How a new ‘joint-employer’ standard could hurt franchising

By: National Restaurant Association (View Original Article)

Recent moves by the National Labor Relations Board are threatening franchise independence, and that has franchise owners like Tom Saia worried.

Saia, a Burger King Franchisee and 37-year veteran of the restaurant business, thinks the NLRB’s efforts to redefine its decades-old “joint employer” standard could damage the growth potential for franchises and the ability of current owners to create opportunities.

“Joint-employer,” explained: The “joint employer” standard is how the NLRB determines whether an individual is employed by two independent companies when it investigates complaints about unfair labor practices. Historically, the standard has recognized franchise independence. However, the NLRB abruptly changed course last year and announced it would consider a prominent restaurant franchisor as a joint employer in a handful of unfair labor practice cases against franchisees. This shift in direction means franchisors could be held responsible for decisions that were solely made by franchisees. The increased liability could lead franchisors to take a hands-on approach in matters like hiring, firing and promoting, that are normally handled by franchisees.

“I’ve worked hard to become a franchise owner,” said Saia, who got his start in restaurants as a busboy and dishwasher. “I feel like I’d be working for a large company, and not be my own boss anymore. My life savings is in my business. I don’t want someone else on a larger scale telling me what to do.”

Equally concerning to Saia is how a widespread change in the joint-employer standard would be felt by the employees at his eight Maryland restaurants. “There’s no doubt in my mind that the opportunities for employees are going to be affected,” he said. “We promote almost 80 percent of our people from within. Those are decisions we make as individual franchise owners.”

Owners of restaurants and other franchises around the country are making the case for franchise independence directly to members of Congress. The Coalition to Save Local Businesses, which includes the National Restaurant Association, has been holding a series of meetings in an effort to secure legislation to stop the joint-employer change. Saia was among a group of franchise owners who met recently with Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

“I thought [Hoyer] did a great job of listening to the concerns of all the business people,” Saia said. “I felt comfortable that he understood what this could conceivably do to the franchise landscape as we know it.”

There are signs that Congress is looking to address the issue. A subcommittee of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce subcommittee will hold field hearings in Savannah, Ga., and Mobile, Ala., next week on the joint employer issue. A Firehouse Subs franchisee is set to testify.

What’s next: The NLRB is expected to issue a ruling soon in a case brought by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters against Browning-Ferris Industries that will determine whether a staffing agency can be considered a joint employer. The NRA filed an amicus brief in that case urging the NLRB to preserve the settled joint-employer standard that properly treats third parties as independent business owners.

FRLA President/CEO to Headline Events in Sarasota & St. Pete Beach on September 1

Contact:

Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Communications Director
850.224.2250 x255
ERay@FRLA.org

(Tampa, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is proud to present business leaders an opportunity to hear hospitality industry insights directly from FRLA President and CEO, Carol Dover. Dover is slated to be at two separate events on Tuesday, September 1, at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota and Loews Don CeSar Hotel in St. Pete Beach.
As the FRLA President and CEO, Dover works to protect, educate, and promote the diverse interests of Florida’s hospitality industry before the Florida Legislature and lobbies against unfair government regulation. The industry represents a $82 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.6 billion in sales tax revenue, and more than one million employees, making it Florida’s largest employer.
Dover has led the more than 10,000 member association since July of 1995. She is a professional association manager, a lobbyist, a former government insider, and a Florida State University Dedman School of Hospitality graduate with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Dover is also a member of the Board of Directors for the National Restaurant Association, National Restaurant Association Education Foundation, Council of State Restaurant Associations, International Society of Hotel Association Executives, VISIT FLORIDA, Florida Tourism Commission, Florida TaxWatch, and the Florida Horse Park. Dover is the recipient of the prestigious Dedman School of Hospitality Alumna of the Year Award, and the first-ever Dick Pope Legacy Award, recognizing leaders who have strengthened the sustainability of Florida’s hospitality and tourism industries.
Media is invited to both events. The schedule is as follows:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1:
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
The 5th Annual Suncoast Chapter Luncheon
The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota
Cost: $25 Per Person

3:30 – 5:30 PM
FRLA Pinellas & Hillsborough Chapter Meeting
Loews Don CeSar Hotel
Cost: $23 Per Member, $28 Per Future Member

Public interested in attending these events should contact Dannette Lynch at dannette@frla.org, FRLA Director of Membership. Please click here for information on the Suncoast Chapter Luncheon or click here for the Pinellas & Hillsborough Chapter Meeting.

