Restaurant & Lodging - Winter 2023

High School Student-run Café at Career Technical Education Center (CTEC) Salem

Capitol Day & Taste Oregon Legislative Reception

February 21, 2023 | Salem Convention Center, Salem Engage legislative leadership and state agency directors at this unique multi-faceted opportunity to have your voice heard. Free for any industry member.

Oregon ProStart Championships

March 13, 2023 | Salem Convention Center, Salem ProStart is a workforce development skills-based curriculum to help high school students explore careers in culinary arts and food service. Study culminates with this state competition hosted by the Oregon Hospitality Foundation.

Northwest Food Show

April 16-17, 2023 | Portland Expo Center, Portland Foodservice industry members flock to the egion’s largest foodservice and beverage show for ideas, information and new tools for success. Free for ORLA members.

One Big Night - Dinner & Auction

June 8, 2023 | The DoubleTree by Hilton, Portland Lavish evening with silent auction followed by dinner and live auction. Proceeds go directly to ORLA’s Political Action Committee.

ORLA Open Golf Tournament

July 24, 2023 | Langdon Farms, Aurora Annual golf tournament with lunch, prizes, and awards. Proceeds go directly to ORLA’s Political Action Committee.

Swig & Savor | Whisk(e)y Festival

August 26, 2023 | Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront

A celebration of high-end whiskies. Swig & Savor will feature 60+ whiskies for tastings, educational seminars, and an opportunity to purchase products.

ORLA Hospitality Conference

September 30 – October 2, 2023 | Ashland Hills Hotel

Industry leaders, owners and operators gather for this multi-day event of illuminating keynotes, informative seminars and breakout sessions and networking.

CAPITOL DAY Assembly

ABOUT

Restaurant & Lodging is published four times a year by Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA), 8565 SW Salish Lane, Suite 120, Wilsonville, Oregon, 97070 503.682.4422

To learn more about ORLA visit us online at OregonRLA.org

PUBLISHER

JASON BRANDT / PRESIDENT & CEO JBrandt@OregonRLA.org

LORI LITTLE / EDITOR LLittle@OregonRLA.org

HEIDI JANKE / DESIGN HJanke@OregonRLA.org

MEMBERSHIP

To become a member of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, please contact us at info@OregonRLA.org or 503.682.4422.

ADVERTISING

Please support the advertisers herein; they have made this publication possible. For information on advertising opportunities, please contact ORLA:

Marla McColly

Director of Business Development at 503.428.8694 or MMcColly@OregonRLA.org

SUBSCRIPTIONS

To update your digital and print subscriptions to this publication and all ORLA communications visit OregonRLA.org.

2022-23 ORLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Harish Patel, Chair, Florencein, Inc.

Shannon McMenamin, Vice Chair, McMenamins

Patrick Nofield, Treasurer, Escape Lodging

Komal (Tina) Patel, Secretary ALKO Hotels

John Barofsky, Immediate Past Chair, Beppe & Gianni’s Trattoria

Marin Arreola III, Advanced Economic Solutions (AES) Inc.

Jolee Bancroft, Mo's Restaurants

Terry Bichsel, Rivertide Suites Hotel

Joe Buck, Babica Hen Cafe, Gubanc’s, Lola’s Cafe

Don Crowe, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Daryn White Cyrus, Provenance Hotels

Emma Dye, Crisp

Gordon Feighner, Jam on Hawthorne, Cricket Cafe

Kurt Huffman, ChefStable

Eli Katkin, Brickroom

Masudur Khan, Khan Properties Group

Tom O’Shea, Sunriver Resort

Katie Poppe, Blue Star Donuts

Dani Rosendahl, The Pit Stop Sports Bar & BBQ Grill

George Schweitzer, The Benson

Natalie Sheild, Togather Restaurant Consulting

Rick Takach, Vesta Hospitality

Jake Vanderveen, McDonald Wholesale Co.

Dhruti Amin, Ex Officio Board Member, ALKO Hotels

WINTER 2023

Next Generation Workforce

LEADERSHIP

Salem Career Technical Education Center Culinary Arts ProStart Program Industry Night.

From left: Soraida Cross, VIPs Industries; Courtney Smith, OHF; Chef Austin, CTEC Salem; Guadalupe Arellano, OHF PHOTO COURTESY OF OREGON HOSPITALITY FOUNDATION

ORLA members who meet the group eligibility requirements can receive a 10% discount with SAIF on workers’ comp premiums in the ORLA group plan, upon workers’ comp renewal date.

ORLA MEMBERS:

Contact your agent and ask for an ORLA group quote, or contact SAIF directly at 888.598.5880.

EXISTING SAIF CUSTOMERS:

Ask your agent or contact SAIF directly at 888.598.5880 for an ORLA group quote.

An Investment in ORLA Advocacy Drives Bottom Line Results

Oregon is officially gearing up for anoth Legislative Session in Salem with newly elected legislators hoping to make a diffeence for their constituents. As is typical with elections, results rarely if ever align on all fronts with your personal preferences. Regardless of the election outcomes this past Fall, it is our job at the association to build effectie working relationships with leaders from both parties.

We had a very tangible return on investment recently which most likely stood out to you as a hospitality operator to prove how ORLA advocacy and relationship building effots can drive bottom line results for your business –House Bill 3389 in the 2021 Legislative Session.

Restaurant and lodging businesses become members of ORLA because they understand the importance of industry representation and intelligence gathering. Thee are of course other reasons to join ORLA but for me, House Bill 3389 takes the cake. Our hope is the updates below showcase why it is of crucial importance for us to continue to band together to protect, improve, and promote Oregon’s hospitality industry.

What Was House Bill 3389?

House Bill 3389 was collaborative legislation passed in 2021 to provide short- and long-term pandemic tax relief to Oregon employers while protecting the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. This impotant bill provided assistance to Oregon employers in several ways:

• It extended the “look back period” used to determine the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund solvency level from 10 years to 20 years.

• It kept employers’ Unemployment Insurance tax experience rating the same, through 2024, as what was used to determine the pre-pandemic 2020 tax rates.

• It deferred up to one-third of 2021 taxes until June 30, 2022 and provided forgiveness of penalties and interest accrued during that time for employers meeting certain criteria.

• It enabled some employers to be eligible for full or partial forgiveness of their deferrable 2021 Unemployment Insurance taxes.

Combined, the short- and long-term provisions of House Bill 3389 provide significant elief to Oregon employers.

• In 2021, after the bill passed, more than 4,000 employers

took advantage of the option to defer tax payments. Tha resulted in approximately $1.1 million in interest and penalty forgiveness.

• Though the bill’s short-term provisions, the Oregon Employment Department (OED) has provided Unemployment Insurance tax forgiveness to more than 19,000 employers and has issued more than $43.3 million in payments to eligible employers. The efunds issued varied widely in amount due to Oregon’s wide range of eligible employers, from very small businesses to larger corporations.

• In 2022, most employers, about 125,000, saw a decrease in their tax rate from the prior year as a result of the passage of House Bill 3389.

• Looking longer term, from 2021 to 2029, these changes are estimated to save Oregon employers $2.2 billion in unemployment insurance taxes.

Doing our Part to Protect the Integrity of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund

If you and others you know experienced setting up numerous job interviews for open positions only to have no one show up, you’re not alone. ORLA has been actively working with OED to make sure we’re doing our part as employers to share intelligence about job recruitment effots. The goal is to make sue recipients of unemployment insurance benefits ae actively looking for work and willing to accept work while also protecting the solvency of the trust fund which makes unemployment benefits widely aailable for those who qualify and need assistance during times of professional transition.

The regon Employment Department relies on employers to help identify potential fraud and other issues with the Unemployment Insurance system. The curent best route for employers to report people who do not show up for work when they are offeed a job, turned down an offer o work, or who do not come back after being recalled from a temporary layoff is though the utilization of the following public website at: bit.ly/OEDrefuse.

