Oregon Hospitality Foundation Updates - This past week, ORLA’s Executive Director of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation Wendy Popkin announced she has accepted a new role with the Washington County Visitors Association as Vice President of Destination Sales. We hope you all join us in celebrating Wendy’s contributions to the Foundation over the past nine years. In conversations with Wendy and Foundation Board members, we are moving forward with a plan to hire two new full time positions in support of the hospitality foundation. One position will be an executive coordinator for foundation governance while also serving as our ProStart Liaison for Oregon’s 40 participating high schools. The other position will be a Workforce Development Coordinator focused on creating stronger connections between industry leaders and high school and community college classrooms – think guest speaking opportunities, job shadow coordination, career/job fair involvement, and experiential field trips. Reach out to ORLA if you know someone interested in these positions.

National Restaurant Trends - The latest economic trends in the restaurant survey based on a feedback from 4,000 restaurants across the nation. The NRA's infographic and associated letter sent to DC leadership focus on the importance of preventing new taxes on small businesses as our industry continues to grapple with the impacts of the enduring pandemic. Activity in DC continues to be touch and go and our Government Affairs team will continue keeping all lines of communication open with our partners at AAHOA, AHLA, and NRA as developments unfold. 

• State of the Industry Infographic
• Oregon's State of the Industry Infographic
• Letter to Capitol Hill
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Tourism Academy Happenings - On October 1, our first ever Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy class wrapped up their commitment to the program. The new leadership development program for Oregon’s tourism industry has proven to hit the mark in filling a necessary void to strengthen our interconnections in Oregon amongst like minded professionals while also creating a training ground for established and emerging leaders. The second year class will be gathering next week on the central coast for their second of four gatherings. Hospitality and tourism professionals take note: our year three Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy applications are now open for the program which launches in March of 2022 through Friday, November 12. Learn more online.

[September 24, 2021] - Fight Against Meals Taxes / Chair's Getaway / Conference Program

Fights Against Meal Taxes Continue - The ORLA professional team led by Steve Scardina and Terry Hopkins in their regions of the state and supported by Greg Astley, Tom Perrick, and Glenda Hamstreet in our Government Affairs Department are working hard to defeat meals taxes appearing on the November ballot in the cities of Cannon Beach and Newport. Our websites for the campaigns are up and running and our success in defeating both proposals is largely dependent on our ability to keep local restaurants in both communities engaged and in the forefront. It is critical that ORLA take a back seat to the local names and faces that make up a local restaurant industry while fully leveraging ORLA’s association structure to assist our local members in fighting effectively against tax proposals when they are opposed by members in cases like this. In the past 4 years, we have successfully defeated two other restaurant tax proposals – one in Jacksonville and one in Hood River County. We hope to defeat these two tax proposals and should have results to share on November 2 or 3. Vote No Sales Tax on Meals!

ORLA Hospitality Conference Success - Earlier this week ORLA held a 2-day in-person conference for industry members at the Riverhouse in Bend. Feedback so far has been very positive, citing keynote and breakout session messages on target and insightful for the hard-hit hospitality industry. ORLA members also had the opportunity to vote in several new members of the Board of Directors. Save the date for next year's event on Sunday & Monday, September 11 and 12 at the Graduate hotel in Eugene.

Chair’s Getaway - We are off and running in creating a great experience on Oregon’s north coast for our Chair’s Getaway event on Sunday, November 7 which will be co-hosted by Incoming Chair John Barofsky and Outgoing Chair Masudur Khan. We want to take a moment to thank Shannon McMenamin and her team at the Gearhart location for working with us to put together the Reception and Multi-Course Dinner on site. Also, a big thanks to Outgoing ORLA Chair Masudur Khan for making the SaltLine Hotel available for overnight stays and our sponsors at US Foods (thanks Randy) and Pacific Seafood for their food donations. We also have America’s Hub World Tours joining us as a Transportation Sponsor this year for those who prefer a shuttle bus between the hotel and the restaurant. The Chair’s Getaway event has 50-60 people in attendance and is an opportunity to raise funds for ORLAPAC under the direction of Greg Astley, ORLA’s Director of Government Affairs. I hope you consider making a donation to ORLAPAC and join us for this great reception, dinner, and overnight stay following on November 7. Register here to reserve your seats – we expect this will sell out so act soon.

[September 17, 2021] - Win for Lottery Retailers / Vaccine Mandates / EIDL Updates

Win for Lottery Retailers – ORLA’s membership includes a segment that cares deeply about the association’s advocacy for lottery retailer issues. ORLA in partnership with many other stakeholders was able to secure a win with the Governor committing in writing to prohibit any expansion of state sponsored gambling on mobile devices with an exception for the options already available on cell phones. The following two letters spell out the request made by us and our partners to legislative leadership and the Governor’s response essentially putting a moratorium on any gambling expansions on cell phones for the duration of her term in office.
 
Vaccine Mandates – We expect to have our hands full in the coming months as the potential for emerging vaccine mandates continues to be debated primarily at the local levels of government outside of President Biden’s announcement this past week. We have been made aware that King County in Washington State will move forward with a vaccine mandate but has decided to again target specific businesses with the mandate as opposed to all businesses. It remains unclear how the new vaccine mandate will be enforced and how the role of restaurant and other industry operators will be defined for those industries impacted. The King County mandate will go into effect in late October. Our reports show the NYC mandate has a vaccine verification compliance rate of less than 30% meaning as many as 70% of operations were not verifying vaccine status at the door. In one of ORLA’s recent surveys we asked operators what types of mandates they would proactively comply with. Under 40% said they would comply with vaccine verification and we suspect the reason is driven by the challenges posed by putting our frontline staff in the position of asking for those verifications universally to dine indoors and the uncertainty of what happens when customers are denied indoor dining service due to a mandate. 
 
As a reminder, we openly shared our survey results and our deep concerns about compliance rates with Multnomah County Chair Kafoury and the Governor’s Office. We’re hoping that step keeps the industry from being targeted while we continue our advocacy and support for vaccines and their importance.
 
EIDL Program Updates – The Small Business Administration’s Deputy District Director for Portland Sam Goldstein provided us at ORLA with the latest updates on EIDL. The SBA's COVID EIDL Program Summary serves as a review of where we are to date on EIDL expansion. Another webinar presentation is coming up on September 23; register here.

The SBA is continuing to accept loans and modification to existing loans. New applications and increases in existing loans resulting in total amounts to be approved  >$500K can be submitted immediately. Decisions on requests >$500K will begin October 8, 2021.
 
