New Legislation Makes Health Inspections Less Brutal

Yesterday the City Council passed a legislation package that will make the notoriously tough health inspection process a little easier on restaurants. Council Speaker Christine Quinn proposed the package back in July, and since then has already managed to come to an agreement with the Department of Health to reduce many of the most brutal fines. Those fine reductions were included in this package, plus more legislation to help restaurateurs before the DOH even shows up.

Soon restaurants will be able to request a practice-run inspection before they face the real deal, or even before they open. The Health Department will publish its first official code of conduct so that everyone knows exactly what to do when the inspector shows up, and there will be an ombuds office with a hotline for restaurateurs to go to with questions and complaints. According to Crain's, Mayor Bloomberg is expected to sign the legislation into law, so restaurants should see things get a little easier soon.
· Council to Help Restaurants Pass Inspections [Crain's]
· All Coverage of the Department of Health [~ENY~]