For other types of suspected fraud, the Oregon Employment Department has another, more general form (so some questions may not apply to all scenarios) at bit.ly/OEDfraud.

Employers can also report suspected UI fraud to the department’s Fraud Hotline at 1.877.668.3204.

ADVOCACY UPDATE

New Leaders, New Legislative Session

Oregon's 2023 Legislative Session kicks off anuary 17 with a new Governor and a record number of new faces in the House and Senate. ORLA’s Government Affairs team will not only be focused on several priority issues for the association, but also working to educate our newly elected leaders about our industry. ORLA is traveling around the state hosting Regional Meetings for members to meet their new policymakers. It’s imperative we make sure our elected officials understand ou industry issues and can be partners with us in improving the climate for small businesses in Oregon. Visit OregonRLA.org/meet to see the Regional Meeting schedule and to RSVP for one near you.

Meet Your Newly Elected Leaders

This is the firstregon Election where ballots did not have to be received by 8:00 pm on election day, but just needed to be postmarked by 8:00 pm on election day. Voter turnout in Oregon for midterm general elections is typically around 70 percent. As of November 21, at the time of this writing, the Secretary of State’s site reflected a 64.6 pecent turnout. The follwing is a recap of elections around the state.

On the Federal side, Oregon gained an additional Congressional seat during the last census, giving us a total of six. Four of those will be filled y Democrats with two seats held by Republicans.

In the Governor’s race, Christine Drazan has conceded to Tina Kotek. Betsy Johnson conceded on Election Day after the initial returns. And in the non-partisan race for Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner, Christina Stephenson emerged as the winner over restaurateur and former State Representative Cheri Helt.

For over a week following election day, several close races delayed the results. At the time of this writing, the Democrats are expected to hold on to the majority in both the House and Senate, but it appears likely the super majority is no longer a factor.

Statewide:

• Governor: Tina Kotek (D)

• BOLI: Christina Stephenson

• US Senate: Ron Wyden (D)

• CD 1: Suzanne Bonamici (D)

• CD 2: Cliff entz (R)

• CD 3: Earl Blumenauer (D)

• CD 4: Val Hoyle (D)

• CD5: Lori Chavez-Deremer (R)

• CD6: Andrea Salinas (D)

Measures:

• M111 (Health Care as Right): Yes

• M112 (Slavery Language in Constitution): Yes

• M113 (Legislative Absences): Yes

• M114 (Gun Sales): Yes

State Senate:

SD 01 - Dallas Heard Republican

SD 02 - Art Robinson Republican

SD 03 - Jeff Golden

Democrat

SD 04 - Floyd Prozanski Democrat

SD 05 - Dick Anderson

SD 06 - Cedric R Hayden

Republican

Republican

SD 07 - James I Manning Jr Democrat

SD 08 - Sara Gelser Blouin

Democrat

SD 09 - Fred Girod Republican

SD 10 - Deb Patterson Democrat

SD 11 - Kim Thatcher

Republican

SD 12 - Brian Boquist Independent

SD 13 - Aaron Woods

Democrat

SD 14 - Kate Lieber Democrat

SD 15 - Janeen Sollman Democrat

SD 16 - Suzanne Weber

Republican

SD 17 - Elizabeth Steiner Hayward Democrat

SD 18 - Wlnsvey E Campos Democrat

SD 19 - Rob Wagner

Democrat

SD 20 - Mark Meek Democrat

SD 20 - Mark Meek

Democrat

SD 21 - Kathleen Taylor Democrat

SD 22 - Lew Frederick Democrat

SD 23 - Michael Dembrow

Democrat

SD 24 - Kayse Jama Democrat

SD 25 - Chris Gorsek

SD 26 - Daniel G Bonham

Republican

SD 27 - Tim Knopp Republican

SD 28 - Dennis Linthicum

Republican

SD 29 - Bill Hansell Republican

SD 30 - Lynn Findley Republican

State House:

HD 01 - David Brock Smith

Republican

HD 02 - Virgle J Osborne Republican

HD 03 - Lily Morgan Republican

HD 04 - Christine Goodwin

Republican

HD 05 - Pam Marsh Democrat

HD 06 - Kim Wallan

HD 07 - John Lively

Republican

Democrat

HD 08 - Paul R Holvey Democrat

HD 09 - Boomer Wright

Republican

HD 10 - David Gomberg Democrat

HD 11 - Jami Cate Republican

HD 12 - Charlie Conrad

Republican

HD 13 - Nancy Nathanson Democrat

HD 14 - Julie Fahey Democrat

HD 15 - Shelly Boshart Davis

Republican

HD 16 - Dan Rayfiel Democrat

HD 17 - Ed Diehl

Republican

HD 18 - Rick Lewis Republican

HD 19 - Tom Andersen Democrat

HD 20 - Paul Evans

Democrat

HD 21 - Kevin L Mannix Republican

HD 22 - Tracy M Cramer Republican

HD 23 - Anna M Scharf

Republican

HD 24 - Lucetta A Elmer Republican

HD 25 - Ben Bowman

Democrat

HD 26 - Courtney Neron Democrat

HD 27 - Ken Helm Democrat

HD 28 - Dacia Grayber

Democrat

HD 29 - Susan McLain Democrat

HD 30 - Nathan Sosa

HD 31 - Brian G Stout

Democrat

Republican

HD 32 - Cyrus B Javadi Republican

HD 33 - Maxine E Dexter

Democrat

HD 34 - Lisa Reynolds Democrat

HD 35 - Farrah Chaichi Democrat

HD 36 - Hai Pham

Democrat

HD 37 - Jules Walters Democrat

HD 38 - Daniel Nguyen

Democrat

HD 39 - Janelle S Bynum Democrat

HD 40 - Annessa Hartman Democrat

HD 41 - Mark F Gamba

Democrat

HD 42 - Rob Nosse Democrat

HD 43 - Tawna Sanchez Democrat

HD 44 - Travis Nelson

Democrat

HD 45 - Thuy Tran Democrat

HD 46 - Khanh Pham

Democrat

HD 47 - Andrea Valderrama Democrat

HD 48 - Hoa H Nguyen Democrat

HD 49 - Zach Hudson

Democrat

HD 50 - Ricki Ruiz Democrat

HD 51 - James Hieb

HD 52 - Jeff Helfrich

Republican

Republican

HD 53 - Emerson Levy Democrat

HD 54 - Jason Kropf

Democrat

HD 55 - E Werner Reschke Republican

HD 56 - Emily G McIntire Republican

HD 57 - Greg Smith

Republican

HD 58 - Bobby Levy Republican

HD 59 - Vikki Breese-Iverson

Republican

HD 60 - Mark Owens Republican

2023 Legislative Agenda

ORLA’s Government Affairs team will be focused this legislatie session on several priority issues for the association including: the 70/30 lodging tax split, scheduling law, intellectual property protections, and health inspections. Other issues of importance include the Franchise Bill, third party delivery fees, data privacy, and wage and hour legislation.

Defend the 70/30 lodging tax split:

Background: Legislation passed in 2003 guaranteed that local lodging taxes would be split with 70 percent of the dollars being spent on tourism promotion or marketing and tourism-related facilities and 30 percent would be unrestricted for the taxing municipality to use as they saw fit. The is a bill drafted for this legislative session amending the 70/30 split to a 50/50 split with 50 percent of local taxes being unrestricted for the taxing municipality to use as they see fit and 50 pecent going to tourism promotion or marketing and tourism-related facilities. The League of regon Cities is supportive of the bill.

ORLA’s position: The legislation passed in 2003 was pat of a bargain between the lodging industry and government including the 70/30 split. ORLA opposes any change to the agreement, especially the 70/30 split.

