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Operations

Operating a restaurant involves a lot of moving parts – most controlled by you, but many controlled by laws, regulations, licenses and permits. Alcoholic beverages, food safety, labor practices and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (the healthcare mandate) are significant – and then there is everything else.

Get to know the regulatory agencies that govern such things as sidewalk cafes, signage, noise, fire safety and more. And, get to know about the efforts being made by RAMW on your behalf to improve the regulatory environment.


Arlington County Board dives into work for 2012

January 4, 2012
The Washington Post Arlington County Board dives into work for 2012 By Patricia Sullivan, Published: January 2 While most of the Washington area did whatever it does on a day when nearly everything is closed, the Arlington County Board claimed bragging rights Monday as the first local government to get to work in 2012. It’s a tradition fulfilled by appointments, calendar-setting and speeches. In the hour-long meeting at the noticeably empty county building, all four board members took advantage, touting the virtues of the urban-suburban county, from affordable housing to free mulch...Read more

2011 DC Sales Tax law change notices

December 1, 2011
2011 DC Sales Tax law change notices effective October 1, 2011 Please click links below for important tax law changes: Security Services • Cigarettes • Parking • Alcoholic Beverages...Read more

Compliance with New Tip Credit Notice Rules

May 25, 2011
The DOL rules took effect May 5, 2011. They were released with only 30 days' notice and make major and significant changes to existing tip-credit-notice regulations. Failure to follow the new regulations could result in an employer losing the right to apply any tip income toward minimum wage obligations. The National Restaurant Association cannot give you legal advice but we urge you to take the following steps: 1) Understand the rules. Under the previous regulations, employers were able to provide a simple notice to inform tipped employees that the employer was applying a tip credit toward...Read more

New Disorderly Conduct Law Includes Noise Violation

February 8, 2011
New Disorderly Conduct Law Includes Noise Violation The new disorderly conduct law passed by the DC Council in December became effective citywide at midnight on February 1, 2011 . This includes the new "Noise at Night" violation that has been mentioned in the media. While MPD will continue to work with individuals and communities to appropriately balance the rights of each, the new law makes it clear that a person who makes an unreasonably loud noise between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. that is likely to annoy or disturb one or more other persons in their residences is violating the law...Read more

PCI Assessment

October 26, 2010
For PCI Assessment document click here .Read more

PCI USI/RAMW Presentation

October 25, 2010
To view the Heartland/USI/RAMW presentation on PCI click here .Read more

PCI DSS - Compliance is the Key

September 28, 2010
RAMW provided to its members a special communication summary of PCI DSS. The document explains the key technology involved in payment card security, and highlights the serious risks that data breaches and PCI DSS poses for restaurants. While restaurants account for approximately 10% of Visa and MasterCard transactions, they account for the vast majority of alleged data breaches. Since 2005, the payment card industry has required all merchants - including restaurants - to comply with a technology standard to protect payment card transactions from computer hackers and electronic identity-...Read more

Credit/Debit Card Reform

August 30, 2010
Credit/Debit Card Reform On July 21, 2010, President Obama signed the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 4173) into law. A section of the bill authorizes the Federal Reserve to issue regulations that ensure interchange fees imposed on debit card transactions are "reasonable and proportional." It will allow merchants to set minimum amounts (not to exceed $10 per transaction) for credit card usage and offer customers discounts for use of cash, checks and debit cards, directly passing on the savings to consumers. Click here for Q&A on credit/debit card reform...Read more

IRS Aims to Get More Restaurants to File Tip Form

August 2, 2010
The Internal Revenue Service has announced a new compliance initiative to increase IRS Form 8027 filings in the restaurant industry. The IRS believes many tableservice restaurants don’t file IRS Form 8027 as required. The Employer’s Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips must be filed with the IRS every February by employers who operate large food and beverage establishments. If you have tipped employees, take a look at Form 8027 to determine whether you must file the form. Generally, Form 8027 must be filed by food and beverage establishments that meet three...Read more

IRS Employer Tip Reporting Compliance Program

May 13, 2010
The Internal Revenue Service is starting a new compliance program to assess the employer's share of Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes on tips reported on Form 4137. Employees who receive cash and charge tips of more than $20 per calendar month and do not report them have to report them on Form 4137, Social Security and Medicare Tax on Unreported Tip Income. The service will notify employers via notice and demand letter with the amount owed. The agency will ask employers to include the taxed on their next Form 91 and will not subject employers to interest or penalties if they...Read more

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