Laws & Regulations

Health and Wellness
Dietary Needs Duty of Care May 30, 2017

Lessons for Human Resources Professionals: Health and Wellness Programs – Part Two

Dietary Needs Duty of Care May 30, 2017

In recent years, the dramatic rise in corporate health and wellness programs shows that companies understand (or are beginning to) the benefits of a healthy workforce. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, more than two-thirds of U.S. employers currently offer a wellness program as part of their benefits packages. The main focuses have been on exercise and eating healthier, but unless these programs address everything employees are eating, they are doomed to fail. Take, for example, the case study presented by Alison Acerra, MS, RD, national nutrition and wellness manager for Guckenheimer, a national workplace foodservice provider during…

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Feeding Employees at Work
Duty of Care Food Allergies May 16, 2017

Feeding Employees at Work: A Lesson for Food Allergy & Celiac Disease Awareness

Duty of Care Food Allergies May 16, 2017
Feeding Employees at Work: An Opportunity to Enhance Well-being As a meeting planner, I have a duty of care to ensure that the food I order for an event is delicious and safe for all participants. Every good meeting planner, CEO, and human resources professional understands that fostering a safe and inclusive workplace is good business—but in some cases, it is also the law. And, if you didn’t know it before, the law includes food and beverage served in the workplace. Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) estimates that 15 million Americans (5 percent of the U.S.) have food allergies,…

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Two men bullied at corporate awards banquet for having food allergies
Dietary Needs Duty of Care Food Service Meetings & Events February 28, 2017

Two Men with Food Allergies Bullied by Coworkers at Awards Dinner

Dietary Needs Duty of Care Food Service Meetings & Events February 28, 2017

Not Being able to Eat Wheat or Shellfish is No Reason to be Bullied Last week I was at an event where I witnessed two men being bullied/teased/harassed—whatever you want to call it—about their dietary need. I was stunned, embarrassed and utterly dumbfounded. The event was an awards dinner for a corporation and one at which I was hired to manage the food and beverage and oversee the safe execution of special meals for 18 people with dietary needs (a low number considering other events I’ve done, but still seven percent of the group). The two men who were being…

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Food Allergies Laws & Regulations January 13, 2017

Press Release: FARE Requests Investigation of American Airlines for Violations of Air Carrier Access Act

Food Allergies Laws & Regulations January 13, 2017

This month, FARE filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation against American Airlines for violations of the Air Carrier Act. FARE is seeking to protect the rights of individuals with food allergies who travel by air. This complaint addresses American Airlines’ written policy prohibiting passengers managing food allergies from pre-boarding – a policy that is a violation of the Air Carrier Access Act, which states pre-boarding must be offered to passengers with a disability who self-identify as needing additional time or assistance to board. Through our filing of this complaint, FARE is calling on the DOT to take…

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Fresh bio-waste and compost
Duty of Care Sustainability October 13, 2016

Prepared But Not Served – A Guest Blog by Jim Spellos

Duty of Care Sustainability October 13, 2016

There is growing attention being paid to food waste, which is wonderful. I’ll be speaking at IMEX next week and while you can catch me at a few sessions, Wasting Away will be a session on food waste and our bottom line on October 18th. As a prompt to help us celebrate the no waste movement, let’s all take part in World Food Day this Sunday, October 16th. You can read a general article I’ve written on why the day exists and how we can integrate more awareness into our daily lives. Below is a beautiful guest post by James Spellos.…

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Duty of Care October 11, 2016

World Food Day – Take Action & End World Hunger

Duty of Care October 11, 2016

World Food Day is this Sunday, October 16th and it’s not just about food. It’s also not just about recognizing that hunger exists. It’s about taking action against hunger. And there’s so much you can do. This isn’t just another hashtag. World Food Day has been observed around the world by millions of people since 1979. The idea is that every human being has a right to nutritional food that will sustain them. Not food that will keep them alive, but adequate food to be able to live with vitality, meaning each person has a right to enough food to…

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An Open Letter to the Meetings Industry
Dietary Needs Duty of Care Food Service Meetings & Events July 21, 2016

Meetings Industry – An Open Letter on Inclusion

Dietary Needs Duty of Care Food Service Meetings & Events July 21, 2016

Dear Meetings Industry, In June 2016, I attended Meeting Professionals International (MPI) World Education Congress. As usual, the international conference was well attended and a wonderful gathering of top industry professionals. We studied food and beverage topics, budgeting, international trends, hybrid and virtual meetings and more. Added to this year’s event was a celebration of inclusion … mostly. Unfortunately, the convention occurred on the heels of the tragic LGBT nightclub shooting in Florida, where 49 people were killed, over 50 were injured, and over 200 were held hostage until the gunman’s death, when police stormed the club around 2 a.m.…

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Laws & Regulations July 7, 2016

5 Life-Saving, No-Cost Tips: How to Have Accessible Events

Laws & Regulations July 7, 2016
Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act can feel like a daunting task for meeting planners on a tight budget--and an even greater challenge ever since “eating” was included as a “major life activity” in the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. This article highlights relatively easy, inexpensive ways to make your meeting accommodating for attendees with disabilities. I recommend bookmarking it for future events. Along those lines, I thought I’d share a handful of low- or no-cost ways to accommodate attendees with special dietary needs. Plan meals well in advance. If you can give the catering kitchen an accurate picture…

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Laws & Regulations June 28, 2016

How to Buy: 19 Food Labels You Need to Understand

Laws & Regulations June 28, 2016
Food labeling has become an extremely big concern for consumers. In fact, an increasing number of consumers have been losing faith in food labels because of incorrect labeling and misleading terms. In particular, labels such as, organic, healthy, and natural are not always understood and can mean different things to different people, which can greatly impact the price of many foods. Many consumers confuse the term natural with a non-GMO product or an organic label with a product that is grown sustainably. Here are 19 of the top terms you might find on product packaging today so you can truly…

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Dietary Needs Duty of Care Food Allergies Food Service Laws & Regulations Lifestyle Choices Medical Conditions Meetings & Events Religious Dietary Practices May 10, 2016

The Real Difference Between Dietary Choices & Dietary Needs

Dietary Needs Duty of Care Food Allergies Food Service Laws & Regulations Lifestyle Choices Medical Conditions Meetings & Events Religious Dietary Practices May 10, 2016

As the controversy and, let’s face it, confusion, rages on around the world here’s an easy primer on the why’s and woes of dietary choices and dietary needs. Let’s begin with an actual disease, Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease isn’t an allergy to gluten as many people often mistake. It is an actual autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley) causes damage to the small intestine. An estimated 1 in every 100 people has celiac, worldwide and most are undiagnosed. Because this is an actual autoimmune disorder, a diagnosis will ensure opportunity for…

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