Change or repeal scheduling law:

Background: Oregon passed a statewide scheduling law in 2017, the first of its kind in the county. The law is intended to povide stability in scheduling for employees and applies to employers with more than 500 employees worldwide. Employers must give workers at least 14 days’ notice of their schedule, provide at least 10 hours of rest between shifts and give a “good faith estimate” of hours worked to new hires on or before their first da. The pandemic, along with unprecedented staffing shtages, has shown the scheduling law to have flaws needing corection. During the pandemic, the scheduling law was unofficially on hold without serious negate consequences. ORLA’s position: ORLA will advocate for an exemption for hospitality businesses or a possible repeal of the law entirely.

Enact pass/fail health inspections:

Background: Oregon currently uses a system of 1-100 for health inspections for restaurants and hotels. A passing grade is anything above 70, but the number system places the county health inspectors in the position of essentially “marketing” restaurants based on the grade. For example, a restaurant with a score of 82 is passing and so is a restaurant with a score of 91. With health inspection scores available online, consumers may choose the restaurant with a 91 even though both has passing scores. Other jurisdictions around the country use pass/fail or color coded “grades” in place of numeric scores.

ORLA’s position: ORLA supports a Pass/Fail grading system for health inspections in restaurants and hotels.

Support intellectual property protections for restaurants:

Background: The regon Legislature passed a bill (HB 3361) in 2020 protecting restaurants from third party delivery companies using their menu, logo, or pricing information without prior written consent. It’s unclear what the enforcement mechanism is for this bill.

ORLA’s position: ORLA supports clarifying the reporting and

ORLA’s position: ORLA supports updating the standards for ASE training and vendors.

Franchise Bill:

Background: A franchise bill has been introduced twice in recent sessions, redefining the elationship between franchisees and franchisors. Both times, the bill died in committee due to lack of support. It’s expected another franchise bill will be introduced this session but whether any substantial changes will have been made to the proposed legislation remains to be seen. ORLA has opposed the franchise bill in the past.

ORLA’s position: Without seeing the actual text of the proposed legislation, ORLA does not currently have a position but has opposed the bill in the past.

Third-party delivery fees :

Background: In 2020, the Oregon Legislature passed a temporary cap on third-party delivery fees. That cap expied 60 days after Governor Brown’s state of emergency ended (April 1, 2022; May 31, 2022). Portland already has a cap in place (10 percent) that is being extended temporarily until February 2023 but is likely to be

Data Privacy:

Background: Several states have recently passed data privacy laws intended to protect consumers’ data and hold companies liable for leaks and hacks. Oregon is considering a bill this session after numerous conversations and meetings of a workgroup intended to work out the details of the bill. The final draft of the bill has no been written.

ORLA’s position: Without seeing the actual text of the proposed legislation, ORLA does not currently have a position.

Wage and Hour Legislation:

Background: Almost every legislative session, bills are proposed and/or passed dealing with wages, working conditions or worker hours. Often, ORLA works with other business lobbyists to help amend or change the proposed legislation from its original form in order to make it easier for businesses to comply.

ORLA’s position: ORLA will review and report on any proposed legislation dealing with wages, working conditions or hours.

Thee are several ways you can take action and get involved in our advocacy effots. From contacting your legislator to testifying, participating in policy meetings to being a Hospitality Advocate, your engagement is important and necessary. If you are interested in joining the ORLA Government Affairs Committee, please email me at Astley@OregonRLA.org.  GREG ASTLEY, ORLA

REGIONAL MEETINGS

Join your peers at an upcoming Regional Meeting to engage in discussions with newly elected officials on issues impacting your business. Below are some of the meetings for January.

JANUARY

• Bend - January 5, 2023

• Eastern Oregon (virtual) - January 11, 2023

• McMinnville - January 12, 2023

• Cannon Beach / North Coast - January 16, 2023

• Hood River - January 19, 2023

• Salem - January 23, 2023

• Oregon City - January 25, 2023

Visit OregonRLA.org/meet for more information.

4:30 pm – Taste Oregon Legislative Reception: Enjoy food and beverage provided by ORLA members at the hosted Taste Oregon reception for attendees and Oregon Legislators. Times and events subject to change.

Sponsorships

ERC expertise delivered by Adesso Capital

ERC expertise delivered by Adesso Capital

ERC expertise delivered by Adesso Capital

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association has engaged Adesso Capital to offer ERC filing services to our members. Adesso Capital provides concierge financial services to small and mid-sized businesses.

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association has engaged Adesso Capital to offer ERC filing services to our members. Adesso Capital provides concierge financial services to small and mid-sized businesses.

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association has engaged Adesso Capital to offer ERC filing services to our members. Adesso Capital provides concierge financial services to small and mid-sized businesses.

When the pandemic drove business in every industry into a downturn, Adesso assembled a team of tax experts to help entrepreneurs maximize the federal COVID relief available to them. Adesso Capital has helped hundreds of businesses secure tens of millions in ERC funds–with an average of $125,000 per ERC filing.

When the pandemic drove business in every industry into a downturn, Adesso assembled a team of tax experts to help entrepreneurs maximize the federal COVID relief available to them. Adesso Capital has helped hundreds of businesses secure tens of millions in ERC funds–with an average of $125,000 per ERC filing.

When the pandemic drove business in every industry into a downturn, Adesso assembled a team of tax experts to help entrepreneurs maximize the federal COVID relief available to them. Adesso Capital has helped hundreds of businesses secure tens of millions in ERC funds–with an average of $125,000 per ERC filing.

TENS OF MILLIONS

TENS OF MILLIONS

in ERC funds secured

TENS OF MILLIONS

in ERC funds secured

in ERC funds secured

HUNDREDS of businesses helped

Average amount of ERC funds secured per filing: $125,000

Average amount of ERC funds secured per filing: $125,000 HUNDREDS of businesses helped

Average amount of ERC funds secured per filing:

$125,000 HUNDREDS of businesses helped

We urge you to take advantage of this program that will deliver a timely cash infusion to your business.

We urge you to take advantage of this program that will deliver a timely cash infusion to your business.

AdessoCapital.com/ORLA

We urge you to take advantage of this program that will deliver a timely cash infusion to your business.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PFMLI

Considerations for Oregon Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance

The state has developed a new program allowing workers in Oregon to take paid time off to handle eents impacting their families, health, and safety. The follwing is a quick look at Paid Leave Oregon (PLO) and what it means for you.

Oregon’s pre-Covid legislation on Paid Leave in the state is fully implemented for all Oregon employers as of January 1, 2023. It is important that ORLA members have their plan in place for adhering to the state law. It also makes sense to communicate with your team members on staff in adance of January when payroll taxes start being deducted from paychecks to start building up the state fund that will be utilized to payout benefits stating in September.

ORLA developed a handy one-page summary on Paid Leave in Oregon available at Oregonrla.org.

Industry members should be aware there are options to Paid Leave Oregon and the subsequent January payroll tax deductions.

ORLA has a long-standing partnership with Garth T. Rouse & Associates. The company is set up to help ORA members navigate private plan options to comply with Paid Leave Oregon law while staying out of the state-run program. As a reminder, employers interested in an equivalent plan had to submit a declaration of intent or equivalent plan application by November 30, 2022, to be exempt from state plan contributions beginning January 1, 2023.

As an employer, it makes sense to weigh options in 2023 and consider private equivalent plans. The big diffence is employees wouldn’t be seeing payroll tax deductions on their paychecks until September if employers opt for a private plan and get it approved

POLISH LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND CONTRIBUTE TO OREGON'S LASTING SUCCESS

YEAR-LONG PROGRAM

The Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy is designed for Oregon’s hospitality industry professionals with executive potential. Recruits will go beyond the walls of their businesses to gain in-depth experiences and knowledge that will elevate their passion and excitement for our state’s extraordinary offerings.

The program consists of four excursions to be completed in the year, with each excursion scheduled over three days.

BENEFITS OF OTLA PARTICIPATION:

The continued development of leadership skills, including creative team problemsolving, listening and communication skills, emotional intelligence and the development of deeper self-awareness.

Lifelong relationships and networking pathways through connection with participants, mentors and presenters.

Connections with state and national resources and networks through experiential learning in a variety of Oregon contexts.

