplies including proteins, PPE and cleaning products and despite not being able to seat people inside their restaurants at times, operators still have to pay their full rent, licensing fees and permits to operate even at a diminished capacity.” “These two acts will certainly help Oregon’s devastated restaurant industry, but we know more needs to be done,” stated Astley. “Oregon’s restaurants need additional financial relief from Congress and the State to make sure we survive.” ### The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of approximately 10,000 foodservice locations and 2,000 lodging establishments with a workforce prior to COVID of 183,191.  Sustaining Operations and Avoiding Closures will Still Prove Challenging
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 21, 2020 Contact: Jason Brandt, President and CEO, ORLA 503.302.5060 | JBrandt@OregonRLA.org Wilsonville, OR– Today, Congress unveiled a $900 billion relief bill to provide short-term economic relief to the country in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The plan includes several items that will benefit restaurants and lodging establishments, most importantly a second round of access to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), with unique provisions aimed to assist the restaurant and lodging industries, which continue to endure unparalleled job and revenue losses. In addition, the Oregon State Legislature is holding a third special session of 2020 and is poised to pass To-Go Cocktails legislation as well as statewide caps on third party technology and delivery expenses charged to restaurants. “Hospitality operators in Oregon have been pleading for both long-term and short-term economic support,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “Today’s developments will assist restaurant and lodging establishments with their quest to survive. However, it does not change the unsustainable trajectory facing thousands of Oregon small businesses who have ongoing bills for their dining rooms with little to no revenue to cover those expenses.” Today’s developments in the Oregon Legislature are expected to assist operators in realizing additional revenue for cocktail programs accompanying food purchases for takeout and delivery while also assisting operators with cost control on expenses. “The progress made today at both the state and federal levels feels like getting a new pair of running shoes,” said Brandt. “There is still a race for survival in conjunction with vaccine distribution and the majority of operators will remain unprofitable. Our reality remains the same – we are attempting to stretch out our cash until we actually get to the light at the end of the tunnel we’ve all been talking about.” The federal plan announced today targets restaurant and lodging relief with provisions including:
Other provisions in the bill that will benefit hospitality operations include the deductibility of business expenses paid with PPP loans, enhancement of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), extension of the augmented Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), and increased tax deduction for business meals. ### The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of over 10,220 foodservice locations and 2,000 lodging establishments with a workforce of 183,191, and a total economic impact of $13.8 billion in annual sales for Oregon. Oregon’s Legislature will meet on Monday, December 21 for a one-day Special Session to discuss four specific issues including To-Go Cocktails and Commission Caps on Third Party Deliveries. Read the draft of Legislative Concept (LC 10).
We realize this legislation won’t fix everything so we are still working with the Governor’s office, Oregon Health Authority and Legislators to find ways to re-open dining rooms sooner and safely. You can help by contacting the Governor and your Legislators (find your legislator here) to let them know how little time you have left before you have to close your doors because of the restrictions on indoor dining. Public hearings have now been posted for Thursday evening (6:00-9:00pm) and Saturday morning (10:00am-1:00pm). You may provide written or oral testimony at these meetings. For more information on these public hearings and to sign up to testify, please visit the following websites:
Written Testimony:
Oral Testimony (Live Remotely):
Important note about testimony: Neither registration nor use of the public access kiosk is a guarantee that you will be able to testify during the meeting. The chair may determine that public testimony must be limited. For this reason, written testimony is encouraged even if you plan to speak. The Presiding Officers are extending the period for public comment. The public record is open when a meeting is posted until 24-hours after the committee is scheduled to meet. For example, this means written testimony can be submitted now until 6:00pm on Friday for the public hearing on Thursday. Our Industry Needs Your Voice at the Table! We need your voice at the Capitol to help pass this legislation. We need you to share your story of how the shutdowns, freezes and restrictions have impacted you and your employees and why this legislation would help you survive! If you are not already signed up for ORLA’s Text Alerts, please take a minute to text “ORLA” to 52886 today and sign up for important notices regarding key legislation and how you can help. Thank you in advance for taking action. Financial Support in Motion for Legal Battles on Multiple Fronts FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 10, 2020 Contact: Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA 503.302.5060 | JBrandt@OregonRLA.org Wilsonville, OR – The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association has officially launched a Legal Defense Fund as authorized by the state association’s Board of Directors. The fund will be used to address multiple inequities facing Oregon’s restaurant and lodging establishments in their quest to survive the ongoing pandemic. “Operators from all corners of the state have reached their breaking point and have asked for continued legal support to fight for their