Main Update: Increase in maximum loan amount from $500,000 to $2,000,000 (policy)
 
Key Changes in Effect as of September 8, 2021:

• Increased maximum loans for new applicants and existing borrowers up to $2,000,000.
• New flexibility in use of funds includes pay down of existing commercial debt and regular payments on federal debt.
• Changed Affiliation rules (relaxed).  Only applicant owners of 50% or more are considered affiliated.
• Unlimited size for non-profits.
• Changed size standards for certain industries* to allow a per location maximum of 500 employees for listed industry categories considered still highly impacted by COVID-19.
• New limit of $10,000,000 on total loans to a single corporate group

[Click the "Read More" link for archived blog updates]

Positive trends improve industry outlook; uncertainty and waning consumer confidence could impact long-term rebuilding 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Vanessa Sink, Media Relations Director, National Restaurant Association 

Washington, D.C. (August 31, 2021) – Today, the National Restaurant Association released a mid-year supplement to the 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, which illustrates the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the restaurant industry. The report provides an updated look at key indicators and trends influencing the industry’s recovery as of June/July 2021, including the current state of the economy, workforce, and food and beverage sales.

Key findings include: 

• Food and beverage sales in the restaurant and foodservice industry are projected to total $789 billion in 2021, up 19.7% from 2020. 
• Despite a steady trend of job creation in the first half of the year, eating and drinking places are still nearly 1 million jobs, or 8%, below pre-pandemic employment levels and the restaurants and accommodations sector have one of the highest levels of unfilled job openings of any industry. 
• As of June 2021, 39 states and the District of Columbia had reopened to 100% indoor dining capacity; 11 states and Puerto Rico are open at varying capacities ranging from 50% to 80%. 
• Six in 10 adults have changed their restaurant use due to the rise in the delta variant. 

“Faced with one of the most devastating and disruptive events of our lifetime, the restaurant industry has taken significant strides toward rebuilding over the first half of 2021,” said Tom Bené, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “Consumer expectations around dining out have changed, and the industry is continually adapting to not only meet, but exceed, these expectations. Restaurant operators, along with their partners throughout the supply and distribution chain, remain focused on providing diners with a safe and enjoyable experience, amid rising food and labor costs and challenges related to the pandemic. Given these factors, our outlook through the end of the year is one of cautious optimism.” 

Labor and Food Costs Remain Top Challenges 
July marked the seventh consecutive month of staffing growth, translating to a net increase of 1.3 million jobs in the first half of 2021. Despite these increases, eating and drinking places remain nearly 1 million jobs or 8% below pre-pandemic employment levels. Operators also continue to grapple with higher input costs, with wholesale food prices increasing at their fastest rate in seven years.

• 75% of restaurant operators reported that recruiting employees was their top challenge as of June 2021 – the highest level ever recorded. 
• The full service segment was down 626,000 jobs, or 11% below pre-pandemic employment levels; the limited-service segment was down 175,000 jobs or 4% in the same period. 
• Menu prices have increased nearly 4% through June 2021. 

Technology, Outdoor Dining, and Alcohol To-Go Are Here to Stay 
The pandemic catalyzed many changes in the restaurant industry including the rapid consumer adoption of technology for online ordering, electronic payment, and order pickup. Consumers want to see restaurants continue incorporating technology and are keen to continue using outdoor dining. In 31 jurisdictions, thanks to approved legislation, consumers will be able to continue ordering alcoholic beverages with their takeout. 

• 52% of adults would like to see restaurants incorporate more technology to make ordering and payment easier. 
• 84% of adults say they favor allowing restaurants to set up tables on sidewalks, parking lots or streets permanently. 
• A majority of adults in states that allow alcoholic beverages with takeout and delivery orders would like to see it continue on a permanent basis. 

The Threat of Delta 
In the first half of 2021 industry trends were positive, but there is still a long road ahead. A National Restaurant Association survey, conducted Aug. 13-15, found that the delta variant of COVID-19 threatens to reverse the gains made in the first six months of the year. 

• 6 in 10 adults changed their restaurant use due to the rise in the delta variant. 
• 19% of adults said they completely stopped going out to restaurants. 
• 37% of adults said they ordered delivery or takeout instead of dining in a restaurant. 
• 32% of adults said that if asked to wear a mask and/or show proof of vaccination to dine indoors again, they would be less likely to dine in a restaurant. 

“The trends from the first half of the year are promising, but a lot of uncertainty remains in regard to the delta variant, consumer confidence, and ongoing labor challenges,” said Hudson Riehle, Senior Vice President of Research for the National Restaurant Association. “We expect restaurant pent-up demand will remain high in the coming months. However, in this state of flux, maintaining the availability of on-site dining with few capacity restrictions will be critical to keeping the overall sales momentum going forward, especially for full service operators.” 

The National Restaurant Association will continue to monitor the effect of COVID-19 on the industry in the coming months and plans a full State of the Restaurant Industry Report in early 2022.
 
Click here to download the 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Mid-Year Update, sponsored by Sage Intacct. 

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About the National Restaurant Association 
​
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube. 

PRESS STATEMENT: August 11, 2021

Statewide Mask Mandate Must Prevent More Business Restrictions

Statement from President & CEO Jason Brandt:

We can’t overstate how exhausted the hospitality industry is from an unthinkable health crisis spanning 18 months and counting. A new statewide mask mandate taking effect in 2 days must not lead to any other statewide business regulations. The industry is nowhere near recovery and has a long road ahead after all statewide restrictions were officially lifted 42 days ago. ORLA will work directly with Oregon OSHA and will advocate for a focus on ensuring appropriate signage is in place at businesses in addition to their oversight role for employee safety.
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For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

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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. The latest available data for May of 2021 from the Oregon Employment Department shows current employment levels in the accommodations and foodservice industry totaling 153,200 people.

Guest Blog | BYOD, Inc.

Most of the conversations I am having with restaurant colleagues these days involve any number of terms:  RRF, PPP, Covid-19, recovery, consumer confidence, and many more.  However, at my own restaurants the conversations center around one thing: staffing. In 25 years, I’ve never seen an employment pool as shallow as it is right now. While the economy is seeing wonderful recovery (the unemployment rate fell by another .3% last month adding almost 550K jobs, and the economy grew by 6.4% in Q1 and continues to skyrocket), we in the hospitality industry are not experiencing the same boom. Reuters reports that 5.6% of restaurant workers quit their jobs in April (an all-time high according to Gordon Haskett Research Advisors) and the bureau of labor statistics shows the hospitality industry came out of April still down more than 2.8 million workers from where it was pre-pandemic, with an unemployment rate of 10.8% compared to the national level of 5.5%. On top of that, I haven’t spoken to an operator in months where the phrase “severely understaffed” doesn’t come up. 
 