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About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Our mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s $82 billion hospitality industry which represents 23% of Florida’s economy and more than 1.1 million employees – making it the state’s number one industry. We offer regulatory compliance and food safety training needs (RCS and SafeStaff®); industry developed career-building high school programs (FRLAEF); sponsor the only event in Florida exclusively serving the restaurant and foodservice industry (FR&L Show, October 6-8, 2015 in Orlando); and we safeguard the needs of the hospitality industry by providing legislative advocacy. We represent and serve more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks. For more information, go to www.FRLA.org and find us on Twitter @FRLAnews, Facebook and YouTube.

Emergency Recovery Guidelines for Business

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation urges all state food service operators to take special measures during power or water outages and other emergency conditions. All public food service establishments must take action after these events to offset the effects of loss of electricity, flooding, compromised potable water supplies or damage sufficient to contaminate stored food.

Please review the following guidelines in preparation for any possible Emergency:

Boil Water Notice Guidelines – PDF
Emergency Recovery Guidelines – PDF

Additionally, please review the Business Disaster Toolkit from the Florida Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center:

BEFORE A DISASTER STRIKES

Tips, links and articles to help businesses of all sizes prepare for disasters before they happen.view »

DURING A DISASTER

Help keep your workplace and employees safe during hurricanes, tornados, and other disasters. view »

AFTER A DISASTER – IMMEDIATE ACTION

What businesses should do after a disaster to recover – safety tips, repairs, generator selection and safe use of generators. view »

AFTER A DISASTER – REBUILDING

What businesses should do after a disaster to recover and rebuild – loans, tax help, construction guides view »

State Emergency Operations Center Activates to Level Two in Preparation for Possible Impacts from Tropical Storm Erika

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Wednesday, the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Tallahassee activated to partial activation, as current forecast models now indicate Florida is within Tropical Storm Erika’s five-day cone of error.

The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) continues to monitor the developing storm, as it prepares for any weather-related impacts Erika may bring to the state.

“Too many variables still exist for us to be able to accurately predict where this storm might impact us or how strong it may be if it does,” said FDEM Director Bryan W. Koon. “We are preparing the protective and responsive measures we will need if the storm continues to develop out of an abundance of caution.”

Florida residents and visitors should continue to monitor local news for further instructions, ensure disaster supply kits are fully stocked and plans are in place to remain safe in the event that that Tropical Storm Erika does impact the state. The 2015

Atlantic Hurricane season runs from June 1 – November 30. For additional information about severe weather in Florida, and to Get A Plan, visit FloridaDisaster.org and FLGetAPlan.com. Follow the SERT on social media on Twitter at @FLSERT and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

Assistance for Businesses Affected by West Central Florida Flooding

The Florida Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center (FLVBEOC) is continuing to receive requests for assistance from businesses affected by flooding in West Central Florida. The affected counties include: Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties.

The most prevalent needs include: financial/loans, debris removal, water damage, employee transportation, access to businesses, and customer base.

If you feel you need business assistance, or if you feel you could offer assistance to the affected businesses please visit http://flvbeoc.org/ or contact FRLA’s Elizabeth Ray at eray@frla.org for more information.

Thanks in advance for your support and assistance.

