Interested in Opening a New Restaurant? Let the LRA be your guide

There is so much to know and learn when opening a new restaurant and the Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) has your guide to what you need to know. First up- you need to know if the value of LRA membership. We can assist you as you get your footing in the business through a number of programs and services designed especially for budding restaurateurs.

The LRA offers a number of benefits to members. The first is the LRA Self Insurer’s Fund for Workers’ Compensation program. In Louisiana, it is mandatory to have workers’ compensation for your business. Workers’ compensation protects employees who are injured on the job. It is the law that “all” Louisiana employers must maintain comp coverage. Those failing to meet this requirement are subject to individual fines per occurrence, with the potential total penalty reaching $10,000 per business.  To get a quote for your workers’ comp, please call the LRA at (504) 454-2277.

A business must possess an alcoholic beverage permit to sell such beverages in Louisiana. The guide contains information for operators to obtain their liquor license from the Alcohol Tobacco Control and your local municipality. Also, it is also mandatory in Louisiana that anyone serving alcoholic beverage obtain a Responsible Vendor Permit. The LRA is the first and only provider in the state of these permits to offer the two-hour course online at www.laserverpermit.com.

Beyond these necessities, there’s your food permit required by the Louisiana State Sanitarian Code, through the Department of Health and Hospitals. The law requires all foodservice licensees must have a valid food safety certificate. The LRA is the largest provider of the required eight-hour course through the nationally-recognized ServSafe food safety and sanitation course. Click here for a complete schedule of classes offered statewide.

From the average wage for various restaurant positions, to wage and hour laws and overtime calculations, the LRA’s Opening a New Restaurant guide covers this and so much moe.  Other important information like copyright laws if you intend to play music – live or recorded; reporting newly-hired workers, opening checklists, dual membership in the National Restaurant Association and what you need to know about the Affordable Care Act are also included in the guide.

The LRA is your advocate on local, state and federal issues impacting the restaurant industry in Louisiana. For more information about the LRA’s suite of benefits available to members, visit www.lra.org today or call us at (504) 454-2277.