Though there are multiple drivers (unemployment benefits, governmental pandemic regulations, large wage increases in industries that weren’t shutdown, etc.) behind this situation, and we can all debate them until we are blue in the face. The reality of the situation is that a smaller and shallower hospitality employment pool is here to stay. With that sobering fact readily apparent after the last several months, we also are hearing a lot from “experts” stating the only way to attract workers back is to raise wages. With efforts from groups like the IRC as well as state and national government to push a $15/hour minimum wage it seems a bit like the industry is being pushed into accepting this new reality by bully pulpit and the peanut gallery. The problem seems insurmountable, especially considering the fact that industry wide we lost 110,000 restaurants permanently last year and almost $240 billion. However, the building blocks of an alternative solution to “raising wages and just keep raising them” are already in many other industries.
 
In the 1950’s the manufacturing and agricultural industries employed 1 in 3 Americans workers, but in 2009, it was closer to 1 in 8. What happened, you ask? Automation. We began to use machines, computers, and finally data to evolve how those industries work. Now I know I just lost some of you. For years people have told me how backward the restaurant industry is, and how technological behind we are. We’ve been slow to adopt new technologies and sometimes burned by the ones that we have. I hear the argument that while spending millions of dollars on technology might work for a big factory doing $1 million dollars a day in revenue, it can’t work for a restaurant doing $1 million in revenue annually. But that supposes that automation requires large physical infrastructure, expensive software programs, large implementation teams, and a number of other hurdles that make it very difficult for an industry that is made up of more than 60% independent operators to consider implementation.
 
Automation is something that the restaurant industry has championed for years (just ask McDonald’s), but it has approached it from the standpoint of unit replicability, when what we need to focus on as an industry is how automation applies to a single unit. Simply put, are there tasks that technology can do (perhaps better than humans) that can be easily and inexpensively implemented? The answer is a resounding yes – with machine learning and artificial intelligence. Why couldn’t an AI build a schedule better than an assistant manager? Crunch data and predict sales and staffing at better rate? Coordinate your ordering for you? Essentially remove all of the mundane “office” jobs that an operator deals with on a daily basis so that they can focus on more important tasks? If a manager could skip 50% of their paperwork to spend more time training the limited staff that they already have (because an AI did it for them), could that staff begin to handle a higher workload? If consumer interfaces could start with technology as a welcome funnel (QR codes, AI engaged CRM’s that auto-seat customers) could that allow restaurant to do more with less staff?
 
In the end, what I believe will come out of the pandemic is not necessarily higher wages, but a greater reliance on technology as an interface between management and staff as well as restaurants and their customers. Technology isn’t the only solution to the current job market, but it certainly seems like a more palatable one. | Samuel Short
 
Sam is the Chief Strategy Officer for BYOD, Inc., a Restaurant-focused Artificial Intelligence company. Sam also owns a restaurant group in Michigan and has spent the last 25 years in the restaurant industry. He served on the board of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association for many years. 

Effective today, June 30, face covering and distancing rules are eliminated in alignment with the full reopening of our economy. Governor Brown’s announcement last Friday was welcome news to Oregon's businesses ready to open back up at full capacity.

Earlier this week we received confirmation from OR-OSHA Director Michael Wood that mask and distancing mandates will be eliminated (with certain exceptions, including health care, public transit, and airports).

However, not all of Oregon OSHA’s COVID-19 requirements are going away immediately. "For the rule addressing all workplaces, examples of measures that will remain in place longer include optimization of ventilation, notification of a positive case in the workplace, and proper steps to take if an employee must quarantine."

Here's more information to pass along:

• OSHA's Press Release 6.30.21
• Rule Addressing COVID-19 Workplace Risks
• Appendices to the Rule

ORLA has received several questions from members regarding rule updates. Here are a few FAQs that were confirmed:

• Is OSHA lifting its requirements for employees to wear masks as well? Yes; If an employee chooses to wear a mask, face shield, or face covering even when it is not required, the employer must allow them to do so.
• Is the closing time as of June 30 going back to pre-covid times where bars can close at 2:00 am if they choose? Yes.
• Does this mean plexiglass is no longer required where there was an inability to physically distance? Yes.
• Are employee health screenings also being eliminated with the rollback of COVID-19 restrictions? Yes, the employee health screening requirements were rescinded.
• How about requirements for employees to quarantine if they exhibit symptoms, etc.? Since we will not be screening employees anymore, are we simply waiting to see if they voluntarily report symptoms and then still following CDC guidance for quarantining? Yes, employers still need to ensure employees quarantine IF the employer knows about it.
• Will condiments now be allowed back on bars and table tops? Yes.
• Will the Oregon Lottery be the lifting of the curfew tonight and keep machines on until 2:00 am? Yes. The Oregon Lottery has already made the system change.

ORLA will continue to work with Oregon OSHA as part of their rules committee to continue addressing the details involved with unraveling the remainder of the COVID-19 directives.

As always, you can reach out to your ORLA Regional Representative for questions.

There is no light switch. It will take years to build back what was lost.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 25, 2021

Contact: 
Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA     
503.302.5060 | jbrandt@oregonrla.org

Wilsonville, OR– Today’s announcement from Governor Kate Brown announcing a full reopening of Oregon’s economy no later than Wednesday, June 30 is welcome news. Our state’s restaurant and lodging establishments have a long road ahead as small businesses continue the hard work of regaining their footing after 15 months and 13 days of historic and over-reaching government regulation. Permanent closures, workforce access issues, partial re-openings, and ever-changing administrative rules and emergency orders have left a permanent mark on the approach to doing business in Oregon.
​
“We never could have imagined the gravity and depth to which government regulations would dictate how we live in a free society when industry shutdowns and capacity restrictions first went into effect on Tuesday, March 17 of 2020,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “Here we are 15 months later picking up the pieces and doing whatever we can to help Oregon’s extraordinary hospitality industry find its identity once again and it will take time. From a workforce access crisis and supply chain constraints to debt accumulation and back rents and mortgages coming due, historic industry challenges remain and will persist in the years ahead.”

To date, Oregon has permanently lost over 1,400 foodservice locations statewide and some lodging establishments remain closed. Both restaurant and lodging operators continue to face wide ranging marketplace dynamics resulting in different realities in different regions of the state. As a rule of thumb, the more reliant a region is on business travel, the harder the economic hit.

