CALIFORNIA APPROVES $1.7 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH RESTAURANTS FOR COVID-19 CLOSURES FEES

www.NYTimes.com

COVID-19 forced restaurants to close or limit their service during the pandemic. Two class-action lawsuits allege restaurants still had to pay their health permit fees and license fees despite government-mandated closures.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $1.7 million settlement to resolve the two lawsuits brought by restaurant owners looking to recoup fees paid to the county during the pandemic.

Restaurants will receive credit against future fees if they paid their annual permit fee between the settlement period of March 17, 2020 to June 15, 2021 and are still in business. If they are no longer in business, but paid fees during the settlement period, they will receive reimbursement.

Similar lawsuits were also filed in Los Angeles, San Bernadino, Riverside, San Diego counties as well as Northern California counties. In San Diego, a settlement of $4.5 million over permit fees was finalized.