Participants who complete the courses and meet the standards set will be certified

This certifiction assures industry and consumers that the assessed individual has met or exceeded the standards set by the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA), Travel Oregon, Oregon Destination Association and a network of specialized facilitators.

LEARN MORE ABOUT APPLYING

Visit OregonRLA.org/OTLA and be sure to visit the "Before You Apply" section for FAQs and criteria.

by the state. With workforce shortage issues continuing in the hospitality industry, employers may be at a disadvantage with a wage deduction coming out of employee’s paychecks when others in the industry are setting up private plans and avoiding the issue for another nine months.

Thee’s also no guarantee the one percent payroll tax being paid in to build up the state fund will be enough money to handle all the requested payouts from claimants starting in September 2023. If that proves true, the payroll tax may have to increase in 2024 and beyond depending on how many Oregonians are pulling from the Paid Leave Fund for benefits. mployers can always start with the state fund in 2023 and make a plan to look at alternatives next year (the wait and see approach) or it might make sense to look at a private plan now and watch it closely outside the system and avoid those nine months of payroll taxes.

Whatever your trajectory, there will be some important decisions to make. Please utilize Garth Rouse and the expertise of his professional staff if they can be of assistance on aid Leave Oregon and available private plan alternatives. Garth and his team can be reached at 800.982.2012.

Finally, there have been additional questions around PFMLI, one of which has to do with counting seasonal employees. Here’s what we learned from the Oregon Employment Department: Currently, administrative rule (OAR 471-070-3160), determines employer size by using an employer’s Oregon quarterly payroll report to count employees to determine the employer size, including full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary employees, as well as out-of-state workers. The emplyer would add the quarterly count for each of the last four quarterly reports and divide by four to determine if they are a large or small employer (less than 25 employees). However, the Paid Leave Oregon program is currently reevaluating how employer size is determined with the Advisory Committee so the calculation may change in the future.

As always, ORLA’s Regional Representatives are here for you should you have questions or are looking for more information on any number of issues impacting Oregon hospitality businesses. Visit OregonRL A.org/staff to contact us.  ORLA

The uture of Hospitality Depends On Your Help

We are Dedicated to Changing Lives and Uplifting Communities.

The Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) empowers people from all backgrounds with the training and education they need to secure a better future. We do this through vast opportunities offeed in the restaurant, food service, and hospitality industries. OHF supports this industry with a mission to meet the workforce, educational, training, and philanthropic needs of Oregon’s restaurant and lodging industry. Without help from industry members like you, we won’t be able to overcome the challenges that are being faced.

Get involved and make a diffeence in our future workforce. Thee are many ways that your participation could make a diffeence in our youth’s future careers, including direct involvement with Oregon’s ProStart® program. ProStart is a nationwide career technical education (CTE) two-year program supported by the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. It involves approximately 4,000 Oregon high school students from 40 schools around the state who learn from an industry-derived, competency-based curriculum that teaches culinary techniques and restaurant management skills, coupled with real-life restaurant sector experiences.

The oppotunities are endless when it comes to molding youth into future workforce hires, but we need your help. Consider participating in one or more of these opportunities: mentor a class, coach a team, be a guest speaker, invite students to your location for a special industry field tri, sponsor a classroom, sponsor a team, sponsor an educator, directly hire students/ graduates, donate to the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, Share Your Story on our website, or start a scholarship to support the future. While contributions help fund and sustain our programs, we also need volunteers to engage in the program. You can support our effots by donating to the Foundation (cash or inkind) or volunteering your time and expertise. Please save March 13, 2023, for the Oregon ProStart Championships and contact me at CSmith@OregonRLA.org to find out hw you can get involved.

ProStart Championships. High school ProStart teams from across Oregon gather to compete in two distinct events: the Culinary Competition and the Management Competition. We need lots of industry volunteers on hand.

Donate to ProStart and support opportunities that connect future employees with leaders of our industry. Your support of the ProStart program benefits a egional network of students and instructors, chef mentors, and volunteers. Your donation to ProStart may benefit ou through the following:

• Industr y-wide acknowledgment of your support of ProStart

• Media exposure at ProStart competitions and events

• Recognition in printed collateral and marketing materials

• Enhanced awareness of your business’s commitment to education

• Access to a well-trained and motivated student workforce

Become a Partner and find geat employees with local ProStart students. ProStart is an excellent career starter for high school students, an exciting teaching opportunity for educators, a chance to share practical knowledge with mentors, and a smart investment in the future of Oregon's hospitality industry. ProStart students have essential front and back-of-house skills:

• Customer ser vice and communication

• Food storage, safety, and sanitation practices

• Knife skills, preparation, and cooking methods

• Cost and inventor y control

Volunteer as a Judge and join industry peers, chefs, and partners to judge the competitions at the Oregon Hospitality Foundation

Become a ProStart Mentor and embrace many roles, from teacher to role model. Mentors provide overall support for ProStart students and help students make a real-world connection to their goals and the future. Support from local hospitality leaders results in educated, motivated, and professional hospitality industry employees. By mentoring, you will:

• Create a high-quality labor pool for the hospitality industry

• Learn by teaching

• Groom potential employees

• Gain fresh perspectives and ideas

• Improve self-confidence and focus on students' lies

Share Your Story with ORLA and the Oregon Hospitality Foundation via a new tool to record your authentic hospitality story in 90 seconds or less; find the link o the ORLA website under the Foundation tab. As we try to collectively tackle our workforce development issues across all regions of Oregon, your story in your voice matters most to our elected leaders and other partners throughout the state, and we want to share it. This combined efft will influence and inspie our youth, which will make a diffeence in the long run for the industry’s future.

Now, more than ever, we are calling out to you with the need for help to make a change and overcome the struggles our industry is facing. Please support us financially or donate our time to the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. Schools in Oregon are still feeling the effects of Cvid-19 with teacher and budget shortfalls. Your generosity, time, and talents will be more of a benefit than anone could ever imagine. As you saw above, there are many ways to be involved in supporting ProStart and the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. The time is nw to support the future of our industry. For more information, email me at the Oregon Hospitality Foundation at CSmith@OregonRLA.org or call 971.224.1505.  COURTNEY SMITH,

COORDINATOR

It’s no secret that hospitality companies are struggling to find employees right now. The reasons can be deeply personal: the desire for early retirement, the need for more stable employment to counter rising housing and food costs, the proliferation of work-from-home opportunities that cropped up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But there are bigger forces at work as well. Many young people view the hospitality industry as a summertime or school-year job, not a place to build a career. Few guidance counselors and others in a position to influence their choices encourage them to think otherwise.

and also runs a server training program called WaitersWorld. “I think the public at large has only looked at waiting tables as, for lack of a better term, servant work. We’re stigmatized.”

In the media and at government institutions, there is little acknowledgment of the critical role that hospitality plays in the workforce, both as a provider of workplace training and a source of permanent careers. “Over 50 percent of working adults today started working in a restaurant,” said Paz. “We’ve essentially become the industry to train people in soft skills,” the majority of which are highly transferable to other industries.

“Part of the struggle is that hospitality is not seen as a ‘real’ job,” said Paul Paz, who enjoyed a 42-year career as a waiter

Oregon’s workforce boards (which help connect employers and employees and provide training and other resources) are just now starting to recognize the positive impacts the industry

Kensey Harlow and John Lowry of Bandon Dunes presenting at Winter Lakes High School, Coquille

PHOTO COURTESY OF MISTY SNIVELY, WINTER LAKE HIGH SCHOOL

Industry in the Classroom

Attracting the Next Generation into the Workforce

makes and acknowledge hospitality as the primary driver of the state’s economy. “Even though the employment division, when you look at how they present our industry, all they list are the basic entry-level jobs,” said Paz. “They don’t talk about the broad spectrum of hospitality employment and careers or that there is so much more available to the workforce, and that there’s so much more you can do.”

