Employers: Who will pay for testing?
Employers: Who will pay for testing?
Another game, another grand slam and four more rides in the laundry cart. Here's today's Need to Knows.
We thought we had a deal
Some state lawmakers are looking to reverse an agreed-upon minimum wage agreement for restaurant and other tipped service workers.
The proposed bill, by Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, would increase the $5.50 minimum wage for tipped workers by $1.50 each year until the rate reached $15 an hour in 2028, reports Mike Deehan at GBH.
Wait staff and others would still be eligible for tips.
The bill would also undo rules that prevents tips left for wait staff from being shared with kitchen crews and other back of the house jobs, which is actually something lawmakers should allow without a tipped wage change.
Farley-Bouvier’s bill would undo the "Grand Bargain," an agreement reached by business groups, labor organizations and lawmakers in 2018 that set increases to the minimum wage; created the paid family leave program; established the annual sales tax holiday; and did away with overtime on Sundays for grocers.
Under the Grand Bargain, the wage floor for tipped workers is set to rise to $6.75 per hour by 2023. And the minimum wage in Massachusetts will rise from $13.50 this year to $14.24 in 2022 before topping out at $15 an hour in 2023, Deehan writes.
Housing policy change aims to address racial barrier
Newton is looking at revising rules advocates believe will create more opportunities for people of color to become our neighbors in the Garden City.
Currently, 70% of income applicants selected for an affordable unit must be either a Newton resident; a city employee; an employee at a local business; or a household with children attending Newton schools through a program such as METCO.
The proposed change would lower the “local preference” requirement from 70% to 25%.
A city commissioned study of three recent affordable rental housing development lotteries (TRIO, 28 Austin Street and Hancock Estates) found that white, non-Hispanic “local preference” applicants were selected at higher rates than minority groups overall.
Additionally, it showed that the non-local preference pools were overwhelmingly made up of minorities.
It’s a small sample but suggests that the 70% local preference policy in a majority white community like Newton creates a disparate impact on people of color.
With hundreds of new apartments coming online through Northland, Riverside, Riverdale, Dunstan East and other projects, this seems like the right moment to change the formula.
The city council will hold a public hearing on the proposal on Monday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. Read more about the proposal here.
Watch Newton's candidates for mayor debate housing and other issues here.
Employers: Who will pay for testing?
While many of the nation’s largest employers have expressed support for President Joe Biden’s vaccine-or-test mandate, many execs are worried about one aspect of the forthcoming regulations:
Who’s going to cover the expense of workers who choose weekly testing over rolling up their sleeves?
So far we only know the broad parameters for the yet-to-be-released policy. We know it will apply to companies with 100 or more workers. And, news reports and commentary and to the contrary, we know it’s not a “vaccine mandate.” It’s actually a “weekly test mandate with an opt out for anyone who has been vaccinated.”
And, yes, we also know violations are subject to a $14,000 fine per incident, but not the criteria, or how they will be enforced.
Two-thirds of large employers in one survey say they’re mostly worried about who’s going to pay for weekly testing, especially given the increasingly expensive cost of rapid COVID-19 tests, reports the Hill.
Others are worried that some unvaccinated workers may seek jobs at rival firms with fewer than 100 employees or to independent contracting companies that aren’t subject to Biden’s test-or-vax rule.
Polls have shown that large percentages of unvaccinated workers say they would quit over the vaccine-or-test mandate. But real world data suggests they're working.
Off shore wind, not just for those on shore
The Alliance for Business Leadership is hosting a program this morning at 10 a.m. about business opportunities in off shore wind for those of us in non-coastal areas. Register.
Not pumpkin spice, this place has the real thing
We’re always looking for spacious, comfortable, interesting places to hold in-person networking events.
Thursday’s Coffee Connect at the wonderful Volante Farms on the Needham-Wellesley line fits the bill perfectly.
Make new connections while mingling among rows of pumpkins and mums in the expansive greenhouse at this cherished century-old family business.