“The Portland Metro region in particular will need ongoing support to bring back the top tier hospitality experiences our overnight guests have come to expect in our state’s largest city,” said Brandt. “Our hats are off to our partners at Travel Portland, the Portland Business Alliance, and officials at the City of Portland who are inspiring Portlanders to usher in a new transformative chapter with their ‘Here for Portland’ campaign. Ongoing cleanups, increased office worker mobility, and cultural activities can and will make a big difference. As Mayor Wheeler has said, do not bet against Portland or its people.”

One challenge remains clear statewide – no matter the region, the workforce access crisis is deep and relentless. Restaurants and lodging establishments in all regions of the state are currently forced to reduce operating hours, minimize menu options and cordon off available rooms respectively.

“To put it plainly, there are too many Oregonians on the sidelines,” said Brandt. “And this reality has opened up a new frontline of advocacy activity for ORLA – we must be at the table in assisting our state in addressing the child care deserts that exist in all 36 counties in Oregon, we must address the extension of unemployment benefits to those who are not making a concerted effort to find their next job, and we must protect the rights of our frontline workers who choose to wear a face covering at work and respect that choice and embrace it.”

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org.

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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. The latest available data for May of 2021 from the Oregon Employment Department shows current employment levels in the accommodations and foodservice industry totaling 153,200 people.

Guest Blog | Portland General Electric

This past year has rocked all of us, but it’s been particularly rough for small business customers. From a world-wide pandemic, a summer of social unrest, wildfires that hit too close to home, and a historical ice storm, small businesses, and especially restaurants, have endured more than their fair share of challenges.

I watched as businesses were forced to change and adapt at a moment’s notice. Many were forced to lay off their staff and face an uncertain future. But even while overcoming these challenges, I was inspired by the creativity and resiliency so many demonstrated – businesses continued to serve their communities and show compassion for their neighbors with an Oregon kind of energy that’s resilient, innovative, and rooted in care for the communities they are in. It’s the kind of energy we celebrate at PGE.

Hospitality, that friendly welcoming nature that we’re so proud of, is the heart of Oregon. We love where we’re from and we all are excited to share our favorite local eats and hot spots. I’ve been touched by the stories of restaurants caring for those most in need and the way that communities have stepped up to support their favorite local joints.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and visit with four local restaurants throughout the region. During our conversations, I was inspired by the stories these restaurants shared. Despite the numerous challenges, they have come to work every day and continue to be agents for positive change in their communities.

To show appreciation for these restaurants and yours, we’re hosting a restaurant week on PGE’s Instagram the week of July 5. We’ll be sharing the stories of these restaurants and asking our followers to share their favorite local restaurants. Want to get in on this social boost? Share your favorite local restaurant (yours included!) on your Instagram story and tag @PortlandGeneral with the hashtag #RestaurantWeek.

Thank you, ORLA, for being a great resource and unifying force for Oregon’s hospitality industry. As we continue to invest in the future of Oregon, we’re proud to make a $5,000 donation to the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. Keep up the great work!

For more information on resources available for your restaurant, please visit us at portlandgeneral.com/smallbiz. | Warren Parker III, PGE Senior Marketing Strategist SMB

[Originally posted March 21, 2021] - ​In response to a number of inquiries on this subject, ORLA has compiled various sources of information on the topic. Please note, the following information is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice. 

The Rundown:
The vast majority of content reviewed on this subject urged caution. A number of exceptions exist within mandatory programs, including medical conditions, religious grounds and potential union bargaining (if applicable). Mandatory vaccination programs are subject to state and/or federal oversight (BOLI, OSHA, NLRB, EEOC) and can trigger program review and legal pitfalls, such as violating the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and a host of potential medical, personnel and personal Data Privacy violations.

Even if successful in navigating the external patchwork of state and federal agencies, an operator that chooses to adopt a mandatory vaccination program must then overcome internal operational issues, such as what steps must be taken when an employee chooses not to be vaccinated, how to then protect the rest of the workforce, reconfiguration of office space, schedule changes and the like.
 
The Bottomline:
While mandatory vaccinations are allowed, a mandatory vaccination program is not advisable. The downside seems too great of risk for operators large and small.
 
Employers are encouraged however to promote employee self-education for vaccination acceptance, support voluntary vaccinations, follow the guidelines of local, city and state health authorities, provide their workforce the flexibility for designated group vaccination schedules and work with local Chambers and trade associations.

Here is a list of resources providing information on vaccines in the workplace:

• Oregon Health Authority Employer Toolkit - information about vaccines, eligibility
• Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industry - current FAQ’s for employers regarding vaccinations
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - guidance and FAQ’s for employers to consider, including ADA-covered persons, exemptions and reasonable accommodations
• State Accident Insurance Fund (SAIF) current FAQ’s for employers regarding vaccinations
• National Restaurant Association “Taking a Shot at COVID-19” - on-demand webinar recording; (download presentation deck)
• National Restaurant Association / Restaurant Law Center - association and federal agency guidelines on mandating vaccines
• American Hotel & Lodging Association Employee COVID-19 Vaccination Information - resources for educating and encouraging employees to get vaccinated
• Asian American Hotel Owners Association launches new “Pledge to Protect Our Guests, Employees and Businesses” - new initiative that encourages hoteliers to proactively promote COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees
• Oregon Business and Industry “COVID-19 Vaccine in the Workplace: What Employers Should Know” - key considerations for employers as the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available to Oregonians
• HR Annie “Vaccinations in the Workplace Considerations & Best Practices for Employers” - COVID-19 vaccinations in the workplace; considerations and best practices for employers; (download presentation deck)

For questions, please reach out to your Regional Representative.

Blueprint includes funded and unfunded tools to accelerate the industry’s economic recovery 

Washington, D.C. (May 26, 2021) - The National Restaurant Association today sent a State and Local Blueprint for Rebuilding to the National Governors Association, the United States Conference of Mayors, and the National Council of State Legislators, encouraging their members keep the restaurant industry at the forefront of their conversations about how to accelerate the recovery of their economies. 

“State and local lawmakers have the power to make a real difference in their local industry’s recovery,” said Mike Whatley vice president for State Affairs and Grassroots Advocacy for the Association. “Decisive action on this proposal would provide critical tools and opportunities for the hardest hit restaurants struggling to find a new normal. They could help address some of our long-term obligations and the recruitment challenge, which we expect will continue into our busiest months later this summer.” 