rights,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “There is a growing list of inequities facing Oregon’s hospitality industry that require additional judicial oversight.” Tens of thousands of hospitality businesses have permanently closed across the country due to government mandates including hundreds in Oregon. “Local and state government in Oregon over the past year have taken away business operations for public purposes,” said Brandt. “Small businesses across the state are owed compensation whether we’re talking about taking a dining room for virus mitigation or taking an entire lodging location for a certain duration of time.” Operators across the state are also growing more frustrated by a lack of adjustment to taxes and fees that fail to consider the operational reality of the year 2020. Examples include exponential increases in unemployment insurance tax rates for 2021 and beyond, county health inspection fees based on the number of dining room seats in your establishment, and licenses for on-premises alcohol consumption. “There are some local governments in Oregon deserving of recognition for the ways they have provided historic flexibility to operators,” said Brandt. “We need to build on that awareness within our government institutions to illustrate the severity of the situation. No operator should have to pay exponential increases in their unemployment insurance rates or normal costs for county health inspections or on-premises alcohol consumption licenses as if 2020 was another normal year of operation.” ORLA’s Legal Defense Fund will provide financial support to operators interested in moving forward as plaintiffs in court. Lawsuits filed will be unique in nature and dependent on the circumstances facing operators with a focus on government restrictions causing a hospitality business location to close permanently. “There will be those that argue these businesses would have had to close anyway due to the impacts of COVID-19 on consumer demand,” said Brandt. “We can prove that is simply not the case. Financial proof of the direct impact of government restrictions outside of consumer demand is widely available to us and will be shared with the courts as we fight for the survival of Oregon small businesses and the tens of thousands of Oregonian jobs within them.” For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. ### The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which before COVID-19 provided over 180,000 paychecks to working Oregonians. Currently, approximately 55,000 of those workers, or 30%, do not have work available to return to. To donate to the Legal Defense Fund, click here: [Update as of 12.8.20] Oregon OSHA Rule Updates: Grace Period Extended, Training Offered Grace Period OR-OSHA will grant a 3-week extension to restaurants, gyms and other businesses impacted by the freeze/the new county risk levels. All other businesses are granted a 1-week enforcement grace period IF they are actively working to comply. Read memo from OR-0SHA. Training Materials OR-OSHA has released an online interactive education course designed to help employers meet four of the 10 training requirements found in their COVID-19 rules. The 1-hour course begins with an explanation of the dangers of COVID-19 and why the temporary rules were adopted. The course is then divided into four modules: Introduction; Signs, Symptoms and Transmission; Control Measures; and Conclusion. The course is available in both English and Spanish and should be incorporated with your other training planned under the rules. Find English Course and Spanish Course. You can also download the presentation as a PowerPoint (scroll to bottom of page). While not required, OR-OSHA also included a model ‘training verification form’ for employees. OR-OSHA also released completed Exposure Risk Assessment and Infection Control Plans over the weekend:
Important Timelines to Remember:
*Reminder you do not need to submit your Exposure Risk Assessment or Infection Control Plan to OR-OSHA for review. Your Infection Control Plan (if you have more than 10 employees or are an “Exceptional Risk Workplace”) needs to be available in writing to your employees at the workplace. Helpful tools to-date:
[Update as of 11.6.20]
The final OSHA Temporary Rule addressing COVID-19 has been released. As a reminder, as Temporary Rules these are allowed to be in effect for 180-days. A discussion about making them permanent (possibly expanded/revised) is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Effective Date: November 16, 2020 to May 4, 2021
Delayed Effective Dates:
Several resources are now available online under “Documents,” with more on the way in the weeks to come. OSHA also offers consultation services and technical specialists to help employers comply with the requirements. View the entire Temporary Rule here: https://osha.oregon.gov/OSHARules/div1/437-001-0744.pdf View workplace chart for application here: https://osha.oregon.gov/rules/advisory/infectiousdisease/Documents/Overview-Table-for-Oregon-OSHA-COVID-19-Temporary-Rule.pdf OR-OSHA also released a fillable Exposure Risk Assessment to download – for use by employers in their compliance. We expect additional training tools to be released in the coming weeks including, model Infection Control Plans, videos for use in employee training and a sample/model Employee Notification Policy. Update as of 10.28.20 There is a lot going on right now at the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and we wanted to provide a direct update to summarize all the activity. There are 3 separate public processes occurring at Oregon OSHA. Please take a look below and click through on any link if the issue is one you wish to provide comment on. If you’re interested in ORLA's perspective on each item, see the “ORLA Notes” with each paragraph below. (1) COVID-19 Temporary Rulemaking Oregon OSHA has initiated a process to create an infectious disease control standard temporary rule for all workplaces in Oregon. The process has included taking Phase 2 guidelines for our industry from the Oregon Health Authority and housing them at Oregon OSHA in a temporary rule format. By law, temporary rules can last no longer than 180 days.