Workforce professionals don’t focus on the significant opportunities for advancement that hospitality provides or the fact that you don’t necessarily need a college degree to secure them. There’s also little discussion of restaurants and hotels as a significant training ground for people who want to own their own businesses someday.

ORLA and the Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) are helping members overcome their workforce woes through a series of initiatives designed to introduce the many benefits of woking in hospitality to up-and-coming generations. But to see the highest rate of success, the organization needs members to help spread the word about why a career in hospitality can be a great way to support a family, meet financial goals and build a satisfying caeer.

Lupe Arellano and Courtney Smith with OHF are leading the charge to connect owners and operators with students and workforce boards. Arellano’s work includes coordinating with high schools and colleges to line up day-long job shadows, which allow individual students to really learn the ins and outs of a single person’s job, and field trips, where groups of students can get a broad overview of the available careers.

Through this work, Arellano has discovered that the need for meaningful internships is on the rise. (Many students now need to complete work-based experiences in order to graduate.) He plans to do more to liaise between business owners and internship coordinators. He’s also found ways to tailor these experiences so they work for different communities. “What’s needed in Portland is different than what’s needed on the coast,” he said. “The experience you can get at McMenamins is different from that at a small mom and pop café.”

Smith is working to increase participation in ProStart and Hospitality Tourism Management, two career technical education (CTE) programs that expose students to jobs in hospitality. Young people are more likely to participate in these programs if they can see a clear career path, and that’s where ORLA members come in. Giving a talk at a local school brings to life an otherwise dry discussion about careers and helps students picture themselves in certain roles. Smith outlines a multitude of opportunities for industry members to get involved in the Foundation’s editorial on page 19.

Rory Butts, executive chef at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, plans to speak with students in the culinary arts program at North Bend High School. Kensey Harlow, a current greenskeeper, has

spoken to students at Winter Lakes High School in Coquille. So has employee John Gunther, a Winter Lakes graduate. “We want to make sure we are tapping into our local talent pool as much as possible, this means getting into the local schools and talking with students about all of our different career opportunities,” said Talent Operations Manager Wendy Dodd. “Many people underestimate the opportunities available in the hospitality industry, and this program gives us a great opportunity to correct that misperception.”

One of the things speakers often try to emphasize is that a career in hospitality can be a great springboard to other things. In her talk, Harlow shared that she had worked in three different positions at the resort as a way to gain work experience, save money and determine what she wanted to study before she went to college.

Dodd sees a clear benefit to doing these talks because it brings young people into the fold at Bandon Dunes. “Students graduating from ProStart programs have an energy for the industry that can be infectious on staff and managers,” she said. “Hospitality is hard work, and sprinkling in fresh perspectives can be a morale boost to your current staff.”

Kensey Harlow and John Lowry of Bandon Dunes presenting at Winter Lakes High School, Coquille

PHOTO COURTESY OF WINTER LAKE HIGH SCHOOL

University students may not be focused on jobs in hospitality, but that can change when they hear stories about people who started as a dishwasher and now own multiple restaurants, or who took a job as a front desk clerk and now manage multiple hotels. Colby Phillips, who owns BeerGarden and PublicHouse in the Eugene/Springfield aea and is also the co-founder of an app-based software company called Porter, connected with students in a management class at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business to share his story of working in hospitality.

The conversations took place on Zoom, which allowed the large class to be broken into smaller groups of students. Phillips shared a few bits of wisdom, such as that management in a restaurant involves not just relationships with staff, but also with suppliers, government officials and many others. After that, the students asked questions–many around his management style and how he developed it. They were curious about the most difficult conversations he had with staff and what he looked for in managers.

Phillips said he wished similar opportunities for networking and reallife learning existed when he was in school. “I got a degree in science, and I thought my career was going to be a completely diffeent path. I would have loved some sort of class where I had this interaction with business owners or managers or people outside of school.”

While it would be nice if the presentation helped recruit new employees, Phillips said that wasn’t his motivation for speaking to the class. “I think it’s important to give back and help these young people have an idea of what’s out there — and also some lessons they can utilize so they don’t have to learn the hard way,” he said.

tableside engagement. Today, he has his own consulting firm an feeds his service heart by working in food and nutrition at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center, an acute care hospital in Tualatin.

“I look at myself and my children as examples of where you can go with a career in hospitality,” he said. While he still sees himself as a professional waiter, he’s held executive positions in large companies and started his own business. He’s met people whose career as a waiter allowed them to travel the world full time. His three children have also worked in the hospitality industry (two as restaurant front-of-house with 30+ and 20+ years each, and one in the winery business). Hospitality became a family affair. These are opportunities young people may not visualize until “someone from the industry shows up at work or school and gives them a face.”

When he was still working in restaurants, Paz would invite students to come to the restaurant and ask for his station. “I’d serve them, and if I made a connection with them, I’d encourage them to apply.” Even if they don’t come to work there, they spent money there and could even become regular customers thanks to the personal connection.

When Paz speaks to students, he likes to recount his journey through hospitality. He began as a server at TGI Friday’s and went on to work for numerous other restaurants. He also became a corporate trainer, teaching others how to wait tables and increase

Paul Paz and Zach Poole, Pig N Pancake and Board member of Oregon Employment WorkSource visit Chef-Instructor Chelsea Archibald and her second year CTE Culinary students at Seaside High.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL PAZ

Members who are interested in connecting with local schools should know they typically don’t need to make a formal presentation. As these examples illustrate, the thing that often sticks with students the most is a person’s story about their career journey and how they got to where they are today. “I encourage people to be candid and share the hardships of being in the industry,” Arellano said, as well as what they love about their job.

Beyond schools, Arellano is working closely with workforce boards to change their perception of careers in hospitality. He encourages owners and operators to get in front of these institutions to tell their stories. If more leaders at restaurants and hotels joined these boards or spoke to them, and regularly reminded them that hospitality companies are the secondlargest employer in state, more would invest in job training and development that would really benefit the industry. There are programs that provide training funds for high school students looking to gain work experience. However, unless an industry is recognized as a focus area, it’s hard to direct dollars to those industries, even if students want to use them for that purpose.

People without the time or comfort level to speak in front of a live audience are encouraged to participate in ORLA’s new “Share Your Story” video tool, which is capturing the professional journeys of industry employees to share with state agencies, workforce boards, educators, students and their parents. More information about how to record a 90-second video is available online at OregonRLA.org/shareyourstory

Arellano is also keeping members apprised of career fairs in communities and at schools. A job fair won’t always result in direct hires. However, the visibility a company gets can lead people back to them down the road. “If you need a job, you’re not going to go to your employer and ask random questions,” Arellano pointed out. “At a job fair, a person can ask any question and have a casual conversation with employers.”

Arellano’s mission is to make a diffeence in the hiring crisis by empowering community leaders to bring the next generation in. “We’re rallying behind them,” he said. “Workforce issues are huge, and there are many layers and facets. ORLA is putting its money where its mouth is and moving the needle on these issues.”

Just as restaurant and hotel owners and operators hope to change people’s minds about hospitality, they need to rethink their own recruitment strategies. “Pre-pandemic, we had an abundance of workers in the labor pool,” Paz said. “We as an industry took it for granted. Because we had so many people willing to work for us, our recruitment and training was very much a revolving door. We never made a personal connection to our workforce. Now, we have to make a bigger effort to sell and rebrand ourselves. The best way to do that is to go into the community where we live and serve and present ourselves in person to tell our story.” 

SOPHIA BENNETT

Salem Career Technical Education Center Culinary Arts ProStart Program Industry Night. From left: Soraida Cross, VIPs Industries; Courtney Smith, OHF; Chef Austin, CTEC Salem; Guadalupe Arellano, OHF PHOTO COURTESY OF OREGON HOSPITALITY FOUNDATION

• What was your first hospitality job / how did you get your tart in this industry?

• What is one key life lesson you've learned from working in this industry?

• What motivated you to get into the work you do?

• What's the most rewarding part of your work?

• What big challenges has your business faced in the past two years?