Gov. Scott: Florida Hits All-Time Record High for Tourism

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced Florida set another record in tourism by welcoming the highest amount of visitors of any six months in the state’s history with 54.1 million visitors, according to VISIT FLORIDA. This record amount of visitors represents a 5.8 increase over the year. In the second quarter of 2015 (April -June), 25.8 million visitors came to the state, an increase of 5.5 percent over the year. The average number of direct travel-related jobs in quarter two of 2015 was also a record high, with 1,213,500 Floridians employed in the tourism industry – up 4.9 percent over the year.

Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce the Sunshine State continued our record breaking success and welcomed the most visitors in Florida’s history over the first half of the year. Our growing tourism industry employs over 1.2 million Floridians and is helping us meet our goal of becoming the best place in the world for jobs. We are excited to mark the first half of 2015 with our biggest second quarter ever, and we look forward to exceeding our goal of 100 million visitors to Florida this year.”

VISIT FLORIDA estimates that 2.7 million overseas visitors and 1.2 million Canadians came to Florida in quarter two of 2015. Estimates also show that 21.9 million domestic visitors traveled to Florida in the second quarter of 2015, reflecting a 6.8 percent increase over the year. Preliminary figures for the first half of 2015 show 45.7 million domestic visitors, 5.5 million overseas visitors and 2.9 million Canadians have come to the Sunshine State, representing increases of 6.7 percent, 1.7 percent and 1.1 percent respectively.

“The continued growth of tourism for the second quarter, including a record number of tourism related jobs, puts Florida on pace for a fifth consecutive record breaking year,” said John Tomlin, Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors. “These records also emphasize the power of tourism as an economic leader and job creator for the state. Results like these are the direct result of the vision and support of the Governor and Legislature, as well as world-class strategies and execution by the VISIT FLORIDA staff.”

Tourism and recreation taxable sales for Florida increased year-over-year for January through May 2015 (last reported month), representing a 9.0 percent increase over the same period in 2014. For quarter two of 2015, the average daily room rate (ADR) rose 4.7 percent, the occupancy rate for Florida hotels increased 2.9 percent and the demand in rooms sold grew 4.4 percent compared to quarter two of 2014.

“With all indicators continuing to climb, Florida tourism has strong momentum,” said Will Seccombe, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA. “This continued growth does not happen by accident. We know tourism marketing works and we have Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature to thank for their unparalleled support that has put us well on our way to making Florida the No. 1 travel destination in the world.”

Bill Talbert, Vice Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and President & CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau said, “Another record shattering quarter for Florida tourism is not really a surprise. It’s actually the byproduct of tremendous efforts each and every day by those who serve their guests with a passion and deliver GREAT experiences. We are fortunate to have a Governor and Legislature that support our industry and VISIT FLORIDA so that we can continue to share the beautiful stories of our state with the world.”

Andrew Hertz, Immediate Past Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and President & General Manager of Miami Seaquarium said, “Achieving record visitation for the second quarter of 2015 provides strong momentum towards our goal of bringing 100 million visitors to Florida this year. Florida is fortunate to have the strong support of Governor Scott and the Legislature, as well as funding matched by dollars from great industry partners. This support allows VISIT FLORIDA to reach even more markets and potential visitors with compelling reasons to visit Florida and create memories that last a lifetime.”

Carol Dover, Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Public Affairs Committee and President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association said, “Florida is continuing to break the mold by setting record breaking trends that prove our state leads the way in hospitality and tourism. These numbers prove that Governor Scott’s leadership, along with support from Florida’s Legislature, ensures a business friendly environment that allows hoteliers, restaurateurs, suppliers and attractions to thrive. We were proud to help provide incredible guest experiences in the first half of the year and can’t wait to welcome even more visitors to the Sunshine State throughout the rest of the year.”

Bill Lupfer, Member of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and President & CEO of the Florida Attractions Association said, “Florida’s outstanding attractions and iconic destinations have a lot to be proud of, and this record second quarter means we are on track for what is sure to be another stellar year. As we continue to shatter industry records and make the Sunshine State the gold standard for tourism across the country and around the world, we are grateful for the hard work of our industry partners and the support of Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature.”