(2) Penalties – Increasing Minimum and Maximum Penalties At the same time – and completely unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic or the COVID-19 temporary rulemaking, Oregon OSHA is coming to the end of an eight-month period of public comment on changes to the existing penalty rules, including an increase in the maximum penalties that align Oregon penalties with federal OSHA as directed by both Congress and the Oregon Legislative Assembly.
(3) Employer Knowledge/Employer Responsibility The Employer Knowledge rulemaking has been on a similar time frame as the Penalties Rulemaking, but they are actually two distinct rulemaking proposals. In this rulemaking, Oregon OSHA proposes to add two definitions and a paragraph to the Division 1 rules. The Oregon Supreme Court in CBI Services v. Oregon OSHA determined that Oregon OSHA needs to more clearly define how “reasonable diligence” and “unpreventable employee misconduct” are interpreted and applied in enforcement activities and Oregon OSHA believes that such guidance is most appropriately provided through an administrative rule. The proposed additions to the rules are to clarify in general how Oregon OSHA assesses an employer’s reasonable diligence, what constitutes unpreventable employee misconduct, how Oregon OSHA assesses an employer’s knowledge of a violation, and when an employer is and is not responsible for a violation that has occurred on its worksite. After spending several years developing the proposal, Oregon OSHA is coming to the end of an eight-month period of public comment on these proposed changes.
Please take action and make a difference if you can. New Survey Findings Reveal Dire Situation for Restaurant Operators without Federal Financial Assistance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 7, 2020 Contact: Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, ORLA 503.851.1330 | Astley@OregonRLA.org Today, the National Restaurant Association is releasing a letter to Congress with the results of the latest survey on the economic health of the industry, and the findings are bleak:
In Oregon, the findings are as follows:
For months, Congress has been trapped in a political tug-of-war while restaurants continue to go dark. A group of moderate Democrats and Republicans last week unveiled a compromise plan bringing both parties back to the negotiating table. They are calling for a $909 billion relief bill, including a second round of Paycheck Protection Program grants, which with improvements could provide immediate assistance to restaurants. “We need Congress to pass the Blueprint for Restaurant Revival,” said Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA). “While we are waiting for that to happen, we also need to make sure Congress at least passes some type of financial relief plan before leaving town for the year. Our industry simply cannot wait for relief any longer.” While the recent $55 million in state funds will help the hospitality industry to some degree, it will not be enough to cover the massive losses brought about because of the pandemic and economic shutdowns. “As costs continue to rise and revenues continue to fall for operators, and with more layoffs likely in the future, Oregon’s hospitality industry needs Congress to put aside the turf wars and come together to pass a relief package,” said Astley. “Without it, your neighbor’s job is in jeopardy and your favorite neighborhood restaurant may be the next one to forever close their doors.” ### The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of approximately 10,000 foodservice locations and 2,000 lodging establishments with a workforce prior to COVID of 183,191. Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Remains Committed to Working Through Covid-19 Realities11/24/2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 24, 2020
International Society of Hotel Associations Honors ORLA and Portland Lodging Alliance with 2020 Award of Excellence
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 23, 2020 Contact: Christina Pappas | 1-617-536-0590 BOSTON, MA - The International Society of Hotel Associations (ISHA) announced its Awards of Excellence, honoring the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association and Portland Lodging Alliance for their Hospitality with Heart downtown cleanup events. In September 2020, ORLA’s Portland Lodging Alliance teamed up with SOLVE Oregon, the Portland Business Alliance, Clean & Safe, Travel Portland, and the City of Portland for the 2nd annual Hospitality with Heart litter cleanup event, bringing over 500 volunteers and community members together to improve the wellbeing of our city. Since then, the Portland Lodging Alliance has been helping coordinate monthly cleanup events. The ISHA Awards of Excellence recognizes those lodging associations who have had exceptional programs in the areas of Communications, Events and Fundraising, Government Affairs, Member Programs and Public Relations over the past year. The Awards of Excellence winners include:
“ISHA is pleased to recognize these six award winners,” stated Christina Pappas, Executive Director of ISHA. “While the majority of the programs focus on pandemic response to members and the industry, these programs truly help set the standard for others to follow.” ISHA presents the annual Awards of Excellence for the best lodging association programs and services and are widely recognized as the best of the best within the hotel and lodging association industry representing innovation and creativity that has brought tangible results to the association and its members. Award winners receive complimentary registration to a future ISHA Conference. ### ISHA provides professional development and networking opportunities for lodging associations, and represents the unified voice of state lodging associations in collaboration with our national industry partners. For more information visit www.isha.biz. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 20, 2020
