Unite #AmericasTable - Hospitality Relief

Will You UNITE With Us?

Over 15 Million hospitality professionals make the restaurant and bar industry possible and in the last two weeks, more than 50% of those workers have been laid off. While the ecosystem of hospitality is diverse the most unique, comforting, and creative spaces in our industry are small businesses that employ less than 200 employees. Many of these workers as tipped earners did not have health insurance or paid sick leave. The COVID-19 Pandemic has placed these businesses and their laborers in one of the most at-risk cohorts in terms of health and finances. The government has closed all in-venue dining at restaurants and bars to prevent contraction of the virus, but that has limited businesses to take-out/delivery only or completely shuttering for the time being. The restaurant business’ economic impact is in the trillions of dollars and has the fourth largest workforce in the nation. The economic impact to the foodservice industry would be greater than the damage of EIGHT industries combined (cinema, ridesharing, cruise lines, pro sports, public transit, airlines & hotels).

#AmericasTable is advocating for support from the government on a Federal, State, and Local level. Our first call to action is to make sure that small businesses and laborers are included in the upcoming Stimulus Bill. The below petition is based on Rep. Maxine Waters’ relief proposal* and the newly introduced democratic Stimulus Bill proposed by Rep. Nancy Pelosi. We have added hospitality industry-focused additions, which are italicized.
*To read the entire amended proposal please visit AmericasTable.org

Please sign and share our petition. Our goal is 3 million signatures. Let’s make our collective voice heard.

PROPOSALS TO HELP THE ECONOMY DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS

Protecting Consumers and Bolstering the Economy

1. At Least $1,500/month for All Adults and $1,500 for Each Child.
a. Direct financial assistance to hospitality workers not contingent on them returning to their former job roles or businesses
2. Suspend All Consumer and Small Business Credit Payments
a. Small Business Restaurant and Bar (inclusive of coffee-shops) owners should be given affordable repayment options that are extended to a minimum of a year in acknowledgment of the rehiring, training and reopening of their business. Many small restaurants and bars across the nation have laid-off their entire staff. They will need to rehire from the general population with a range of skillsets.
3. Suspend All Negative Consumer Credit Reporting During the Pandemic
a. This should be extended for 60 days after the gov’t announces the end of the COVID-19 crisis for laborers within the hospitality community if they can provide written proof to being laid off as it will take some business weeks and possibly months to reopen while some may never reopen limiting job opportunities.
4. Prohibit Debt collection, Repossession, and Garnishment of Wages During the Pandemic.
5. Provide $5 billion in Emergency Homeless Assistance.
6. Ban All Evictions, Foreclosures, and Repossessions--Including Manufactured Homes, RVs, and Cars Nationwide.
7. Removing hour minimums on work visa holders with jobs in foodservice.
8. The temporary lifting of laws preventing take out & delivery of alcohol, including cocktails, by restaurants and bars.

Support for Renters, Homeowners, and People Experiencing Homelessness

9. Ban All Evictions, Foreclosures, and Repossessions--Including Manufactured Homes, RVs, and Cars Nationwide.
10. Suspend Rental and Utility Payments for Assisted Renters and Provide Rental and Utility Payment Assistance for Non-Assisted Renters.
11. Require Forbearance for Mortgages on Rental Properties.
12. Provide $10 billion for Community Development Block Grants.
a. Make Hospitality Laborers a priority for testing as a workforce that works directly with a large swath of the public. This testing should be free to hospitality laborers as the majority of the hospitality population is not insured. Co-pays should be eliminated for hospitality laborers with insurance who are experiencing economic hardship due to the closure of restaurants and bars.

Assistance to Small Businesses

13. Suspension of Commercial Rental Payments by Private Sector Actors.
a. Rent and mortgage abatement should be extended to small business owners or restaurants, bars nationwide. Without producing an income many business owners will not be able to pay their rent when the crisis concludes. An extension needs to be put into place that extends for 60 days past the gov’t close of the crisis.
14. Support Additional Grants for Small Businesses.
a. $100 Billion set aside in new grants for restaurant, bars, commissaries and other hospitality food and beverage businesses
15. Tax Rebates for Small Businesses.
a. Tax rebates should be given on liquor sales for small business owners in restaurants, bars, and retail who worked to create revenue streams during the duration of the crisis. This will help stimulate funds to get their business back to full operation.

PROPOSALS TO REBUILD THE ECONOMY POST-COVID-19

1. Pass H.R. 5187, the Housing Is Infrastructure Act.
2. Reauthorize the State Small Business Credit Initiative.
a. New grants for hospitality businesses that are building sustainable business structures and working to create systems for their employees. Including, but not limited to, healthcare, paid sick leave and maternity leave.
3. Forgive a Minimum of $10,000 of Student Loan Debt for Each Indebted Borrower.
4. Minimize the Economic Impacts on Women, Minorities and Diverse-Owned Businesses.
5. Pandemic Risk Insurance Act.
6. Removing hour minimums on work visa holders with jobs in foodservice.