6 minute read
Business
Crab Biz Cushions Job Loss for Laurel Twins
Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
LaShone Middleton and her twin sister RaeShawn Middleton both enjoyed their jobs in the restaurant industry before COVID-19 upended the world.
Like many others in the business, the sisters lost their jobs after D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser mandated a shutdown of all non-essential businesses.
Then one spring afternoon, the Laurel, Md.-based sisters craved the taste of crabs, but a search for home delivery services turned up empty. But that’s precisely when their quest turned into a new career as entrepreneurs.
“We knew the market in our hometown well and found an opening that no one had filled,” LaShone told the Washington Informer. “We put together a business plan and put it into motion, delivering Maryland’s famous steamed blue crabs to our neighbors in Laurel.”
The business has grown steadily through repeat customers and unique social media promotions, but the sisters have maintained a GoFundMe page to continue to pump resources into their new venture.
LaShone said such support offered to other small businesses during the pandemic would help put their R&L Crab company on the fast track for expansion.
It could also solidify the business, enabling the dedicated twins to relocate to a full-time commercial kitchen space or a food truck.
“Growing up in Maryland, all we ever ate was crabs,” LaShone remarked, noting crab is a favorite for the twins.
“We both got furloughed because of COVID on the same day, and we didn’t really know how long we were going to be out of work,” she recalled.
“But we did know that once restaurants did reopen in the summer, they would most likely have to close again in the winter because of COVID.”
LaShone continued explaining their journey:
“So, one day we were sitting in
5 LaShone Middleton and RaeShawn Middleton (Courtesy R&L Crab Company)
TWO RIVERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Plumber/General Contractor
our room, and we were really craving crabs, but it was raining bad, and we didn’t feel like going out to get any. So, we wondered who delivered steamed or even live crabs to your door and realized no company did that. Then we got advice from a restaurant owner, and he told us just to do it, and we did.”
R&L Crab Company boasts steamed or live crabs “delivered straight to your door year-round.”
The company delivers within 15-miles of Washington, D.C.
LaShone noted that she and RaeShawn faced some of their biggest challenges at the start of their business.
“We had to figure out how to get the crabs to our guests without having them overcook due to the steam in the bag,” LaShone remarked.
“We also had some challenges once we started receiving more publicity because it went from just being my sister and I, to us having to hire delivery drivers at a very fast pace,” she said.
“We’ve had to expand quickly, and it’s been challenging, but it is really exciting, and we’re extremely grateful.”
LaShone offered that R&L Crab Company’s customers have shown that they have enjoyed the new business’s offerings.
“They’ve enjoyed our customer service, the actual flavor of our crabs, and the fact that we deliver,” Lashone said. “We offer something that no one has offered our customers before.”
Click here to visit R&L Crab Company’s website.
Click here to contribute to R&L’s GoFundMe campaign. WI @StacyBrownMedia
Two Rivers PCS is soliciting price quotes from licensed plumbers or general contractors to replace bathroom fixtures in school facilities. To request a copy of the RFP, email Gail Williams at procurement@tworiverspcs.org. Proposals are due by March 8, 2021.
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www.washingtoninformer.com
Hazard Pay Proposed for Essential Workers
Emergency Planning, Protective Clothing Mandated
William J. Ford WI Staff Writer
Although thousands of Marylanders received COVID-19 vaccines in the battle against the novel coronavirus pandemic, frontline medical workers, grocery store clerks and other essential workers face high levels of exposure.
That’s why Sen. Malcolm Augustine (D-District 47) of Cheverly sponsors legislation for employers to provide hazard pay at $3 per hour for those workers with annual salaries of less than $100,000.
“They don’t have the ability to sit at home in front of a computer and collect a paycheck,” he said. “We literally depend on them to survive.”
A hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, Feb. 11 lasted about an hour and 50 minutes hearing testimony from Attorney General Brian Frosh among more than a dozen people.
“This bill will protect workers who are risking their lives to protect us,” he said. “Workers who are Black and brown and those who live paycheck to paycheck are overrepresented among essential workers [and] overrepresented among victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not enough has been done to protect them.”
The bill, called the “Maryland Essential Workers’ Protection Act,” would also provide essential workers with free personal protective equipment, 14 days of paid health leave and three days of bereavement leave to cover leave taken in the event of the death of a family member.
The paid health leave proposed would be in addition to paid sick leave.
Some workers don’t earn enough money to accrue sick leave “and can’t afford to take time off,” Frosh said.
According to the legislation, some of the employees covered in different fields such as an internet service provider (communications sector), court reporters (government sector) and airline worker (transportation systems sector).
The legislation notes that during a state of emergency, a health emergency preparedness plan should be enacted to allow changes in work hours, teleworking capabilities and any sanitation procedures.
An employee can refuse to work if they believe conditions are unsafe based on state and federal health safety standards, according to the legislation.
An employer must also pay for any testing “for a contagious illness or disease” if an employee’s health insurance doesn’t cover the cost.
A company that doesn’t provide worker protection would receive a financial penalty up to $1,000.
5 Maryland Sen. Malcolm Augustine gives opening remarks on proposed legislation to provide hazard pay for essential workers during emergencies such as the coronavirus pandemic. (Screen grab: Courtesy of Maryland General Assembly)
REPUBLICANS OBJECT
The fiscal and policy note from the state Department of Legislative Services highlights the bill would cost $241,000 to implement this fiscal year and jump to $647,500 in fiscal year 2022. The department’s analysis states the small business impact as “meaningful.”
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