Contacts: Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA | 503.302.5060 | JBrandt@OregonRLA.org Angelo Amador, Executive Director, RLC | 202.492.5037 | AAmador@Restaurant.org Interview Coordination: Glenda Hamstreet, Executive Coordinator | ghamstreet@oregonrla.org Portland, Oregon – Today, the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) and the Restaurant Law Center (RLC) filed a joint complaint in federal court for injunctive relief from the “Two-Week Freeze” mandated by the Governor, which prohibits indoor and outdoor dining in restaurants from November 18 through December 2. This action was taken to save many restaurants around the state, and to protect the livelihoods of thousands of food service workers who rely on restaurants and their customers. Both restaurants and their employees continue to suffer from the devastating effects of ongoing regulatory orders in Oregon during this pandemic. “The restaurant industry prefers engaging in partnerships with our leaders in government,” said Jason Brandt, President and CEO of ORLA. “The latest restaurant restrictions in Executive Order 20-65 published on November 17 lack equity and due process. We hope to engage in communication with Governor Kate Brown and her professional staff as soon as possible to work towards a resolution that has not been available to us at this stage. In the meantime, Oregon’s restaurant operators must continue to follow all orders executed by the Governor until a federal court addresses the serious legal concerns brought forth by the industry.” “The number one priority of America’s restaurant industry is to provide a safe and healthy environment for guests and employees,” said Angelo Amador, Executive Director of the Restaurant Law Center. “The industry is following applicable federal, state and local operating guidelines, and, where necessary, adapted their business models and adopted countless new measures to ensure that diners and workers remain safe. A blanket ban on indoor and outdoor dining is wrong and we believe the latest executive order in Oregon is also illegal. We hope our Complaint will encourage the Governor and other officials to meet to develop a more reasonable and pragmatic approach that protects the livelihood of restaurant industry workers and restaurateurs across the state.” Click here to read the Complaint. About the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of approximately 10,000 foodservice locations and 2,000 lodging establishments with a workforce prior to COVID of 183,191. About the Restaurant Law Center The Restaurant Law Center is a public policy organization affiliated with the National Restaurant Association dedicated exclusively to defending the restaurant industry against government overreach at the local, state, and federal level by providing a voice for the industry in our judicial system. Available Data Translates into Ongoing Inequities for Oregon Hospitality
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 19, 2020 Contact: Glenda Hamstreet, Executive Coordinator, ORLA 971.224.1509 | ghamstreet@oregonrla.org Wilsonville, OR– On November 18, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released the latest available data on workplace outbreaks in Oregon. In a November 18 published report, the OHA has identified 3,097 active Covid-19 cases associated with workplaces. Of those cases 18, or 0.58 percent are tied to restaurants. Lodging operations, which have no current outbreaks, don’t even appear on the list. “Oregon’s restaurants are struggling mightily. The state’s new restrictions are forcing an unsustainable round robin of furloughs and layoffs in our industry, an industry that is second to only health care in the number of people it employs,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “We continue to seek answers to better understand the sacrifices being experienced by Oregon’s hospitality businesses and our industry employees based on available data.” The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) has been an active partner in transforming thousands of hospitality environments to promote guest and employee safety. The industry continues to argue additional restrictions on controlled environments pushes virus spread to uncontrolled environments. “We can turn the corner in this state on coronavirus infections while still supporting the livelihoods of our fellow Oregonians as long as we make reasonable decisions based on available data,” said Brandt. “The data has clearly shown Oregon’s controlled restaurant and lodging environments offer a safe alternative to the private, social gatherings state officials have identified as the primary culprit driving the virus’ spread.” The state association continues to advocate for necessary adjustments to restaurant dining room protocol. For example, Governor Brown’s November 13 press conference stated private gatherings should be limited to 2 households or a maximum of 6 people. ORLA is advocating the same standard for group dining physically distanced from others be allowed immediately in dining rooms across the state. ### The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of approximately 10,000 foodservice locations and 2,000 lodging establishments with a workforce prior to COVID of 183,191.  Confidential, No-Cost Advisor Network Made Possible by Coronavirus Relief Funds