To view additional Florida visitor data, please go to the research page on VISIT FLORIDA’s media website.

*Preliminary estimates are issued 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Final estimates are released when final data are received for all estimates in the report.

FRLA’s Greater Pensacola Chapter Announces New Officers and Board of Directors for 2015

Contact:

Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Communications Director
850.224.2250 x255
ERay@FRLA.org

(Pensacola, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s (FRLA) Greater Pensacola Chapter today announced the installation of new officers. The installation took place in recently at the Hilton Garden Inn in Pensacola. The 2015 officers are:

2015 President	Gus Silivos, Scenic 90 Café/Nancy’s Catering & Events
VP of Lodging	Joe McCay, Margaritaville Hotel
VP of Restaurants	Dave Knudsen, Beef O’Brady’s
Treasurer	Robert Remig, Fisher Brown Insurance
Secretary	Becky Jones, Highpointe Hotel Corporation

“Our Greater Pensacola Chapter hit the ground running. We were thrilled to launch earlier this year and are proud to now have some of the best in the business on our area Board of Directors. We look forward to advocating for the hospitality industry at the local level and are excited to help continue to promote the state’s number one job creator,” said Gus Silivos, owner of Scenic 90 Café and Nancy’s Catering & Events.

In addition to the officers, the Greater Pensacola Chapter also swore in the following Board of Directors:

Lisa Assante, University of West Florida	Reid Radford, Alsco Linens
Steve Sapp, Heartland	Steve Mobley, Johnny Huston’s Grille and Bar
Dennis Barnes, Barnes Insurance	Beverly McCay, Holiday Inn Express Hotel
Maria Goldberg, Great Southern Restaurants Group	Alt: Drew Hardgrave, Hiles McLeod Insurance

For more information on the FRLA’s Greater Pensacola Chapter, please contact Regional Director John Bloodworth at jbloodworth@frla.org. You may also visit http://frla.org/chapters/greater-pensacola/.

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About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association:

FRLA is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Our mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s $82 billion hospitality industry which represents 23% of Florida’s economy and more than 1.1 million employees – making it the state’s number one industry. We offer regulatory compliance and food safety training needs (RCS and SafeStaff®); industry developed career-building high school programs (FRLAEF); sponsor the only event in Florida exclusively serving the restaurant and foodservice industry (FR&L Show, October 6-8, 2015 in Orlando); and we safeguard the needs of the hospitality industry by providing legislative advocacy. We represent and serve more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks. For more information, go to www.FRLA.org and find us on Twitter @FRLAnews, Facebook and YouTube.

About 2015 Chapter President, Gus Silivos:

Owner and Chef Gus P. Silivos is a third generation restaurateur. He owns and operates Scenic 90 Cafe and Nancy’s Catering & Events. Following in the footsteps of his step-father and grandfather, Gus began working in the family business at the age of 11. He learned each aspect of the restaurant with hands on experience. His formal education includes graduating with a Business degree from the University of West Florida. From there he pursued his love of the culinary by attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He graduated in May of 1982. After graduation and internship he returned to Pensacola to the family business. Gus is a founding member of the local chapter of the American Culinary Federation. He has served as president and treasurer. He was instrumental in the development of a local culinary and apprenticeship program with Pensacola State College. Gus is actively involved in the Pensacola community. He is a member of Five Flags Rotary and a Paul Harris fellow. He has been a member of the FRLA for more than 40 years.

About 2015 Chapter VP of Lodging, Joe McCay:

Joe began his career in hospitality at the Dunes Hotel on Pensacola Beach after an 18 year career in education as a teacher and football coach. He took the job temporarily while awaiting his teaching transcripts to transfer. He became hooked on hospitality management. He went on to manage the Holiday Inn Pensacola Beach and currently is the General Manager of the Crowne Plaza Pensacola Grand and Operations Manager of the Margaritaville Beach Hotel, the first hotel and standard bearer of a successful new franchise. The Crowne Plaza has won two IHG Torchbearers and three IHG Quality Excellence Awards over the past five years. Margaritaville was named to the Expedia Select list and the Trip Advisor Hall of Fame after being open only five years. Joe has served as past President of the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce. When not running between the 2 hotels Joe enjoys sailing, swimming, kayaking, and traveling, all with his wife, Bev.

