The Working Lunch

On this episode of Working Lunch, we’ll do a deep dive on the minimum wage covering what is suddenly happening on Capitol Hill today, when the new Congress convenes in January as well as in some key states. We also have two interviews with business leaders in both Illinois and Maine discussing the prospects for anti-business legislation in those two states. We’ll talk about those stories and more plus the weekly legislative scorecard.

On this episode of Working Lunch, we are joined by Jeff Brecher of JacksonLewis, one of the most prestigious law firms in the country, to explain the Department of Labor’s recent action on the 80/20 rule, and more importantly, what operators can expect with regard to this issue going forward.

On this episode of Working Lunch, we discuss corporate activism and a potential presidential run by former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. We’ll also discuss Bernie Sanders latest attack on the entry-level business model and steps companies are taking to diffuse some of those issues. We’ll talk about those stories and more plus the weekly legislative scorecard.

On this episode of Working Lunch, we analyze the midterm election results and discuss how the playing field - especially at the state level - will look very different in 2019. We’ll take a look at and how operators will be impacted and more importantly, how they should prepare. We’ll talk about those stories and more plus the weekly legislative scorecard.

On this episode of Working Lunch, we look one last time at the upcoming election, focusing on ballot initiatives and Attorneys General races. We’ll also look at the employee walkouts at Google and discuss the modern state of employee activism. And in the ongoing competition to attract and retain the best employees, McDonald’s has added a new employee benefit - career counseling. Will that move the needle? We’ll talk about those stories and more plus the weekly legislative scorecard.

On this episode of Working Lunch, we examine how many prominent political players in the business community are preparing for a new environment in Congress - one where a Democratic House can launch lots of investigations. Also, we will take a look at the upcoming elections, especially from the perspective of Governors and state legislatures. And a new update to the ongoing minimum wage study regarding Seattle’s $15 minimum wage that could create headaches for the industry. We’ll talk about those stories and more plus the weekly legislative scorecard.

On this episode of Working Lunch, the Trump Administration has released its unified agenda for 2019. We’ll discuss what that means for operators. We'll also take a look at a new study from the Pew Research Center which examines the real economic value of a $15 wage in communities across America. And a settlement in a customer-focused sexual harassment suit at Costco could begin to redefine employer responsibility. We’ll talk about those stories and more plus the weekly legislative scorecard.

On this episode of Working Lunch, Starbucks has done it again – this time adding an additional benefit for child and elder care. Could this lay down a new marker for the industry? The election is only a few weeks away. We’ll check in on some key states important to operators as well as examine the political positioning of the industry post-election. We’ll talk about those stories and more plus the weekly legislative scorecard.

On this episode of Working Lunch, Austin, TX has banned restaurants from disposing of food waste and trash - forcing them to recycle. Could other cities soon follow? Amazon has disrupted the labor market again – this time setting a wage floor of $15/hr for their workers. And the Fight for $15 lost a major legislative battle this week. We’ll talk about those stories and more plus the weekly legislative scorecard.

On this episode of Working Lunch, Walmart is utilizing Blockchain to revolutionize their food supply chain. Will that create some unforeseen public policy issues down the road? Major brands are embarking on “get out the vote” drives. Is that good corporate citizenship or a veiled message to elected leaders? And Fight for $15 is at it again, this time staging national Days of Action next week. Those stories and more plus the weekly legislative scorecard.