We request that all event attendees be fully vaccinated against COVID.
Langer aids launch of AI precision med startup
Renowned chemical engineer, serial entrepreneur and Newton resident Robert Langer is throwing his weight behind yet another local startup, this time a precision medicine company called Quris, writes Rowan Walrath at the BBJ.
Quris, which uses an AI platform to predict which drug candidates will safely work in humans, launched yesterday with $9 million in seed funding.
Langer, an MIT professor, is the co-founder of over two dozen health care companies, including Moderna.
Need to goes
I wrote 'low,' when I was supposed to write 'high'
I reversed a stat in Friday's newsletter. I meant to write:
Lab occupancy in our inner wester burbs is 97.7%, an all-time high, according to the latest CRBE report.
Looking for new ways to find job candidates?
A recent survey by Jobvite explores how COVID-19 has changed how jobseekers look for work, writes Ty West for the BBJ.
If you’re looking to fill positions, here’s another new option to consider: Join your favorite chamber tomorrow (Weds) at 1 p.m. for a presentation about the free employer services offered by MassHire, including help finding job candidates; access to free training dollars; and workshare programs.
Also, a reminder to Newton employers that your new hires could be eligible for an up to $1,000 bonus through a partnership with the city, Mass Hires and the chamber.
That’s today’s need to knows unless you need to know about the Faneuil Hall musician who was singing a John Legend song when the actual Legend showed up.
Have a great day.
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President
Charles River Regional Chamber
617.244.1688
Find a chamber member
We thought we had a deal
Some state lawmakers are looking to reverse an agreed-upon minimum wage agreement for restaurant and other tipped service workers.
The proposed bill, by Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, would increase the $5.50 minimum wage for tipped workers by $1.50 each year until the rate reached $15 an hour in 2028, reports Mike Deehan at GBH.
Wait staff and others would still be eligible for tips.
The bill would also undo rules that prevents tips left for wait staff from being shared with kitchen crews and other back of the house jobs, which is actually something lawmakers should allow without a tipped wage change.
Farley-Bouvier’s bill would undo the "Grand Bargain," an agreement reached by business groups, labor organizations and lawmakers in 2018 that set increases to the minimum wage; created the paid family leave program; established the annual sales tax holiday; and did away with overtime on Sundays for grocers.
Under the Grand Bargain, the wage floor for tipped workers is set to rise to $6.75 per hour by 2023. And the minimum wage in Massachusetts will rise from $13.50 this year to $14.24 in 2022 before topping out at $15 an hour in 2023, Deehan writes.
Housing policy change aims to address racial barrier
Newton is looking at revising rules advocates believe will create more opportunities for people of color to become our neighbors in the Garden City.
Currently, 70% of income applicants selected for an affordable unit must be either a Newton resident; a city employee; an employee at a local business; or a household with children attending Newton schools through a program such as METCO.
The proposed change would lower the “local preference” requirement from 70% to 25%.
A city commissioned study of three recent affordable rental housing development lotteries (TRIO, 28 Austin Street and Hancock Estates) found that white, non-Hispanic “local preference” applicants were selected at higher rates than minority groups overall.
Additionally, it showed that the non-local preference pools were overwhelmingly made up of minorities.
It’s a small sample but suggests that the 70% local preference policy in a majority white community like Newton creates a disparate impact on people of color.
With hundreds of new apartments coming online through Northland, Riverside, Riverdale, Dunstan East and other projects, this seems like the right moment to change the formula.
The city council will hold a public hearing on the proposal on Monday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. Read more about the proposal here.
Watch Newton's candidates for mayor debate housing and other issues here.
Employers: Who will pay for testing?
While many of the nation’s largest employers have expressed support for President Joe Biden’s vaccine-or-test mandate, many execs are worried about one aspect of the forthcoming regulations:
Who’s going to cover the expense of workers who choose weekly testing over rolling up their sleeves?
