The Working Lunch

Former presidential candidate and current U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders called for a cultural revolution this week and named “restaurants and offices all over this country” as part of the problem of sexual harassment. His comments are tied to more high-profile cases of assault allegations that have been widely reported. This week the Align crew examines the politics of this issue and how it is now being linked to other policies involving women and equality. Plus, on the legislative scorecard, a new memo is out from the NLRB’s general counsel laying out how he plans to address Obama-era joint employer decisions and standards.

New reports are out about workplace raids coming soon in the foodservice industry. The specific details are limited but they are expected to be high profile. Other big issues on this week’s podcast include sexual assault and sexual harassment cases in the restaurant industry plus an update to the federal tax reform proposal. Also, on a jam-packed legislative scorecard, the Align crew explains why the cost of doing business is going up over the next couple years from Maryland all the way up the East Coast.

On this episode of the podcast, what a leading strategist in the restaurant industry thinks will happen with a dramatically shifting workforce; how brands are finding ways to attract customers and employees; the influence of private equity firms; and what’s keeping restaurant CEOs around the country up at night. The Align crew interviews Fred LeFranc from Results Thru Strategy.

The debate over paid leave at the federal level is heating up and there’s a push to get it passed by Mother’s Day. This week the Align crew has a special guest interview to explain what’s in the bill right now and they’ll look ahead at what could happen to employers that don’t volunteer to follow it. Plus, there’s news out of Washington from the labor secretary over wages and overtime regulations. That’s part of this week’s legislative scorecard.

The results of Tuesday’s elections around the country include bad outcomes for operators in specific states and around the country. What do the results mean for the policies restaurants and retailers have been supporting and the ones they thought they could avoid with Republican majorities. The Align crew covers tax reform, health care, minimum policies and more. As always, you can get up to speed on the legislative scorecard by listening and there is news out of Google that will disrupt the way restaurants deal with wait times and how customers find out about them.

This episode Working Lunch from Align Public Strategies has expert legal advice from a labor and employment law attorney about what brands and employers should be doing to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace--What policies are should be in place? What type of training is needed, and how will activist groups go after specific companies over this issue. This week’s Legislative Scorecard segment includes details about the GOP tax reform proposal and the Align crew previews key elections happening around the country next week.

HotSchedules is changing the way restaurants operate through innovation and technology by optimizing management efficiencies and engagement with staff. The Align crew has an extended interview with CEO Mike Arenth about how it's being done. Plus, on this week's legislative scorecard, potential changes coming to tip pooling regulations.

The conversation about portable benefits for independent contractors is heating up because of a state bill filed that would force employers to pay into a shared fund. The Align crew details how changes in the Gig Economy are shaping this type of policy, possibly for all employers.

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on several cases this session that impact operators and their employees. An attorney from the Jackson Lewis P.C. law firm provides his expert analysis on these matters before the Court.

As always, you can get up to speed with top items from the legislative scorecard including the governor's decision in California over a wage shaming bill.

On this episode of The Working Lunch podcast, what will California’s governor do with a wage- shaming bill sitting on his desk and how could his decision impact states and employers around the country? The Align team digs into the policy and politics. This show also includes a revealing interview with one of the country's top legal minds on wage and hour issues. Hear analysis from the Jackson Lewis Law Firm about the Tip Credit Rule and why operators should keep an eye on it in the courts. As always, the legislative scorecard has the top items from the week affecting business operators.

The Ben & Jerry’s agreement with a migrant farm worker activist group this week is a big win for an organized movement attempting to disrupt supply chains to companies. The Align crew explains why operators should start paying attention to this group and others as more companies will be asked to reach agreements. Plus, Shake Shack is shaking things up by testing automated restaurants while still saying they want to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. And on this week’s legislative scorecard, a win on Capitol Hill over the joint-employer relationship.