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 18, 2020 Contact: Terry Hopkins, Regional Representative, ORLA 541.441.2219 | THopkins@OregonRLA.org Wilsonville, OR– The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) and Oregon’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network are pleased to announce the launch of a new, no-cost, one on one confidential advisor network. The Oregon Restaurant Covid Assistance Program includes a network of seven professional restaurant consultants ready to assist industry operators with ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic. “We feel a strong sense of urgency to build program awareness now as independent restaurant operators wrestle with what comes next,” said Terry Hopkins, Regional Representative for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “It is time for operators to engage in an exercise of humility because no one is bigger than COVID-19 and every single operator can benefit from an additional expert perspective.” Focal areas for advisor support were determined by a mass survey of restaurant operators earlier this fall. Results from survey feedback resulted in the following core areas of concentration:
Advisors are standing by to engage in confidential consulting conversations and are paid through SBA CARES Act relief funds authorized by the Emergency Board of the Oregon Legislature. Restaurants operators participating in the program will incur no cost for services rendered. “It was incredibly important to us to prop up a program that allows operators to sign up in less than 5 minutes to access these free top-tier consulting services,” said Hopkins. “We know this will prove to be a unique opportunity for restaurant operators who choose to take a leap of faith and engage an advisor. We can save independent restaurants in this state by sharing expertise and resources that assist our small businesses in finding a path forward.” To sign up for advisor connectivity and to review the list of participating advisors, visit: Oregonsbdc.org/orca. ### The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which before COVID-19 provided over 180,000 paychecks to working Oregonians. Currently, approximately 55,000 of those workers, or 30%, do not have work available to return to. The Oregon Small Business Development Centers work in partnership with the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association in providing vital assistance to Oregon's restaurants. Creation of a $75 Million Hospitality Relief Fund is Needed for Industry to Survive
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 17, 2020 Contact: Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA 503.302.5060 | JBrandt@OregonRLA.org Wilsonville, OR– Another shutdown of Oregon’s restaurants, bars and foodservice establishments is crippling an already broken and damaged industry. While other industries in Oregon have experienced revenue losses on average of five percent from last year, the hospitality industry in Oregon has experienced revenue losses on average of at least thirty percent. Because of this massive economic disparity, the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA), the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, has sent a letter to the Legislative Joint Emergency Board asking for the immediate creation of a $75 million Hospitality Relief Fund to help operators and their employees survive another shutdown. “There is no federal relief package waiting to be voted on and distributed from Congress or the White House,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “There are no stimulus checks being printed to help Oregon families pay their bills. There is no weekly check for $600 available for those servers, cooks, hosts and hostesses about to lose their jobs or have their hours cut again because restaurants can’t survive on takeout and delivery if they can do it at all.” Restaurants and bars are still paying rent and there has been no extension of the commercial rent moratorium even though revenue has been cut by as much as 65% for some operators because of the shutdowns, “pause” and now a “freeze.” Restaurants and bars are still paying OLCC license fees even though they are not able to serve hard alcohol or offer cocktails to go for customers doing pickup or delivery. They are still paying health inspection fees based on the number of seats they have in their establishment even though they cannot seat anyone in their establishment. There are payroll taxes, corporate activity taxes, property taxes on property they cannot fully use and commercial personal property taxes on property restaurants own. In addition to the immediate creation of the $75 million Hospitality Relief Fund, ORLA is recommending several other solutions to the Legislature to help the hospitality industry survive. Those solutions include:
“We were already hearing from members they were concerned about what another shutdown would do to their chances of staying open,” said Brandt. “Without significant help from the state, the hospitality industry in Oregon–many of your favorite restaurants, hotels, bars and other places– will have to permanently close their doors, putting tens of thousands of people out of work.” “Hospitality businesses need immediate help. We cannot wait for February and hope a relief package will materialize and be approved at the federal level,” said Brandt. “This is an emergency and we need the Joint Emergency Board to take action now to save our industry and the tens of thousands of Oregonians who rely on it to put food on the table, pay their rent or mortgage and provide for their families’ needs.” ### The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of approximately 10,000 foodservice locations and 2,000 lodging establishments with a workforce prior to COVID of 183,191. Statewide Industry Shutdown of Dining Rooms Does Not Add Up