The Blueprint includes 12 detailed steps lawmakers can take, including: 

• Establishing a state-based restaurant grant fund 
• Protecting vulnerable businesses from unforeseen tax burdens due to federal relief 
• Summer employee recruitment and retention bonus for restaurant & hospitality workers 
• Expanding access to child care for hospitality workers who cannot work from home 
• Permanently expanding outdoor dining 
• Making expanded off-premises alcohol regulations permanent 
• Enact third-party delivery protections for restaurants based upon transparency and permission 

“The Association appreciates the efforts of leaders at the state and local level to work with the restaurant industry throughout the pandemic. Their creativity and commitment to our survival has been vital to the survival of restaurants large and small in every community. As we now begin to rebuild our industry, we encourage all legislative leaders to work with the Association and our 52 state restaurant association partners on ideas to help restaurants thrive once again in the future,” concluded Whatley. 

Read the full letter here. 

For more information about the Association’s advocacy, go to RestaurantsAct.com. 

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About the National Restaurant Association 
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. 

​Hospitality Operators are Encouraged to Help Staff Get Vaccinated 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2021

Contact:
Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, ORLA     
503.851.1330 | astley@oregonrla.org

Wilsonville, OR– Governor Kate Brown’s announcement today that once 70% of the state’s residents 16 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine she’ll eliminate most statewide restrictions meant to thwart the spread of the disease, is welcome news to Oregon’s hospitality sector.

“Oregon’s hospitality industry has been repeatedly hammered by the openings, closings, and changes to how we can operate over the last 13 months,” said Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs for ORLA. “Hearing the plan for Oregon’s restaurants to be able to fully reopen and welcome back guests gives hope to those who have remained closed since the beginning of this pandemic and those who have struggled to remain open and keep people employed.”

The Governor’s plan includes the lifting of limits on seating capacity for restaurants, bars, and other venues previously impacted by the risk levels. It also means no counties would remain under the current risk level tiers based on rates of infections.

Physical distancing and face-covering mandates while indoors may still be in place for some time. The Governor has stated she will follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as to when face coverings may no longer be required.

“ORLA is encouraging restaurants to help employees find vaccination sites for themselves and their families,” said Astley. “The sooner we can meet the goal of having 70% or more of Oregonians partially vaccinated, the sooner we can open back up our dining spaces and welcome guests back in to share food and make memories with their families and friends.”

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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. 

NW Oregon Works Identifies Hospitality Industry as Major Sector of Economy 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2021

Contact:
Wendy Popkin, Executive Director
Oregon Hospitality Foundation
503.331.7528 | wpopkin@oregonrla.org

Wilsonville, OR – NW Oregon Works, one of nine regional workforce boards in the state, is the first to identify the hospitality industry as a major sector of their regional economy. The state’s workforce boards are entrusted with state and federal dollars to connect job seekers with training and certifications to meet industry demands. A map of the workforce board regions can be viewed here.

“The strategic funding and priority decisions our board makes are based on employers’ workforce needs in our communities and positive outcomes an industry can contribute,” said Heather DeSart, Executive Director of NW Oregon Works, which supports Benton, Columbia, Clatsop, Lincoln, and Tillamook counties. “The Oregon Hospitality Foundation and the Oregon Coast Visitors Association worked hard over the past three years to help us understand the range of diverse employment opportunities the hospitality industry can offer to our residents, as well as the important role it has as an economic driver.”

Oregon’s hospitality industry remains the second largest private sector industry behind health care, yet many of its employers are experiencing the workforce recruiting challenges incurred by COVID’s impact, as are other consumer-facing businesses. The industry’s positive impact on local and state economies, and its ability to provide a low barrier to entry for first-time and less-skilled job seekers who can gain experience and a high opportunity to advance, make the hospitality industry’s recovery critical as part of Oregon’s overall pandemic economic recovery plan.

“Our foundation’s mission is to support the workforce, education, and philanthropic needs of Oregon’s hospitality industry,” said Wendy Popkin, Executive Director of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. “We use a variety of tools including nationally accredited certifications that help provide a skills-based pathway from entry level positions to executive positions that pay six figures. We are thrilled about this growing collaboration with NW Oregon Works and its agency partners to serve beside the Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) as conveners for our sector’s strategies.”

Addressing workforce shortages is commonly a team lift involving key stakeholder organizations reliant on a steady flow of both job seekers and job openings. As part of this new strategy, expert education partners are also involved such as Chemeketa Community College who offers all its hospitality course and degrees online, and the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Foundation who have received and administered numerous grants from agencies such as the Department of Labor. 

“OCVA’s major role in the coastal tourism industry is to align and support partnerships between communities and partner resources,” said Arica Sears, Deputy Director of the Oregon Coast Visitor’s Association. “The recent identification of leisure and hospitality as a major sector speaks to the collaborative and forward-thinking partners that NW Oregon Works and the Oregon Hospitality Foundation are, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”

Workforce shortages continue to be cited by restaurant and lodging employers as the number one issue facing their business. The Oregon Hospitality Foundation will host a webinar highlighting tools and partnerships that can assist with these challenges on Tuesday, May 25th from 2-3:30 p.m.; learn more and register here.

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation please visit OregonRLA.org/foundation. 

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The Oregon Hospitality Foundation, a nonprofit 501c3, strives to support the workforce, education, and philanthropic needs of Oregon’s hospitality industry, Oregon’s second largest employer, which before COVID-19 provided over 180,000 paychecks to working Oregonians. 

Poll shows the vast majority of people are relieved the Governor’s latest indoor dining ban has ended

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2021

Contact:
Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, ORLA     
503.851.1330 | astley@oregonrla.org

Wilsonville, OR– A recent poll shows, 88% of Oregonians say they should be able to make their own decision about dining indoors at restaurants as more people become vaccinated. This comes as Gov. Kate Brown ended her ban on indoor dining in 15 counties starting today.

“With Oregonians continuing to get vaccinated each week, my expectation is that we will not return to Extreme Risk again for the duration of this pandemic,” Brown said.

Polling nearly 1,000 Oregonians, between April 26 to May 5, 2021, 88% said they want the option to dine indoors as more than 1 million people have been fully vaccinated in the state. 

“It is clear Oregonians understand what is at stake for their favorite local restaurants,” said Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “We have 88% of survey respondents stating they feel they should have the choice whether to dine inside a restaurant or not right now. The sentiment against indoor dining closures at this stage is clearly reaching a feverish pitch.”

Oregon has already seen more than 1,000 restaurants close because of the pandemic recession. The reopening of indoor dining ahead of the largest sales day of the year – Mother’s Day – will hopefully help some local restaurants continue to survive during this tough time.

