News Briefs

Happenings From Around the Industry

Future Leaders Receive $1 Million in Scholarships and Grants

The National 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 recipients 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.

Upcoming Deadline for OregonSaves

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 program is simple to facilitate and comes at no cost to employers. Oregon State law requires businesses that do not offer a retirement 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 industry issues and can be partners with us in improving the climate for small businesses in Oregon. These meetings, hosted by 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. The 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.