Wilsonville, OR– On Friday, the Oregon Governor’s office announced wide ranging closures of all indoor and outdoor dining rooms across Oregon starting November 18. The announcement on November 13th came one day after a newly published report from the Oregon Health Authority identifying 2,893 Covid-19 cases associated with workplaces. Of those cases, 22 were tied to restaurants representing 0.76% of current workplace outbreaks. “Our industry, along with the fitness industry, are the official targets of the latest directives from Governor Brown’s office,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “We desperately need an explanation, and we are not getting straight answers. If 0.76% of active workplace outbreaks represent a need to shut down an entire industry, we have a real time crisis in how we are making regulatory decisions as a state.” The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) has been an active partner in transforming thousands of hospitality environments to promote guest and employee safety. The industry continues to argue additional restrictions on controlled environments pushes virus spread to uncontrolled environments. “We are running out of ways to express our deep concern about the correlation between dining room shutdowns and private behavior,” said Brandt. “If human interaction is going to take place during the course of the holiday season, then it is much more advantageous to have those interactions take place in controlled environments.” The state association continues to advocate for necessary adjustments to restaurant dining room protocol. For example, Governor Brown’s November 13th press conference stated private gatherings should be limited to 2 households or a maximum of 6 people. ORLA is advocating the same exact standard be allowed immediately in dining rooms across the state. “Why are we allowing 2 private households to gather with up to 6 people in an uncontrolled environment and closing dining rooms when those same interactions can take place in a controlled dining room environment with oversight from a third party?” said Brandt. “We stand ready to help in getting this state back on track as thousands of livelihoods are at stake.” ### The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of approximately 10,000 foodservice locations and 2,000 lodging establishments with a workforce prior to COVID of 183,191. Industry Seeks Solutions Beyond Shutting Down, Putting People Out of Work
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 13, 2020 Contact: Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA 503.302.5060 | JBrandt@OregonRLA.org Wilsonville, OR– Today, the Oregon Governor’s office announced further restrictions on restaurants statewide beyond the previous two-week “pause.” The restrictions are being announced one week after the “pause” was announced and just two days after it went into effect. The restrictions take effect Wednesday, November 18th and prohibit dining indoors or outdoors at any bar or restaurant. Drive-thru, takeout, delivery and curbside pickup will still be allowed. “Knowing small social gatherings are the focal point for the transmission of this virus, it is incredibly disappointing to see our industry once again targeted and to know bar and restaurant operators are having their employees’ and their own livelihoods put at risk,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “We continue to be asked to make significant sacrifices as an industry due to the nature of our business models. The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) is recommending several solutions to help the hospitality industry survive. Those solutions include:
“We were already hearing from members they were concerned about what another shutdown would do to their chances of staying open,” said Brandt. “This latest round of regulations focused on restaurants will trigger an unknown amount of permanent closures impacting the livelihoods of thousands of Oregon families.” In addition, ORLA is recommending these solutions to help stop the spread of the disease further:
Oregon’s business community is sending the following letter to Governor Brown’s office in response to the latest round of restrictions. “Businesses throughout Oregon have proven that they can make the operational changes necessary to keep their employees and their customers safe, even during this unprecedented pandemic. What we need now is a plan to address the root of the problem without causing additional harm to Oregonians throughout the state,” said Brandt. ### The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of approximately 10,000 foodservice locations and 2,000 lodging establishments with a workforce prior to COVID of 183,191. Newly announced restrictions on indoor restaurant spaces defy logic, data, and goals designed to reduce virus spread in Oregon FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2020 (Updated 11.9.20) Contact: Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA 503.302.5060 | JBrandt@OregonRLA.org Wilsonville, OR– Today, the Oregon Governor’s office announced new restrictions on restaurants located in specific counties. The restrictions take effect next week and further reduce the total number of people, including staff, that can be on premise. The