“These are the places where you’ve celebrated your birthday, had your first date, and enjoyed Mother’s Day brunch every year. More indoor dining restrictions would result in more permanent closures of these businesses that are part of the fabric of our lives and communities,” said Astley. “Now that everyone older than 16 is eligible, help us move away from future government restrictions by getting vaccinated. And please continue to support local restaurants this Mother’s Day by celebrating at you mom’s favorite place.”

The recent poll we announced today was authored by ORLA and promoted on OregonLive.com.

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

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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. 

The Governor’s announcement ending Extreme Risk in 15 counties will help restaurants at a critical time ahead of Mother’s Day – typically the top sales day of the year.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 5, 2021

Contact:
Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA     
503.302.5060 | jbrandt@oregonrla.org

Wilsonville, OR– Oregon restaurants struggling to survive welcome Gov. Kate Brown’s recent announcement ending the Extreme Risk category for 15 counties, allowing them to resume some indoor dining ahead of their busiest day of the year – Mother’s Day.

On Tuesday, Gov. Brown stuck to her commitment to use statewide metrics announcing that because COVID-19 hospitalization rates have leveled, restaurants and their patrons can return to limited indoor dining starting Friday, May 7. 

“With Oregonians continuing to get vaccinated each week, my expectation is that we will not return to Extreme Risk again for the duration of this pandemic,” Brown said.

This is welcome news to the thousands of local restaurants barely holding on during the pandemic recession.Oregon has seen more than 1,000 restaurants close in the past year.

“With indoor dining coming back online across Oregon, ORLA’s focus now moves to two crucial fronts – supporting efforts to continue relaxing restrictions and finding solutions for lodging and restaurant employers struggling to get their employees back on the schedule,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “The workforce shortage crisis is the challenge of our day outside government restrictions and it’s a national crisis. We look forward to working with our national partners on legislation to turn extended unemployment benefits through September into upfront cash bonuses to accelerate the industry’s recovery.”
 
Restaurant and lodging operations continue to take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their employees and customers. Oregon public health officials have confirmed only 3% of the new COVID-19 cases were traced back to restaurants and bars while most of the new cases are attributed to schools. 

“Now that everyone older than 16 is eligible, help us move away from future government restrictions by getting vaccinated. And please continue to support local restaurants this Mother’s Day by celebrating at your mom’s favorite place,” said Brandt.

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

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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. 

Contact: Vanessa Sink
National Restaurant Association
vsink@restaurant.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C. (May 3, 2021) – Today, the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) began accepting grant applications. Tom Bené, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association released the following statement about the launch of the federal relief program:

“Today’s launch of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund provides long-awaited hope for tens of thousands of restaurants who are on a long path to recovery. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has done admirable work in creating a totally new relief program in just two months, and we appreciate our strong partnership with them. 
 
“The question on the minds of many is what happens when applications outpace the available funds. Restaurants are operating in an uncertain environment, with continued needs to restore customer confidence in their safety and to bring workers back into the economy.  We will continue to work with policymakers to secure a comprehensive set of solutions, including additional funding for the RRF.”

The restaurant industry has been the hardest hit during the pandemic. Between March 2020 and April 2021, restaurant and foodservice sales were down $280 billion from expected levels and 110,000 restaurants have closed permanently or long-term. For nearly 15 months, securing industry-specific recovery grants has been the primary goal of the National Restaurant Association. 

Because funds are limited, the Association encourages all eligible applicants to apply as soon as possible. While priority groups will have 21 days of priority access, applications from all eligible applicants will not be ruled ineligible if they apply during the prioritization period. The SBA will coordinate the time of submission to determine the order of grant distribution. 

Resources for operators:

• SBA Application Portal
• Updated Association FAQ document
• Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for the RRF
• SBA video tour of the Application Portal
• An archive of past webinars with our state partners and SBA. Yesterday, our partners at the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance and the SBA Administrator hosted a discussion on how the 21-day priority period works for restaurant owners from

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About the National Restaurant Association
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

Restaurant Operators Remain Baffled by Disproportionate, Inequitable Restrictions 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 3, 2021

Contact:
Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA     
503.302.5060 | jbrandt@oregonrla.org

Wilsonville, OR– This past week, Oregon State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger provided a COVID update to the Oregon Senate Committee on Health Care alongside Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen.

As part of the official testimony, Dr. Sidelinger and Director Allen were asked a series of questions by members of the State Senate serving on the committee. Of particular importance was the answer to a question about environments deemed responsible for increased case counts.

Dr. Sidelinger referenced spread in multiple settings and cited 257 new outbreaks during the course of the past week. He said 30% of cases are attributed to single case outbreaks associated with schools, 12% are attributed to two or more case outbreaks associated with schools, 4.5% of cases are attributed to recreational sports and sports teams, and only 3% are traced back to restaurants and bars. Director Allen also shared 60% of cases are sporadic with no additional information about where they originated.

Testimony continued including a summary statement from Director Allen who stated, “kids going back to school has led to more coronavirus, just not in school. It’s everything around it.”

If restaurants are not a leading cause of spread, owners and operators across the state are baffled why thousands of restaurants in 15 counties have indoor dining bans.

“It is clear from testimony that schools, not restaurants, are driving the overwhelming majority of new COVID cases,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “Nonetheless, restaurants, which are taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their employees and customers dining indoors, are shut down indoors at thousands of locations across 15 counties despite a lack of evidence to suggest they’re the source of spread.  You can’t justify putting thousands of people out of work in an entire sector of the economy when there’s no evidence it’s contributing to the spike in cases. It makes no sense.”

While the Restaurant Revitalization Fund will help some restaurants, the demand and urgency for aid far outpaces the amount of funding available. The Small Business Administration admitted they expect the federal funds to go quickly as restaurants across the country struggle.

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

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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. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 27, 2021

Contact:
Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA
503.302.5060 | jbrandt@oregonrla.org

Yet again, Oregon Governor Kate Brown punished local restaurants announcing another wave of indoor dining bans in 15 counties starting Friday, April 30. Current coronavirus outbreaks as reported by the Oregon Health Authority have been tied to education institutions, health care settings, private social gatherings and manufacturing facilities. However, Oregon’s plan and ongoing risk categories continue to target and penalize restaurants, gyms, and fitness centers as the predominant set of restrictions deemed necessary to mitigate virus spread. There have been no super spreader cases tied to these environments at any point in the over 13-month pandemic in Oregon.