So far we only know the broad parameters for the yet-to-be-released policy. We know it will apply to companies with 100 or more workers. And, news reports and commentary and to the contrary, we know it’s not a “vaccine mandate.” It’s actually a “weekly test mandate with an opt out for anyone who has been vaccinated.”
And, yes, we also know violations are subject to a $14,000 fine per incident, but not the criteria, or how they will be enforced.
Two-thirds of large employers in one survey say they’re mostly worried about who’s going to pay for weekly testing, especially given the increasingly expensive cost of rapid COVID-19 tests, reports the Hill.
Others are worried that some unvaccinated workers may seek jobs at rival firms with fewer than 100 employees or to independent contracting companies that aren’t subject to Biden’s test-or-vax rule.
Polls have shown that large percentages of unvaccinated workers say they would quit over the vaccine-or-test mandate. But real world data suggests they're working.
Off shore wind, not just for those on shore
The Alliance for Business Leadership is hosting a program this morning at 10 a.m. about business opportunities in off shore wind for those of us in non-coastal areas. Register.
Not pumpkin spice, this place has the real thing
We’re always looking for spacious, comfortable, interesting places to hold in-person networking events.
Thursday’s Coffee Connect at the wonderful Volante Farms on the Needham-Wellesley line fits the bill perfectly.
Make new connections while mingling among rows of pumpkins and mums in the expansive greenhouse at this cherished century-old family business.
We request that all event attendees be fully vaccinated against COVID.
Langer aids launch of AI precision med startup
Renowned chemical engineer, serial entrepreneur and Newton resident Robert Langer is throwing his weight behind yet another local startup, this time a precision medicine company called Quris, writes Rowan Walrath at the BBJ.
Quris, which uses an AI platform to predict which drug candidates will safely work in humans, launched yesterday with $9 million in seed funding.
Langer, an MIT professor, is the co-founder of over two dozen health care companies, including Moderna.
Need to goes
- The main branch of the Wellesley Free Library reopens Saturday. It's been closed for a $2.8 million dollar renovation since April. (Swellesley Report).
- Get Konnected! and Boston Magazine are presenting a day long professional women’s event Friday (Oct. 22), drawing on the experience of a great list of business leaders to mentor Boston’s next generation in an educational, inclusive and fun environment. Details
- Hope Walks, the annual community walk that benefits the Mass General Cancer Center at Newton-Wellesley Hospital is happening Sunday (Oct. 24). Register to walk or to donate.
I wrote 'low,' when I was supposed to write 'high'
I reversed a stat in Friday's newsletter. I meant to write:
Lab occupancy in our inner wester burbs is 97.7%, an all-time high, according to the latest CRBE report.
Looking for new ways to find job candidates?
A recent survey by Jobvite explores how COVID-19 has changed how jobseekers look for work, writes Ty West for the BBJ.
- Only 60% of jobseekers say they used job boards in 2021, compared to 72% in 2020.
- One-in-four said they applied directly through a employer’s website. In contrast, the number of candidates utilizing social media is on the rise.
- A majority of jobseekers (69%) now prefer texting for scheduling interviews rather than phone calls or emails. Thirty percent are even comfortable doing an interview over text — although in-person interviews remain the top preference (69%).
- Compensation is still the top factor influencing whether or not to accept a job offer. Now isn’t the time to lowball candidates or play games with offers.
- And, yep, remote work flexibility is extremely important, with 74% of jobseekers saying it is very or somewhat important.
If you’re looking to fill positions, here’s another new option to consider: Join your favorite chamber tomorrow (Weds) at 1 p.m. for a presentation about the free employer services offered by MassHire, including help finding job candidates; access to free training dollars; and workshare programs.
Also, a reminder to Newton employers that your new hires could be eligible for an up to $1,000 bonus through a partnership with the city, Mass Hires and the chamber.
That’s today’s need to knows unless you need to know about the Faneuil Hall musician who was singing a John Legend song when the actual Legend showed up.
Have a great day.
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President
Charles River Regional Chamber
617.244.1688
Find a chamber member
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