new restrictions for specific counties will change the current maximum of 100 people indoors and reduce the maximum to 50 people indoors. In addition, group dining at restaurants in affected counties will be reduced to a maximum of 6 people. The two-week pause applies to Multnomah, Marion, Jackson, Malheur and Umatilla counties. On Monday, Nov. 9, four more counties were added to the pause list; Washington, Clackamas, Baker and Union counties. “We have said all along we were going to follow the data as a state and we have some of the most comprehensive, transparent data in the country being provided by the Oregon Health Authority in their weekly COVID reports,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “These new restrictions do not follow the data available to us. This action will directly result in more Oregonians interacting in uncontrolled, private environments as opposed to restaurants with controlled, regulated environments.” The Oregon Health Authority’s weekly COVID report is published mid-week with the latest edition released on Wednesday, November 4. A copy can be obtained through the following link: The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) remains committed to thorough weekly reviews of any workplace outbreaks connected to the industry. In the latest edition, only 2 foodservice locations are identified out of approximately 75 workplace outbreaks across the state. The workplace outbreak section can be found starting on Page 22 with details included in Table 7 of the weekly report. “We are one of the largest employers in Oregon and the efforts being undertaken by our operators across the state is nothing short of monumental. The weekly data continues to prove the importance of controlled, regulated environments like restaurants as an alternative to private gatherings,” said Brandt. “We are literally making decisions that could drive us in the wrong direction as a state.” “We have a role to play in providing safe alternatives to private settings. We need more opportunity to be a part of the solution.” Early in the COVID-19 crisis, the Governor’s office convened the Coronavirus Economic Advisory Council, but the council was disbanded months ago with no alternative for collaboration amongst industry leaders and health experts. ORLA is recommending an economic advisory council be reestablished immediately to assist the Governor’s office with the intelligence needed to understand the wide-ranging impacts to local economies triggered by new regulations.
“There will be thousands of operators across the state who will be unable to comprehend an additional arbitrary limit on the total number of people they can have indoors with no consideration given to the square footage available,” said Brandt. “We will have less paychecks to provide to struggling Oregonians, less opportunity for Oregonians to take a ‘mental health break’ in controlled restaurant environments, and we will drive more people to unregulated, private gatherings leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday.” Restaurants able to physically distance guests by party with at least the recommended six feet between tables, should be allowed to do so without arbitrary restrictions. For establishments with a larger footprint, capping capacity to 50 or 100 people when they can safely seat more means robbing them of the opportunity to keep people employed and keep Oregonians from struggling more than they already have this year. With some reports suggesting as many as 85% of independent restaurants will close without some form of financial assistance or less arbitrary regulation from government, further reducing restaurants’ ability to generate revenue makes that figure seem even more likely. ORLA is creating an online interface to track Oregonian paychecks lost from restaurants located in counties where the additional restrictions will take effect. Operators will share their business name, their county location, and the number of paychecks lost due to the new restrictions. “We believe wholeheartedly in collaboration and partnership and our industry must continue to do whatever we can to mitigate virus spread and support the heroes in the health care sector who are putting their lives on the line to save their fellow Oregonians,” said Brandt. “We have a role to play in providing safe alternatives to private settings. We need more opportunity to be a part of the solution.” ### The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of approximately 10,000 foodservice locations and 2,000 lodging establishments with a workforce prior to COVID of 183,191. Roughly 30%, or 55,000 jobs, remain lost in the industry as a result of the COVID pandemic. We welcome industry members' article submissions relevant to the restaurant and lodging industry in Oregon. Association members are primarily considered and encouraged to share expertise and perspective following the guidelines below for submitting an article. Please note, we do not publish press releases. The criteria outlined below in no way guarantees your submission will be published at all, or that a submission will appear in any particular issue. The submission should satisfy the criteria, but is entirely subject to editing for length and content.
To submit an article for consideration in any of ORLA's communication vehicles please email Editor, Lori Little, at LLittle@OregonRLA.org. Guest Blog Submission Guidelines
To submit a guest blog post, contact ORLA’s Director of Business Development Marla McColly at 503.428.8694. Guest blog posts are considered sponsored opportunities. |
Categories
All
Archives
January 2021
|
RSS Feed