About 2015 Chapter VP of Restaurants, Dave Knudsen:

David Knudsen for the past 10 years has been a Franchise Consultant for Family Sports Franchise Company, DBA, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s. His area covers 42 locations in nine states, along with locations in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Prior to his current role, David was Owner/Operator of Mr. Manatee’s Casual Grille, Cisco’s Mexican Restaurant, and Quietwater Beach Concessions. He also served as Vice President of Panhandle Foods, 18 Rax Restaurants in Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana and as Director of Operations for seven Wendy’s in Pensacola and Ft Walton Beach. David has been with the FRLA since 1996, is a past Chapter President and served as Chairman of the FRLA’s Educational Foundation. He served in the United States Marine Corps, attended Harper College and LaSalle University, and has two children: Eric David and Allison.

About 2015 Chapter Treasurer, Robert Remig:

Rob Remig is Vice President, Insurance and Risk Consultant, with Fisher Brown Insurance. His responsibilities include risk analysis, program design, client development and retention. Prior to joining Fisher Brown, Rob held similar positions at Marsh and Aon in Silicon Valley. Rob began his career as an underwriter and reinsurance broker, with Aetna C&S and TPF&C, in New York.Rob holds a Bachelor’s degree with a Major in Insurance and Risk Management, from The Tobin School of Business, St Johns University. Rob lives in Gulf Breeze Florida with his sons. In his free time, Rob tinkers with his classic sports car and plays golf.

About 2015 Chapter Secretary, Becky Jones:

Becky Jones was promoted to the Area Sales Manager for Highpointe Hotel Corporation in 2014, representing the Hampton Inn Pensacola Airport, Homewood Suites Cordova Mall and the Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola Airport. Becky’s previous positions with Highpointe over the past 12 years include Director of Sales at Homewood Suites Cordova Mall, Sales Manager at Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola Airport, and Director of Sales at SpringHill Suites Pensacola Beach. Becky began her hospitality career in 1999 at the Comfort Inn Pensacola Beach, where she worked her way from Front Desk Representative to Sales Manager and then Assistant General Manager. Becky and her husband Charlie both grew up and live in Gulf Breeze, and are the parents of a nine year old daughter named Bella. In her spare time, Becky loves the beach, paddle boarding and spending time with her family.

Endless Summer Songwriters Series Brings Nashville’s Top Songwriters to Sandestin for Free Concerts

Contact:

Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Communications Director
850.224.2250 x255
ERay@FRLA.org

(Miramar Beach, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) in conjunction with Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) is thrilled to present a FREE concert series on Thursday, October 1 through Saturday, October 3, 2015, at The Village of Baytowne Wharf in Miramar Beach, Florida. The sixth annual event, hosted by Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, will showcase more than a dozen BMI songwriters who will sing country’s biggest hits and share the stories behind the songs. The FRLA is the prime sponsor of these concert performances through its Endless Summer Songwriters Series program designed to promote the local tourism and hospitality industry throughout the year.

“This is a must-attend event for music fans. It’s an opportunity to interact with the songwriters who wrote the top singles on the radio and to hear the stories that inspired them,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “We are eager to have festival goers take advantage of this exclusive opportunity to meet the artists in the incredible venues with fantastic views at The Village of Baytowne Wharf located within Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. It’s the perfect pairing of wonderful entertainment with a picturesque destination in Florida.”

“We are very excited about the Endless Summer Songwriters event coming to Sandestin,” said Mark Hodgdon, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. “This is a great opportunity for people to visit South Walton to enjoy more than a dozen great songwriters performing inside The Village of Baytowne Wharf for an amazing weekend of music. We appreciate the partnership and vision of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association to bring this event to Sandestin where we plan to make it home for years to come.”

