UPDATE: Minor employees can temporarily work back-of-house in 21+ establishments
UPDATE: Minor employees can temporarily work back-of-house in 21+ establishments

Effective immediately, 18-, 19-, and 20-year-old employees may perform back-of-house work in restricted liquor establishments now through September 30, 2021. Your government affairs team has been working closely with the LCB to adopt this new policy to ease employee age restrictions for restricted liquor establishments. This is a major win for hospitality operators who are struggling to fill open positions as the state looks to fully reopen next week.

Renting out your kitchen space can be a big money maker
Renting out your kitchen space can be a big money maker

***UPDATE: May 26, 2022*** The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) announced today they are extending the "Renting Kitchens to Non-Licensees" temporary allowance. The allowance, currently set to expire on June 1, will now expire on Sept. 30, 2022. Learn...

UPDATE: State and local mandates coming to an end
UPDATE: State and local mandates coming to an end

Governor Jay Inslee announced today the statewide mask mandate will end at 11:59 p.m. on March 11 for most indoor settings. Masks will continue to be required after March 12 in some settings, including health care and long-term care facilities, public transit and...

FAQ: What to do if your employee has COVID-19
FAQ: What to do if your employee has COVID-19

Below are FAQs designed to help employers determine the next steps with a variety of scenarios when an employee has a potential or confirmed positive case of COVID-19. Here are some key definitions you’ll need to know as these terms are used several times when...

RRF roundtable with Senator Maria Cantwell and Anthony Anton

This week, Senator Maria Cantwell held a roundtable with restaurant owners from across the state advocating for additional funding for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). Washington Hospitality Association President & CEO Anthony Anton moderated the...

Update on OSHA vaccine mandate

In the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, the Biden Administration has officially withdrawn the OSHA rule requiring employees to either get vaccinated or be subject to regular testing. Below are messages from the American Hotel & Lodging Association and...

Federal vaccine mandate on hold, again
Federal vaccine mandate on hold, again

In a 6-3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay for President Joe Biden’s vaccine/testing mandate. This means the mandate, also known as the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), is once again on hold pending additional legal review of cases currently being considered in lower courts.

Workplace outbreak resources and new CDC isolation recommendations

“The omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society. CDC’s updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster...

Washington will follow federal vaccine requirements for employers
Washington will follow federal vaccine requirements for employers

Gov. Jay Inslee announced today Washington state will follow the employer vaccine mandate  unveiled earlier this month by President Biden once that policy completes judicial review. [Webinar registration: Ask a Lawyer: What the new vaccine requirements mean for you]...