• How does this industry contribute to the welfare of your community?

ORLA and the Oregon Hospitality Foundation have a new tool for you to record your hospitality story and it takes just a minute from your computer or your phone to share your authentic story in 90 seconds or less.

ORLA will share these stories with lawmakers and influencers in Oegon. Remember, every voice matters! OregonRLA.org/ShareYourStory

OregonRLA.org/ShareYourStory

THE GREAT RETENTION

How Training is a Key to Success

When we see a mass exodus from the food industry, it is vital to analyze the causing factors. Employee retention is on everyone’s minds lately – mainly, how do we improve it? How do some business owners get staff t stick around for years? Is there a secret that someone isn’t telling you? Don’t fret, there are many solutions for these issues. At the forefront is employee training programs, which set your team up for success. Setting your staff up for success means inesting in them, educating them, empowering them, and including them in your company culture.

Training and educational programs instill knowledge and confidence into our employees. The first step forou, as the business owner, is to assess the goals and purpose of your business

within your community. Ask yourself what you want to see from your staff and hw they can help you achieve these goals. This will ceate a picture of your company culture and, in turn, encourage your employees to show up every day.

Your next step is to create clear and concise job descriptions for your employees. Assign each role responsibilities and necessary skill sets. This alleviates confusion amongst our staff, empwers them to execute their responsibilities, and creates a system of accountability. Thus, people ae more confident in their oles.

Once everyone is knowledgeable in their job descriptions, it’s time for the fun to begin: training. Each training program is diffeent. It’s best to assess your staffs specific needs and go fom

there. The most common method e see in our industry is on-the-job. While this is a fantastic way to enlighten your team, there are other approaches that prove beneficial as ell. Based on your employee demographic and their various experience levels, you can try diffeent methods to train your staff such as auditoy, visual, and kinesthetic approaches depending on how they learn. You can ask a senior staff member to demonstrate a paticular task; the trainee watches and then replicates the actions. Step-by-step instructions are also beneficial. sing an instruction manual for each task such as menu execution, setting up your workstation, or setting a table will also provide consistency, and the staff can eference it during the training process. Lastly, the role-playing approach also proves useful, where the new employee is walked through what might happen in a real-life situation and how to handle it. If your staff members ae still struggling, retraining is always an option.

Being patient is key throughout this process; everyone learns diffeently at diffeent speeds. It is important to stay consistent in your training. In fact, quarterly training sessions are incredibly useful for keeping your employees motivated and refreshed.

Once you’ve completed the training, it is important to also invest in your staff. ncourage them to seek continued education by attending the local food expo, or entering a recipe contest, and create incentives for doing so. Afterall, their hard work and recognition will reflec on your business as well. Workers want to findjoy in what they do and immersing themselves in the vast culture of food and beverage on a daily basis can incite creativity and productivity in the workplace.

In the end, your staff will gow alongside your company. Once the basics are mastered, we can introduce them to things like upselling by focusing on increasing customer service skills. Your staff will be mentally stimulated an excited by the prospect of making more money through doing something that brings them satisfaction. Thi creates a mutually beneficial elationship between you and your employees. When the company culture is informed, confident, and inclusie, we see performance increase across the board, which directly leads to an upswing in customer satisfaction. This is hw we turn The reat Resignation into The reat Retention.  KATE RATLEDGE,

BLIND

FAITH OR 100% PEACE OF MIND?

Get HIP, Fournier Group’s Hospitality Insurance Program!

ORLA members receive a free audit of their insurance and risk management programs. As a result of the process, members can be assured they are properly protected and save an average of 10-15%. To learn about how HIP can help your business, contact Jacob Pierron at 503.820.3471 or gethip@fourniergroup.com.

MANAGING RISK:

Social Media Continues to Vex the Modern Workplace

The majority of employees in the workplace use some form of social media. Even though social media use frequently occurs when employees are off the clock and is priate in nature, it can result in a myriad of tricky issues for unsuspecting employers. Consider the following scenarios:

• A female employee complains that she makes less than her male colleagues in a Facebook post

• An employee subscribes to a co-worker’s provocative Only Fans page and shows the page to all of his male co-workers

• An employee calls in sick, but posts a Facebook video from the beach later the same day

Each of these scenarios warrant a diffeent course of action. The employee post about equal pay is protected and should not result in discipline—even if the post is factually incorrect and places

the Company in a bad light. An employee who shows another employee’s Only Fans page to his co-workers may be creating a hostile environment at work—that conduct may trigger an investigation and discipline. Finally, an employee’s sick time may be protected by law even if it appears that an employee has been dishonest. In that case, the employer should resist calling the employee out on Facebook and should instead ask for medical verification based on suspected abuse of sick leae.

When confronted with an employee’s unbecoming social media activity, employers should keep the following general principles in mind when deciding how to respond.

Social Media Posts Concerning Wages, Hours, and Working Conditions May be Protected State or Federal Law

Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act protects nonsupervisory employees who use social media to engage in protected,

concerted activity. Posts about wages, hours, or other working conditions may be protected if the post relates to a group concern or involves other employees (through comments or “likes”). Other laws may also apply. For example, under Oregon law, employees have a right to make safety complaints, to make good faith reports about employer practices that may violate the law, and to discuss conduct that constitutes unlawful discrimination or harassment. Social media posts may be protected even if the post is factually incorrect.

Company Policies Apply to Social Media Activity on Personal Accounts

Social media activity that is not otherwise protected by law and violates company policies should not be ignored. This is especially true if an employee discloses confidential information or trade secrets, engages in conduct that places the employer in a bad light, or threatens or targets employees for unlawful harassment or discrimination. If the social media activity even “touches” the workplace or involves co-workers, company policies apply. In cases of harassment or discrimination, once the Company has notice of the potentially offensie social media activity, the Company must investigate and/or take steps to end the harassment regardless of the forum or how the Company learned of the activity.

Oregon Employers Cannot Access Employee Social Media Accounts

Employee social media accounts are private and the content belongs to the employee. Employers can always review the public portion of an employee’s account but cannot access the private portion of the account through the employee’s username or password or by shoulder surfing. urther, Oregon employers cannot require or even request that an employee establish or maintain a personal social media account and an employee is not required to add the employer as a “contact” on the page. Employers can ask employees to share social media content as part of a workplace investigation if content has been reported to the employer and necessary to make a factual determination about the matter.

Dealing with employee social media issues can be challenging. For that reason, we encourage all employers to implement a social media policy and to proceed with caution.  APRIL

FREDRICKSON, MILLER NASH LLP

April Fredrickson is a labor and employment law attorney with Miller Nash LLP. She advises Oregon and Washington employers on a broad range of workplace and employment issues. April can be reached at april.fredrickson@millernash.com or at 503.205.2536.

Join our Good News Movement.

Photo: Beth Nakamura / The Oregonian

IT’S YOUR BUSINESS:

Jumpstart Safety in the New Year

Whether you need topics for your safety committee meetings or you just want to step up your workplace safety game, SAIF has a year’s worth of focus points for you. What you’ll find belw is just the tip of the iceberg. Visit SAIF.com/safety for a library of resources, webinars, and eLearning.

January: Plan your year

The stat of a new year is a great time to take stock of your safety and health program. Is your safety committee engaged and effectie at eliminating hazards and helping employees stay safe? Is it organized and does it meet regularly to discuss relevant issues? Put a plan together for the entire year to make sure you don’t leave anything out.

February: Focus on workers’ mental health

Job stress can lead to poor health and even injury. Learn what causes job stress and what you can do about it. Recognize the signs of chronic stress and what impacts it can have on your employees and your business. It’s easy to make small, low-cost changes to support a psychologically healthy workplace and a healthy employee is less likely to be injured.

March: Prevent falls in Ladder Safety Month

Ladders are the “go-to” tool for any job that involves working from height — whether you’re changing a light bulb, retrieving items from a high shelf, or painting a building. Choosing the correct ladder for the job is just the beginning. Focus on reducing hazards and teach employees how to inspect, set up, use, transport, store, and maintain ladders.

