California's new $20 minimum wage law, aimed at fast-food workers, includes an exemption for restaurants that bake and sell bread on-site, a provision that notably benefits the Panera Bread chain. This exemption has sparked controversy as it has been linked to Governor Gavin Newsom's connections with billionaire Greg Flynn, a major donor who owns more than 24 Panera locations, allowing him to pay his employees $16/hr instead of the mandated $20/hr. Critics argue this carve-out represents a form of government cronyism, with some pointing out the specificity of the exemption, which does not cover items like bagels and croissants. The situation has raised questions about the potential for other fast-food chains to begin selling bread to circumvent the new wage requirements.
When Gov. Newsom signed the fast-food worker bill, I asked him why Panera + other spots that bake/sell their own bread were carved out. "It was a part of the sausage making," he said at the time. Bloomberg reports there may have been more to that. https://t.co/fEAdUn9mwd
Every fast food restaurant in California is going to start baking and selling little baguettes like Pret a Manger in order to access this loophole. I'd go long bread-making machines. https://t.co/tVcnneFEhb
This has become way too acceptable in so many areas of politics and policy. https://t.co/Vg4wcJOv09
Panera Bread exempt from California’s $20 minimum wage law after owner donated to Gov. Newsom: report https://t.co/XSMTa3cmB9 https://t.co/XeWYc9c8pl
Panera Bread exempt from California’s $20 minimum wage law after owner donated to Gov. Newsom: report https://t.co/6XVNCHwg79 https://t.co/r0fJE3Kz1M
Headline for tomorrow: "Burger King, Taco Bell, and McDonald's to Sell Baked Bread in CA Restaurants" https://t.co/COxNSGmQDk
Panera Bread Exempt from California’s Minimum Wage Increase for Fast-Food Worker https://t.co/1EkiKAH2L1 Complex laws invite unfairness and corruption
SHOCK: Governor Newsom exempted one of his largest campaign donors from California's new $20 minimum wage. Billionaire Greg Flynn is able to pay his Panera employees $16/hr instead of the state mandated $20/hr. https://t.co/JNHc0zwAHu
SHOCK: Governor Newsom exempted one of his largest campaign donors from California's new $20 minimum wage. Billionaire Greg Flynn is able to pay his Panera employees $16/hr instead of the state mandated $10/hr. https://t.co/JNHc0zwAHu
How Panera Bread cucked California’s new $20 minimum wage law https://t.co/HZg2pMZHtF
Well this is a quaint form of govt cronyism to cheer you up: Gavin Newsom has exempted fast food restaurants that sell bread from CA's new $20/hr min. wage. One of his largest donors owns Panera lol. https://t.co/Ib6caye9vc
California's new $20 min wage law exempts restaurants that bake and sell bread, where bread is defined to exclude bagels and croissants. Only benefits Panera. Newsom mega-donor owns >24 Paneras. Newsom says "part of legislative sausage-making". https://t.co/8xvHPQQ3CD
Panera Bread 🥖 dodged the $20 Minimum Wage Law in California Will more Fast Food restaurants start selling Bread 🍞 to get around the law? @j77324 https://t.co/k14XZSqWcc
Sometimes politics is so insane you can only marvel. CA legislator in their infinite idiocy passes $20 min wage for fast food. Panera franchisee and Newsom benefactor argues for and gets carve out for restaurants making bread onsite. Bagels and croissants don't qualify as bread. https://t.co/EIEfl2f8aa
California's new $20 minimum wage rule will exempt restaurants that sell bread, handing a lucrative break on wages to the Panera chain and one of Governor Gavin Newsom’s longtime allies https://t.co/fvC7QCfTla
Scoop: Governor Gavin Newsom pushed for a peculiar bread-baking exemption in Cali’s new fast food $20/hour wage law, benefiting a billionaire donor who owns dozens of Panera Bread sites https://t.co/ZfO66TfHh7 w/ @dani_lsc & @eli_kamisher Unpaywalled: https://t.co/UDhDzYieC4