“Restaurants are taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their employees and customers dining indoors,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “It is impossible to run a restaurant two weeks at a time let alone one week at a time which is now Governor Brown’s plan for the coming weeks. The move by the Governor’s Office is tone deaf and offensive to tens of thousands of Oregonians working in restaurants and bars across our state attempting to pay their bills. COVID-19 closures and restrictions on indoor dining are clobbering Oregon’s restaurants, bars and hospitality sector. We’ve seen more than 1,000 close because of the pandemic recession. The uncertainty and arbitrary nature of targeting restaurants has made it impossible for these local businesses to plan during a time when they’re already struggling to survive. The Governor should stop blaming restaurants as the source of COVID-19 spikes. It is blatant discrimination against our local businesses. Instead, we should focus on what we know will work – vaccinating all Oregonians.”

Despite no evidence or correlation between COVID-19 case spikes and restaurants, Oregon’s new extreme risk category includes a new statewide metric: Covid-19 positive patients occupying 300 hospital beds or more, and a 15% increase in the seven-day average over the previous week. Meanwhile, more than 1 million Oregonians have been fully vaccinated. In addition, the Governor’s Office moved away from their normal practice of reviewing hospitalizations based on weekend data and instead used data from Monday which included over 300 hospitalizations in Oregon.

“The field of play keeps changing. We were under 300 hospitalizations all weekend but apparently that doesn’t matter anymore. The constant yo-yoing of closures and restrictions in Oregon are driving people to have multi-family gatherings at home indoors. The level of ongoing suffering being experienced by the hospitality industry is hard to quantify with the constant myopic focus on restricting restaurants and gyms as a way to effectively manage our ongoing COVID crisis,” Brandt said.

Restaurants have only three days to try to adjust their businesses, dispose of perishable food and reduce staffing again. In addition, restaurants will not be able to order food, schedule employees, or plan out their operating hours in advance as weekly changes are implemented by the Governor’s Office. While changing outdoor capacity from 50 to 100 people will help some restaurants, it won't provide much needed flexibility for most.

“The industry desperately needs their #1 sales day coming up on Sunday, May 9. Indoor dining restrictions for a second Mother’s Day in a row would be the ultimate blow to our local restaurants struggling to survive,” Brandt said.

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

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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. 

House Vote on Unemployment Insurance Tax Relief Triggers Movement to State Senate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 16, 2021

Contacts:
Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, ORLA 
503.851.1330 | astley@OregonRLA.org

Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA
503.302.5060 | jbrandt@oregonrla.org

Wilsonville, OR– The Oregon House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to move forward with bipartisan legislation which would provide millions in unemployment insurance tax relief for some of Oregon’s hardest hit industries.

House Bill 3389 passed the Oregon House and will now move to the Senate for ongoing deliberation. The bill accomplishes a number of priorities for Oregon’s hospitality industry with the most important component being the removal of 2020 and 2021 employment data from the formula used to determine an employer’s applicable tax rate, starting in 2022.

“We would like thank the leaders who have signed on to support this bill as sponsors and their ongoing work to shepherd it through the legislative process,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “The deferral and forgiveness components could be stronger for this year given the impact of government restrictions on industry employment options. Having said that, the big win will prove to be solving the tax hike problem for years 2022 through 2024.”

Unemployment insurance taxes are paid entirely by Oregon employers to fund Oregon’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund which remains the healthiest in the nation. One third of unemployment insurance taxes for 2021 can be deferred for employers with an increased tax rate of half a percent or more. If the employer’s tax rate increased more than 1 percent to 1.5 percent, 50 percent of the deferred tax would be forgiven. For tax rates which increased more than 1.5 percent to 2 percent, 75 percent of the deferred tax would be forgiven. And for employers who had a tax rate increase of more than 2 percent, the full deferred amount would be forgiven.

“We know this legislation if passed has the potential to save hospitality employers tens of millions of dollars this year alone,” said Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “That amount pales in comparison to the real impact of the relief in future years. If we can erase 2020 and 2021 from upcoming calculations as proposed in the legislation, it will have a direct impact on our industry recovery efforts.”

The bipartisan Chief Sponsors of the bill in the house include Representatives Paul Holvey, Daniel Bonham, and John Lively. The bipartisan Chief Sponsors in the State Senate include Senators Bill Hansell and Chuck Riley.

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

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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. 

The tally of restaurant closures grows every month as restrictions continue
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 12, 2021

Contact:
Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, ORLA      
503.851.1330 | astley@OregonRLA.org

Wilsonville, OR– According to CHD Expert, Oregon has lost an additional 190 foodservice locations during March as over a year of lockdowns and restrictions continue to wreak havoc on the state’s hospitality industry.

“We have seen over 200 additional restaurant closures in 2021 on top of the closures experienced in 2020,” said Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “An analysis of data compiled from sources including CHD Expert and active alcohol licenses from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) shows us that we have now experienced a net loss of approximately 600 to 800 permanent closures of restaurants across Oregon.”

CHD Expert data for 2020 shows 1,185 closures of restaurants with 770 openings during the year for a net difference totaling 415 locations. Food service operations serving alcohol have experienced a decrease of 442 locations compared to pre-covid location totals, according to the OLCC.

“Our state leaders in Oregon’s Legislature continue to look for ways to provide assistance to the hard-hit restaurant and lodging sectors,” said Astley. “We would like to recognize State Senators Betsy Johnson and Elizabeth Steiner Hayward for looking at relief options including the creation of a credit to help cover the costs of alcohol licenses for calendar year 2021.”

Read more in a recent OLCC memo to Senators Johnson and Steiner Hayward outlining the costs associated with licensee credits.

“The volatility due to government restrictions in Oregon is clobbering the ability of restaurant owners and managers to provide some scheduling stability for our industry employees,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO for the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “We have a perfect storm brewing – growing checking accounts from stimulus funding, increased unemployment benefits for Oregonians, pent up demand for hospitality services from consumers, and frontline workers still pushing through the process of vaccinations. For our consumers out there, please be patient with your favorite local restaurants and lodging establishments. They will continue to do whatever they can within their control to meet your expectations.”

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

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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. 

New ‘Extreme Risk’ Standards Will Result in Indoor Dining Continuity but More Needs to Change
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2021

Contact:
Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA      
503.302.5060 | JBrandt@OregonRLA.org      

Wilsonville, OR– The framework for mitigating Covid risk in Oregon across a variety of industries has changed once again with newly established statewide hospitalization metrics among other factors defining Oregon’s new ‘Extreme Risk’ category. As a result, all Oregon counties for the first time in many months will once again have access to indoor dining operations.