April: Stay safe in the kitchen

Whether you employ a seasoned chef or a new employee in a commercial kitchen, talking about hazards and safety policies frequently helps employees recognize and avoid common injury sources. To learn more about safety in the restaurant and hospitality industry, visit SAIF.com/kitchensafety

May: Work comfortably and safely

Improving ergonomics in the office and wkstation areas doesn't have to be time consuming or expensive. Learn how to adjust office chairs, monitors, and keybods, plus get tips on proper posture and injury prevention with resources and tips found on SAIF.com/ergo.

June: Protect your workers from heat, dehydration

When the weather is too hot, workers can suffe. Gradual exposure to heat, creating a buddy system, drinking plenty of fluids, and taking fequent breaks can help prevent heat-related illness. Reduce exposure to the sun by encouraging proper clothing and sunscreen that blocks UV rays.

July: Prepare for wildfie smoke

Wildfies are getting bigger, lasting longer, and happening more often across the western United States. Hazardous smoke travels well beyond the fie lines, putting people and businesses at risk. Review the current rules and discuss with your staff so they ae prepared.

August: Use the right tool for the job: PPE

Protecting yourself or your workers shouldn’t be an afterthought. Personal protective equipment, including safety glasses and protective gloves, help minimize exposure to injuries and illness. Discuss, review, and train staff on all of the PE used in your business.

September: Are you ready for an emergency? Be prepared at work and at home

When it comes to emergency planning, there’s no time like the present to start. You'll never know when a disaster may strike, so make sure your business, home, and family are ready to handle what may come. Whether an earthquake, weather incident, workplace violence, or a security threat, create your plan now. Look for kit checklists, planning tools, and other resources at SAIF.com/prepare

October: Control the spread of infectious disease

Whether it's COVID-19, the common cold, or the flu infectious diseases are always a workplace concern. You can take steps to control infection and reduce the risk of employees getting ill. Discuss hand hygiene, regularly wiping down surfaces, and using proper PPE as part of your prevention plan.

November: Winter is coming, so plan now to reduce cold-weather injuries

Slips, trips, and falls spike during wintertime, due to icy and slippery conditions. You can prevent injuries by having a solid communication plan during inclement weather, creating a snow/ ice mitigation team, and training employees on proper footwear. Review your maintenance, lighting, and de-icing procedures for customer and employee access routes such as sidewalks, driveways, and parking areas.

December: 10 ways to reduce slips, trips, and falls

Slips, trips, and falls are a leading cause of accidental deaths, second only to motor vehicles. Here are a few ways you can prevent slips, trips, and falls at your workplace:

• Wear appropriate shoes

• Keep walkways clear and well-lit

• Clean up spills immediately

• Slow down

For more resources and training information, visit SAIF.com or email SafetyServices@saif.com.  SAIF CORPORATION

LODGING PERFORMANCE

Hotel Benchmark Data

The infomation contained in this report is provided by STR. For detailed lodging performance data for your area, contact STR at 615.824.8664 ext. 3504 or info@str.com. ORLA members can log in to access to monthly reports on OregonRLA.org in the Resource Library.

United States

67.2 62.8 155.63 135.30 104.59 84.94 7.1 15.0 23.1 24.0 0.7 7.8

Pacifi 70.0 63.9 194.04 168.21 135.83 107.49 9.5 15.4 26.4 27.5 0.9 10.5

Oregon 64.1 62.5 135.95 124.15 87.18 77.57 2.6 9.5 12.4 11.8 -0.5 2.1

Eastern+ 62.9 64.3 104.06 93.37 65.47 60.03 -2.1 11.4 9.1 10.4 1.2 -1.0

Central+ 65.5 66.7 142.84 134.21 93.53 89.57 -1.9 6.4 4.4 5.4 0.9 -1.0

Southern+ 65.4 74.0 115.33 112.98 75.48 83.62 -11.6 2.1 -9.7 -9.1 0.7 -10.9

Willamette Valley+ 64.8 67.7 138.95 127.23 90.08 86.15 -4.3 9.2 4.6 3.2 -1.3 -5.5

MT Hood/Gorge+ 64.2 65.9 135.36 125.07 86.85 82.40 -2.6 8.2 5.4 5.4 0.0 -2.6

Portland Metro+ 64.6 55.1 140.49 123.81 90.73 68.26 17.1 13.5 32.9 31.9 -0.7 16.3 Coast+ 61.9 62.5 145.73 137.07 90.21 85.61 -0.9 6.3 5.4 3.8 -1.5 -2.4

US 64.0 58.0 149.54 123.66 95.64 71.69 10.3 20.9 33.4 36.3 2.2 12.7 61561 36982 5567563 4227997

Pacifi 68.7 60.3 193.65 155.73 133.13 93.83 14.1 24.4 41.9 46.2 3.1 17.6 9176 4753 806044 621750

Oregon 64.7 61.9 140.39 124.48 90.86 76.99 4.6 12.8 18.0 19.7 1.5 6.2 1012 534 70185 51545

Eastern+ 64.2 61.0 106.63 94.70 68.42 57.79 5.1 12.6 18.4 18.6 0.2 5.4 97 48 5038 3139

Central+ 67.8 65.0 162.51 151.43 110.10 98.49 4.2 7.3 11.8 13.1 1.2 5.4 87 54 5969 4272

Southern+ 68.4 72.9 119.95 112.07 82.11 81.73 -6.1 7.0 0.5 -1.0 -1.4 -7.5 158 65 8457 5121

Valley+ 68.5 66.3 140.78 118.43 96.45 78.56 3.3 18.9 22.8 21.0 -1.5 1.8 155 92 10767 8011

MT/Gorge+ 67.0 65.5 139.48 125.50 93.39 82.17 2.3 11.1 13.7 13.7 0.0 2.3 35 24 2306 1935

Metro+ 61.2 52.8 137.28 114.56 84.07 60.54 15.9 19.8 38.9 46.3 5.4 22.1 243 187 26742 24532

Coast+ 65.2 67.6 162.10 152.07 105.73 102.80 -3.5 6.6 2.8 1.7 -1.1 -4.6 236 72 11233 5339

NEWS BRIEFS

Happenings From Around the Industry

Upcoming Deadline for OregonSaves

Future Leaders Receive $1 Million

in

Scholarships and Grants

The ational Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) is supporting the next generation of restaurant and foodservice industry talent with over $1 million in scholarships and individual grants awarded to 282 students from 44 states and territories pursuing post-secondary education at more than 124 colleges and universities. The 2022 scholarship ecipients represent the increasing diversity of the restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industry, with nearly 60 percent self-identifying as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) and two out of three self-identifying as female. Learn more about NRAEF scholarships at Chooserestaurants.org

OregonSaves is a retirement savings program administered by the State of Oregon that ensures all workers have an easy and convenient way to save for their future in the workplace. With OregonSaves, workers can seamlessly save money in a portable Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) through paycheck deductions. The pogram is simple to facilitate and comes at no cost to employers. Oregon State law requires businesses that do not offer a etirement savings plan to facilitate OregonSaves. Businesses with three or more employees must register by March 1, 2023, and all businesses must be registered by July 31, 2023. Employers are invited to attend a free, interactive webinar, available in English and Spanish, with an overview of the program and a step-by-step look at the registration process. Sign up for the webinar at Oregonsaves.com/events and register your business at Oregonsaves.com/register.

Want a Seat at the Table?  Join us at a Regional Meeting

ORLA members are encouraged to attend one of several regional meetings taking place across the state through January. Coming out of the 2022 election, we have a new Governor, a new Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner, and a record number of new faces in our State House and State Senate. We need to make sure our elected officials understand our indusy issues and can be partners with us in improving the climate for small businesses in Oregon. These meetings, hosted y ORLA and supported by Curtis Restaurant Equipment, are free for members to attend and meet with new legislators before they go to Salem in February for the 2023 Legislative Session. Visit OregonRLA.org/meet for more information and to RSVP.

