For Immediate Release:
April 11, 2013
Councilmember McDuffie introduced several legislative measures to spark economic growth and improve the quality of life for D.C. employees
Washington, DC – During this week’s legislative meeting, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie introduced key legislation aimed at promoting economic development throughout the District and improving the quality of life for D.C. government employees.
To capitalize on the economic growth that local handcrafted small-batch breweries and spirit distilleries bring to the District of Columbia, Councilmember McDuffie, along with Councilmembers David Grosso, Anita Bonds, and Muriel Bowser, introduced the “Manufacturer Sunday Tasting Permit Amendment Act of 2013.” The measure will expand tastings to Sundays for these beverage manufacturers.
Presently, a tasting permit allows breweries and distilleries to conduct product tastings Thursday through Saturday from 1p.m. – 9 p.m.
“By expanding the days that beverage manufacturers can sell their products and conduct product tastings, we may significantly enhance the cash-on-hand in this industry,” said McDuffie. “Expanded sales opportunities will allow manufacturers to scale up, hire additional employees, and make capital investments more quickly. This type of growth increases the city’s tax base and adds private sector jobs – fueling economic development.”
Additionally, Councilmember McDuffie introduced two bills to improve the quality of life for many of the District’s employees. Currently, employees are guaranteed only one day of leave to make arrangements for or attend the funeral or memorial service of an immediate relative. The “Funeral and Memorial Service Leave Amendment Act of 2013” expands this leave to three days.
“Coping with the aftermath of the death of an immediate relative requires time for grieving and planning,” stated McDuffie during the meeting. “This bill respects the major life events of government employees by providing them with time to transition back into work.”
Furthermore, this measure expands the definition of an “immediate relative” to bring District law in line with modern family structures by including sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, grandchildren, and fiancées.
Councilmember McDuffie also introduced the “District of Columbia Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978 Administrative Review Rights Amendment Act of 2013.”
“During performance hearings, held by the Committee on Government Operations, I heard from several witnesses who described an issue with the way worker’s compensation claims for District of Columbia employees proceed through the administrative hearing process,” said McDuffie.
The bill closes a significant legal loophole by allowing District employees to appeal their worker’s compensation claims to the Administrative Hearings Division of the Department of Employment Services in matters where the Office of Risk Management has refused to act after 30 days.
McDuffie’s “Manufacturer Sunday Tasting Permit Amendment Act of 2013” was referred to the Committee on Business, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, while the other two bills were referred to the Committee on Government Operations, which McDuffie chairs.
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