loitering

Businesses: ACLU loitering lawsuit could affect our sales 

Betsy PriceBusiness, Headlines

Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. Take the lawsuit filed July 7, 2023, by ACLU Delaware against Attorney General Kathy Jennings and the city of Wilmington over the state’s solicitation and loitering statutes and Wilmington’s loitering ordinance. The ACLU claims the lack of specificity in the current statutes opens the door to selective enforcement.  At the same time, …

Nicole Poore State Senator et al. posing for the camera

Paid family and medical leave ‘the law of the land’ in Delaware

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Rep. Debra Heffernan, the bill’s House sponsor, holds SS1 for SB 1 after it was signed by Gov. John Carney Tuesday. (Charlie Megginson/Delaware LIVE News) Delaware has become the 11th state to offer a paid family and medical leave program to new parents, caregivers, and those with serious illnesses. Flanked by lawmakers and activists, Gov. John Carney on Tuesday signed …

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Darby ordinance would make Wilm employers pay for shift changes

Charles MegginsonBusiness, Headlines

Photo/Getty Images Business leaders are lining up in opposition to a proposed ordinance in Wilmington that would require service industry employers to provide two-weeks notice of work schedules and compensate employees when changes occur.  The measure, sponsored by Council Member Shané Darby, D-District 2, aims to provide more schedule stability for hourly workers at retail, hospitality and foodservice establishments with …

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Bill aims to reduce regulatory burden on small businesses

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A proposed bill in the House of Representatives would require state agencies to consider the burden new regulations would impose on businesses and take steps to minimize those impacts. Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, before adopting a new regulation, state agencies would be required to complete an economic impact statement. The statement would identify affected businesses, determine the cost of …

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Del. minimum wage to increase Jan. 1 and not everyone is happy about it

Charles MegginsonBusiness, Government, Headlines

Delaware’s minimum wage will increase to $10.50 per hour Saturday. (Getty Images/Darren415) With Delaware’s minimum wage set to increase from $9.25 per hour to $10.50 per hour beginning Jan. 1, some are still sounding the alarm bell for the impacts such a move will have on small businesses — and consumers, too.  The adjustment is the first of four gradual …

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Paid medical leave won’t place onerous burden on business, sponsor says

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines, Health

Sen. Sarah McBride, center, leads a panel discussing the benefits of a proposed medical leave act. A bill to give Delaware workers up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave has earned the support of some lawmakers, business owners, medical professionals and nonprofit advocates.  But some business leaders fear a state-run paid leave program would be overly burdensome …

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Roundtable to focus on proposed paid family, medical leave bill

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

State Sen. Sarah McBride will hold the first in a series of roundtable conversations Thursday focused on 12-week paid family and medical leave and the effect it would have on Delawareans. The Nov. 17 event at the Trolley Square Brew HaHa! will address Senate Bill 1, also known as the Healthy Delaware Families Act. The event will begin at 4:30 …

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Restaurants hardest hit by supply chain issues, Delaware experts say

Charles MegginsonBusiness, Headlines

While supply chain issues are affecting a lot of buisnesses, including delaying auto and furniture deliveries, restaurants are suffering the most, many say, Photo by Tom Fisk/Pexels   As supply chain woes spread through the business world, Delaware restaurateurs who faced massive COVID-19 issues are now facing a whole new set of challenges. They include rapid inflation and difficulty sourcing …

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Federal COVID-19 unemployment payments end in September

Charles MegginsonBusiness, Headlines

  All federal unemployment pay boosts related to COVID-19 end the first week in September. Photo by Yury Kim/Pexels   All pandemic-related unemployment programs provided under the American Rescue Plan Act will expire on Monday, Sept. 6, 2021.  With near-universal staffing shortages, some say ending these programs will finally give people the incentive they need to return to work.  Programs …