Monthly Archives: September 2011

by | September 6, 2011 · 2:18 pm

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Wisconsin Hotel Guest Reports Over $14,000 In Cash And Jewelry Stolen After Employee Talked Into Giving Room Key Out

“…A woman stole $9,400 worth of jewelry and $5,000 cash from a North Side hotel room after convincing the clerk to give her a key…”

“…She told the front desk employee about 1 a.m. Aug. 28 she needed to retrieve something from the room. She allowed the clerk to speak on the phone with a man who gave her permission to enter the room…”

The woman claimed to be the girlfriend of the man who rented a room at the Econo Lodge, 1906 Rose St.

The man who rented the room said he didn’t give anyone authorization. He discovered the cash along with a $3,000 diamond ring, $2,500 watch and $3,900 diamond medallion gone, reports stated.

For more: http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/article_1f02751a-d89e-11e0-bb0d-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1XDG1LiFR

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Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Labor Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Theft

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by | September 4, 2011 · 8:05 am

Hospitality Industry Insurance Risks: Hotel & Restaurant Owners Must Review And Update Insurance Coverage To Protect Their Businesses

  •  Proper insurance to value (ITV). The market sometimes offers blanket and agreed amount limits, which can help buyers overcome an instance where the insured has purchased too little building coverage.
  •  Business income limits. Most insurance buyers don’t take time to complete a BI worksheet—a valuable tool to determine proper exposure levels. The tool forces buyers and agents to address all aspects of a potential loss and its business impact.
  • Employee dishonesty limits. Hotel owners think they’ll never use this, and then learn their controller has been siphoning off small amounts of money for years, and the total loss is substantial.
  • Guest discrimination coverage. Hotels might buy employment practices coverage and not the guest coverage. Some specialty programs provide the coverage in the GL form.
  • Property in your care, custody or control. This is a “must have” for all hotels. Agents can offer this in the GL form or buy it as a legal liability (innkeepers) coverage on the crime policy.
  • Health care professionals as insureds. Resorts with spas have this exposure and need this coverage.
  • Valet parking services. Most full service upscale and luxury hotels and resorts offer valet parking services and need to be sure they are covered properly.
  • Ordinance and law. This is key property coverage with the ever-changing building codes. Buyers either buy too little or go without to help control cost. That’s not a good decision.
  • Green building coverage. The three key coverages are:

â—Š Green certified coverage. For a loss to a green certified building, coverage available from AGPOM will apply to rebuilding and additional expenses driven by regaining green certification.

â—Š Green upgrade coverage. This coverage pays the extra expense when a non-certified building opts to go green after a loss. Added costs might result from use of Energy Star equipment; eco-friendly lighting, paint and carpet; or water-efficient plumbing fixtures.

â—Š Green commissioning expense. This coverage provides for a commissioning engineer to inspect a newly built or repaired system after a covered loss to confirm operation at peak performance and expected efficiency.

For more:  http://ventureprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/articles/Hope%20For%20Hospitality.pdf

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Filed under Employment Practices Liability, Green Lodging, Guest Issues, Insurance, Management And Ownership, Privacy, Risk Management

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by | September 2, 2011 · 5:42 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Washington Hotel Replaces "300 Tempered-Glass Panels" After Glass "Disintegrates" And Falls 11 Stories

“…(This was) …the third time in a year that glass has rained down from condominium balconies at the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences just south of Pike Place Market…”

The balconies, all on the condo levels between the 11th and 21st floors, will be closed until new panels or a new railing system are installed.

 

Now the owners are taking out all 300 tempered-glass panels in the building, panels similar to those that fractured and fell this summer at high-rise condos in Austin and Toronto.

“Our only priority here is the safety of everybody involved, either residents or people passing by,” said the hotel’s general manager, Ben Trodd. “We’ve taken a very proactive step now. The general contractor is now removing all of the remaining panels that are on the building.”

No one was injured in the three incidents. Falling pieces of glass cracked, but didn’t break, five large sections of the glass awning that covers the sidewalk outside the hotel entrance. A car was slightly damaged in the July incident, Trodd said.

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by | September 1, 2011 · 5:27 am

Hospitality Industry Employee Risks: Utah Hotels Report Layoffs After U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement (ICE) Audits Find Insufficient "Validations To Work"

 “Responsible employers who seek to conduct their business lawfully are put at an unfair disadvantage as they try to compete with unscrupulous businesses. Such businesses gain a competitive edge by paying illegal alien workers low wages or otherwise exploiting them.”  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Some reports say 120 employees have been laid off at the Grand America Hotel after an audit report found several of their workers did not have current validation to work in the United States.

Hotel president Bruce Fery said in a statement Wednesday the Grand America is not alone and audits are being conducted statewide. He says that the employees that were found with invalid documentation had “presented facially valid documents when they were hired.”

The recent layoffs come as Utahns and local politicians are debating whether to allow undocumented workers to remain.

For more:  http://www.fox13now.com/news/local/kstu-grand-america-hotel-lays-off-workers-over-lack-of-work-documentation-20110831,0,3023635.story

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