New Law to Impact Lodging Properties in Oregon

In 2022, Oregon passed Senate Bill 1576 requiring mattress manufacturers to help establish a program aimed to increase mattress recycling, reduce illegal dumping, and establish new convenient locations in every county for end-of-life mattress dispensing. Th Mattress Stewardship Program approved by DEQ will be funded by an assessment collected at retail sales of mattresses and will be implemented in 2024. Lodging operators and other stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback on their current mattress recycling plans as well as potential needs and challenges in implementing the new mattress stewardship law. Visit Oregon.gov/deq/recycling/Pages/Mattress-recycling for more information.

WHAT YOUR PEERS ARE SAYING

Meet Some Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Members

Membership in ORLA means being part of the only organization in the state devoted to protecting and promoting the interests of our industry. It’s all of us together that makes that possible.

Get inspired by these peer profiles whee members share their thoughts on workforce recruitment and retention. And for a little seasonal fun, we also wanted to know their favorite winter sports to watch and if they will vacation or staycation this year.

Tell Your Peers a Little About You!

If you are a member, and are willing to be profiled hee, please email us at info@OregonRLA.org. Also, let us know if there is a question you would like to see your peers answer.

GET TO KNOW SOME OF YOUR PEERS BY READING THEIR RESPONSES TO THESE EMPLOYEE RELATED QUESTIONS:

What’s the most asked for employee benefit fom your current or potential employees?

Portland Spirit Cruises and Events, Portland

Title: President

Started the Company: 1992

Member Since: 2018

Fav winter sport: Football, I am a lifelong Buffalo ills fan and well versed in disappointment!

Vacation or staycation: Maui/New York

What's one thing your company does to attract Gen Z employees?

Gen Z is focused on making money and working less. Control of their own time is extremely important to them.

PERCY BRANDON

The Allison Inn & Spa, Newberg

Title: General Manager

Joined the Company: 2022

Member Since: 2022

Fav winter sport: Soccer – in particular, the World Cup

Vacation or staycation: Vacation – to the warm climate of the desert in So. California with family although we will also have a staycation and explore Oregon too.

What's one thing your company does to attract Gen Z employees?

We offer flexibili, training, opportunities for growth and promotion.

Most requested benefit

The health and ellness benefits that e offer hee.

LISA THOELE & JENNIFER LUNDSTROM

Porch Light Vacation Rentals, Newberg

Title: Managing members and co-founders

Started the Company: 2020

Member Since: 2022

Fav winter sport: Lisa - basketball; Jensoccer when available; American football Vacation or staycation: Lisa - vacation; Jen - staycation

Most requested benefit

The most asked for emplyee benefit can only be answered in theory, as we currently do not have employees. Schedule flexibility and the opportunity to work from home are two sought-after benefits in the wold at-large. Future roles at our company may be able to provide both of those.

What's one thing your company does to attract Gen Z employees?

DANIEL YATES

KIERRA PHIFER

DoorDash, Tacoma, WA

Title: Workforce Development & Business

Liaison

Joined the Company: 2022

Member Since: 2018

Fav winter sport: Figure Skating Vacation or staycation: Vacation

Most requested benefit

We've heard directly from our people that flexible wok options and clear career pathing are important to them.

HASINA WITTENBERG

Oregon Beverage Association, Tigard

Title: Executive Director

Joined the Company: 2022

Member Since: 2011

Fav winter sport: NFL Football Vacation or staycation: South African Safari

Most requested benefit

Flexible time off. s a small company it's important to value employees who are committed to the job by accommodating schedules when possible.

KEVIN FILIPELLO

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon

Title: Sr. Director of Hospitality

Joined the Company: 2022

Member Since: 2001

Fav winter sport: Cross-Country Ski Racing Vacation or staycation: Glacier National Park

What's one thing your company does to attract Gen Z employees?

Gen Z employees want to be part of something bigger than their job. We support many of the local communities through the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance - the grant making department of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. We utilize the proceeds of our 5th course Bandon Preserve to award grants that promote a region where healthy ecosystems drive the economy.

Most requested benefit

We are lucky here at Bandon where our owners have built affodable housing close to the resort that our full-time employees can rent.

YOUR NAME HERE

SUSAN LANGE

My Accounting Team, Portland/Eugene

Title: CEO

Started the Company: 2015

Member Since: 2018

Fav winter sport: Hockey and Skiing Vacation or staycation: The zores

Most requested benefit Flexibility. It is the most requested and most appreciated. Employees would give up other benefits for this. t is always imperative to have a good health/dental plan and PTO policy.

Tell your peers about yourself! Would you like to be profiled in the next issue of regon Restaurant & Lodging Association magazine?

Reach out to Lori Little at LLittle@OregonRLA.org

Not yet a member? By banding together we make Oregon's hospitality industry stronger. Visit OregonRLA.org/membership to see the many benefits of membership and join today

HOW CAN WE SERVE YOU?

Membership in ORLA means being a part of the only organization in the state devoted to protecting and promoting the interests of the entire hospitality industry. Contact us for questions; let us know what issues are affecting your business and how we can help. We have your back!

MEMBERSHIP CONTACTS:

STEVEN SCARDINA

Regional Representative 503.718.1495

SScardina@OregonRLA.org

TERRY HOPKINS

Regional Representative 541.441.2219

THopkins@OregonRLA.org

MARLA McCOLLY

Director of Business Development 503.428.8694

MMcColly@OregonRLA.org

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CONTACTS:

JASON BRANDT

President & CEO 503.302.5060

JBrandt@OregonRLA.org

GREG ASTLEY

Director of Government Affair 503.851.1330

Astley@OregonRLA.org

MAKENZIE MARINEAU

GA and Regional Leadership Teams Coordinator 541.404.0033

MMarineau@OregonRLA.org

GLENDA HAMSTREET

Executive Coordinator Government Affairs 971.224.1509

GHamstreet@OregonRLA.org

OREGON RESTAURANT & LODGING ASSOCIATION MAIN OFFICE: 503.682.4422 • info@OregonRLA.org

MEMBER SOLUTIONS

Save Time and Money with ORLA’s Cost-Saving Member Programs | OregonRLA.org

WORKERS’ COMP INSURANCE

ORLA’s group program with SAIF affords members an additional 10% premium discount if they meet the eligibility requirements.

COMPUTER EQUIPMENT AND IT SUPPORT

CREDIT CARD PROCESSING

ORLA Members get a discounted flat swiped rate of 2.3% + .0 a transaction, plus additional fees waived and tools to run your business more efficientl.

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS INSURANCE:HIP

ORLA Members receive a free audit of insurance and risk management programs and can save an average of 10-15%.

MUSIC LICENSING

ORLA Members can save 10% on first year annual fee

ORLA Members receive up to 30-40% off the everyday price on select Dell products. Members can also receive round-the-clock access to IT help with ProSupport, only from Dell. MUSIC LICENSING

NEW MEMBERS

ORLA Would Like To Welcome The Following New Members From August - October, 2022

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• Croutons, Bend

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• Dutch Brothers LLC, Roseburg

• ENSO Winery LLC, Portland

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• Hotels Magazine, Irvine, CA

• Inn at the 5th, Eugene

• JayBee's Chicken Palace, Portland

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• Old Barn Tavern, Grants Pass

• OYO Hotel & VI Lounge, St. Helens

• The edaler, Springfiel

• Peerless Restaurant & Bar, Ashland

• Porch Light Vacation Rentals, Newberg

• Red Lion Inn & Suites, Vancouver, WA

• Rogue Coffee oasters LLC, Grants Pass

• RoxyAnn Lanes, Medford

• Safe Surface Northwest LLC, Tualatin

• Shilo Inn Suites, Tillamook

• Titan Health & Security Technologies, Inc., Newport Beach, CA

• Total Kitchen Services LLC, Portland

• Village Bar & Grill, Sunriver

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