“The news this week is bittersweet,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “While five counties moved down in risk (Grant, Malheur, Umatilla, Coos, and Curry), six moved up in risk (Clackamas, Deschutes, Klamath, Linn, Multnomah, and Tillamook) which means moving down from 50% to the dreaded 25% indoor capacity restriction starting Friday, April 9. Anything less than 50% capacity poses ongoing survival challenges for our small businesses.”

In a press release issued by Governor Brown’s office, Oregon’s new extreme risk category includes a new statewide metric: Covid-19 positive patients occupying 300 hospital beds or more, and a 15% increase in the seven-day average over the previous week. As of April 6, Covid-19 related hospitalizations totaled 163 in Oregon.

“We are past due in developing a hospitalization metric as the central tool to determine all county risk levels,” said Brandt. “Over 2 million vaccine doses have been administered in Oregon. The risk associated with each Covid case diminishes with each vaccination and our stringent risk categories have not changed since they were implemented to mitigate the severity of Oregon’s winter surge.”

Concern regarding variants have been commonly cited by health officials as the reason for ongoing economic restrictions as the majority of other states move well past Oregon’s reopening status. According to recent comments by Dr. Dean Sidelinger, initial results show all vaccines to be effective in preventing serious Covid illness even if the virus is still contracted and results in a documented case.

“As we learn about the effectiveness of vaccines in protecting Oregonians against serious illness caused by variants, we should use that crucial information to change the crippling restrictions still being lived out by too many Oregonians,” said Brandt. “After reviewing all the facts, any reasonable person would conclude the vaccines are effective at keeping Oregonians out of the hospital and as a result, our risk metrics and widespread economic restrictions should change accordingly.”

ORLA continues to call for a statewide indoor restaurant capacity of at least 50% including an adoption of physical distancing standards between parties that align with international health guidelines (1 meter or 3.2 feet). 

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

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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. 

A New Training Tool Can Help

​A picture is worth a thousand words. Excited and Cautious, Ready and Scary sums up the attitude of guests who may soon be walking through our doors for the first time in a year.

Increasing numbers of home-bound travelers are tentatively scheduling vacations while many take-out diners seek to enjoy a meal somewhere inside other than home. Still, top of mind for most people who have stayed home since the pandemic’s first lock-down is safety.

Tripadvisor's research on travelers’ booking criteria in 2020: 92% said “Cleanliness is the most important factor in selecting accommodations.” According to an OpenTable survey, a high percentage of consumers indicate that they make their dining choices based on the comfort level they have with a restaurant’s safety protocols.

YOU may be confident about the procedures you have put into place, but how can you help make your potential customer feel comfortable enough to venture out for the first time? Research shows that how you communicate pre-arrival is exceptionally important to ease concern.

Best Practice: Just as you have probably expressed on your own website, both Tripadvisor and Yelp have added space for businesses to describe their Covid safety practices. Balanced messaging is important, however. Having an enjoyable experience is, as it always has been, the motivation for travel and for dining out. While using the word ‘contactless’ can convey a good safety practice, might it also sound sterile to someone who is yearning to break out of forced isolation? Describing what guests can expect in terms of safety and enjoyment is consistent with hospitality that distinguishes a property.

Read remarks from a few properties that are highly ranked, and you will notice comments such as, “though the confirmation said that amenities could be limited, we appreciated they told us that the pool was available by reservation so social distance could be maintained and we could still use and enjoy it....” Or, perhaps, “because of Covid, while it wasn’t the same busy and high energy atmosphere we had previously enjoyed, our server went out of his way to be extra-friendly and the food was as delicious as always so we will continue to return."

Emphasizing that you seek to provide both a safe and enjoyable atmosphere is the balance that many customers seek not only to make, but to keep, their reservation. Ensuring that guests experience both will boost confidence and return intent.

What If? Have we ever been as aware of the CDC or FDA as we all are these days? With this kind of emphasis, you can anticipate that many guests will be very observant about how closely your team follows recommended safety practices and even compare yours to other locations they have visited. Being a germaphobe is not as nerdy as it used to be.

A friend shared with me that, after observing how hastily a bus person wiped down the table when a diner left, she decided not to stay because it did not seem very thorough for Covid cleanliness concerns. Another friend told me that they chose a hotel based on the property’s Covid Safety Health Pledge. After noticing some cobwebs in their room, however, they felt nervous about how closely that pledge was followed, and they regretted their travel plans. She has not traveled since.

I wondered if their reactions might have been different if they had conveyed their concerns to a service person who was able to respond and re-instill confidence? I realized that the situation was similar to any complaint about a misstep and that confidence may have been recoverable if handled correctly. At least there would have been a chance, anyway. The walk away is probably a forever lost opportunity and the potential word of mouth even worse.

Best Practice: While cleaning used to be something we did in the background away from guest sight, we now realize that allowing customers to see it in action can be a confidence builder. Seeing is believing. What plans do you have in place with your team members to address guest observations that may be similar to the concerns voiced by my friends? No matter how much we plan and practice, there are bound to be at least a few protocol missteps and/or encounters with highly sensitive guests. Are your associates as confident with words and actions they should take to address a guest’s safety concerns as they would be with typical pre-Covid complaints? Anticipating challenges and preparing credible responses can help repair a guest’s confidence and ensure that your safety goals are met.

New Resource: The Oregon Hospitality Foundation, ORLA’s nonprofit 501c3, has just released a new and on-demand video-based training tool, Providing Service While Supporting Safety. The course addresses opportunities like those mentioned above.

Four challenging scenarios are portrayed, communication, credibility, compliance, and creating a positive experience. Participants first watch an example of an ineffective service response which results in a negative guest experience. This is followed with narrative coaching and a more effective service approach is portrayed ending with discussion questions. Both restaurant and hotel versions are available, each with helpful worksheets, and both are offered with a Spanish subtitle option. Since time is a premium, scenarios can be viewed individually in less than 15 minutes. Course access is via sliding scale donation, group codes and tracking are also available. See more at OregonGuestServiceSafety.org.

What’s next? A recent Destination Analysts report provides rational optimism about our industry’s recovery, with all momentum tied to the lessening of safety concerns. In the February 22, 2021 report, they note “Each week more Americans have been vaccinated as well as know others who have, more trips in the short term appear… As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to decline after their January peak, Americans’ optimism about the month ahead soared an additional five percentage points in the last week, reaching another record high. Now 44.2 percent feel the pandemic situation in the United States will improve over the next four weeks...”

While we all realize that turnaround will take time, earning and retaining consumer confidence in our industry’s safety practices, as well as creating positive experiences, will be essential to continuing momentum. | 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