The concert schedule features acoustic performances by Nashville Songwriters including: Aaron Barker, Kendell Marvel, Alissa Moreno, Steve Bogard, Brent Cobb, Will Rambeaux, Sherrie Austin, Trent Summar, Karla Davis, Hailey Steele, Jamie Lee Thurston, Hugh Mitchell, Even Stevens and Carl Anderson whose songwriter resumes boast songs for chart-topping artists such as Blake Shelton, George Strait, Luke Bryan, Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts and many more. The public is invited to attend these free performances.

These nightly concerts will be held at numerous venues inside The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin and will be staged progressively, so fans will have the opportunity to see all performances. Locations inside the Village where the songwriters will perform include: Rum Runners, The Village Door, Hammerhead’s Bar & Grille, Graffiti & The Funky Blues Shack, and the Village Events Plaza stage.

Click here for more details about the songwriters and for the event schedule. Information about accommodations can be found here.

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About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Our mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s $82 billion hospitality industry which represents 23% of Florida’s economy and more than 1.1 million employees – making it the state’s number one industry. We offer regulatory compliance and food safety training needs (RCS andSafeStaff®); industry developed career-building high school programs (FRLAEF); sponsor the only event in Florida exclusively serving the restaurant and foodservice industry (FR&L Show, October 6-8, 2015 in Orlando); and we safeguard the needs of the hospitality industry by providing legislative advocacy. We represent and serve more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks. For more information, go to www.FRLA.org and find us on Twitter @FRLAnews, Facebook and YouTube.

About Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is a major destination for all seasons and all ages, andwas named the #1 resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast. The resort invites guests to a world of 2,400 acres and 30 charming neighborhoods featuring more than 1,250 South Walton vacation rentals, condominiums, villas, town homes and the best in hotel accommodations. As a member of Visit South Walton and Visit Florida, the resort features more than seven miles of beaches and pristine bay front, four championship golf courses, 15 world-class tennis courts, 19 swimming pools, a 113-slip marina, a fitness center and spa, meeting space and The Village of Baytowne Wharf, a charming pedestrian village with events, shopping, dining and nightlife. People are invited to download Sandestin’s APP for iPhone and Android devices, or become a Facebook Fan or Twitter follower for the latest events and news.

FRLA Partners with Strategic Value Media to Develop Buyer’s Guide

(Tallahassee, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) proudly partnered with Strategic Value Media (SVM) to develop a new buyer’s guide for its members. The Guide will serve as a resource that features updated and expanded company and product listings. Designed as an efficient way to browse for goods and services, it will offer restaurant and lodging suppliers an exceptional opportunity to showcase products and services. The Guide is now available online: http://www.flhospitalitybuyersguide.com/.

“The Guide is sure to be an essential resource for our members who are faced with day-to-day purchasing decisions,” said Dan Murphy, FRLA Vice President of Membership and Corporate Relations. “We want to be sure they have direct access to a vast network of industry suppliers and we are happy to provide them with this necessary information.”

SVM is a nationwide publisher and marketer of digital and print-based publications. They work with national, regional, state and local trade and industry associations to develop non-dues revenues. To learn more about advertising your products or services in The Guide, please email frla-advertise@svmmedia.com.

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FL Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center Activated

In response to the “West Central Florida Flooding 2015 Event” and the issuance of Governor’s Executive Order 15-158, the State Emergency Response Team through its Emergency Support Function-18, Business, Industry, and Economic Stabilization has activated the Florida Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center (FLVBEOC) to assist in assessing the impact that local businesses have experienced from the flooding. Affected businesses are being asked to complete a Business Damage Assessment Survey that can be obtained at: http://flvbeoc.org/index.php?action=bda. The survey results will be shared among various state and local agencies to expedite implementation of appropriate disaster relief programs for affected businesses.