Monthly Archives: January 2013

by | January 21, 2013 · 7:25 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: New Jersey Restaurant Fire Starts In Basement, Causing Heavy Interior Damage; Renovation “Crawl Spaces And Voids” Help Flames Spread

“…the structure had been renovated a number of times, creating created many crawl spaces and voids thorough which the flames spread. That made it difficult for firefighters to put out the fire…the fire appeared Restaurant Fireto have started near a storage room in the basement, burning through the first floor and then extending to the attic…”

A Goffle Road restaurant may be temporarily shuttered after a three-alarm fire spread from the basement to the attic early Sunday morning, causing significant damage to the interior, the borough’s fire chief said. Local volunteer firefighters rushed to La Cantina Restaurant shortly after 12:40 a.m. on Sunday, after a passerby walked into Engine Company No. 3 and told them that the restaurant was on fire, Fire Chief Joseph Speranza said.

About 30 to 35 firefighters responded to the Mexican restaurant — less than a quarter mile from the firehouse — to find heavy smoke coming from the building, Speranza said.

Firefighters battled the main blaze for about an hour and forty-five minutes, but spent a good portion of the morning chasing hot spots, he said.

For more:  http://www.northjersey.com/hawthorne/La_Cantina_Restaurant_in_Hawthorne_might_be_temporarily_shuttered_after_fire.html

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by | January 20, 2013 · 8:52 am

Hospitality Industry Employment Risks: Hotels And Restaurants Providing “Paid Sick Leave” Benefits Reduce Employee Illnesses, Work-Related Injuries And Turnover According To Latest Studies

“…it (is) better for an employee to call in sick, take care of their illness and not contaminate the other staff. The number of employees struggling to work while sick was drastically reduced. The H1N1 virus in 2009 Paid Sick Leave In Hospitality Industrydemonstrated the value of keeping sick employees out of the workplace…And best of all, according to the Centers for Disease Control, workers with paid sick leave are 28 percent less likely to suffer work-related injuries. People in construction, restaurants or hospitals who do physically demanding jobs are more likely to injure themselves (or someone else) if they are working while sick, weak and fatigued…”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us that 39 percent of people employed in private industry do not have paid sick leave as a benefit.

And 81 percent of service workers earning $10.50 or less have no paid sick leave. These are the people behind the cash register, serving you food in a restaurant, cleaning offices and hotel rooms and handing you your ticket when you go out to see a movie.

The information comes from studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Women’s Institute of Policy Research study of San Francisco’s paid sick leave ordinance. Before San Francisco enacted its ordinance in 2007, the restaurants and mom-and-pop businesses fought hard to prevent it. They predicted the cost of paid sick days would put them out of business. In 2011 a detailed study was done and employers are happy their fears were not realized. There was no discernible increase in payroll costs.

Turnover decreased because employees didn’t need to change jobs to get paid sick leave. The city ordinance requiring paid sick leave leveled the field for all employers, and good employees stayed in place longer.

For more:  http://union-bulletin.com/news/2013/jan/19/sick-pay-benefits-employers-bottom-lines/

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by | January 19, 2013 · 8:17 am

Hospitality Industry Employment Risks: Wisconsin Restaurant Settles EEOC “Sexual Harassment And Retaliation Lawsuit” For $41,000; Companies Must Take “Immediate And Effective Action To Stop It”

“The Supreme Court has held that when an employer learns of sexual harassment, it must take immediate and effective action to stop it…Employers who don’t protect their workers should know that the federal EEOCgovernment will enforce the national policy against sexual abuse in the workplace…retaliation complaints have been the fastest-increasing type of complaint filed with the EEOC over the past 10 years…”

A Merrill, Wis., restaurant will pay $41,000 and furnish other relief  under a consent decree entered by the federal court in a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

According to the EEOC’s suit (EEOC and Sherry L. Brown v. Merrill Pine Ridge LLC, et al., No. 3:11-cv-589), one of the cooks at New Pine Ridge restaurant, Shahi N. Selmani, created a sexually hostile work environment when he repeatedly made crude remarks to waitresses and grabbed their breasts.  The EEOC alleged that, despite the women’s complaints, restaurant owner Qemal Alimi did not stop Selmani’s harassment and instead fired some of the waitresses in retaliation for their complaints.

Sexual harassment and retaliation for complaining about it violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The EEOC filed suit in August 2011 after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

Selmani did not stop working for the restaurant until months after criminal charges were filed against him.  Eventually he pled no contest on Dec. 9, 2010 in Lincoln County Circuit Court (Case Nos. 2009CM25 and 2009CM101) to having committed Class A misdemeanor battery against three waitresses.  Charges of fourth-degree sexual assault, bail jumping and disorderly conduct were dismissed but “read into” the record of his conviction.

For more:  http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/1-17-13a.cfm

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by | January 18, 2013 · 8:53 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Arkansas Hotel General Manager Arrested For “Promoting Prostitution At Property”; Rented Rooms Hourly To Accommodate Sex For Money

“…a serious crime because it’s such a spider web into other facets, robberies stem from this, assaults, rapes…Police say the activity not only violates state statutes regarding prostitution but violates the city’s Hotel Prostitution ringssexually oriented business ordinances…”

The general manager and employee of a Fort Smith hotel were arrested Tuesday (Jan. 15) for promoting prostitution in the business, according to police. A six-month investigation revealed general manager John Lee Rohlin, 42, and his employee Jonathan Richard Bean, 28, regularly rented rooms at the Season’s Inn on south Waldron to individuals by the hour to accommodate men and women engaging in sex for money, a police report states.

The arrests stunned guests Thursday afternoon. “It will be scary because it’s something illegal you know,” said Monsour Alhussain, a hotel guest. A confidential informant tipped off the police about the prostitution in June, according to police.

Both men were booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center and released on $1,500 bonds.

For more:  http://5newsonline.com/2013/01/17/hotel-employees-arrested-on-promoting-prostitution-charge/

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by | January 17, 2013 · 10:06 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Michigan Motel Fire Starts In Bathroom Fan And Results In “Complete Loss” To Building

“…it appears the fire started in a bathroom fan on the motel’s second floor, although a direct cause wasn’t immediately identified…(firefighters) made an initial handline attack and were able to stop it from spreading Motel Firesouth, but the fire did come around and spread indoors through the additional building…”

A metro Detroit motel that has been around since the 1960s is now a complete loss after fire tore through the building early Thursday morning. WWJ’s Ron Dewey reports the fire broke out around 2 a.m. at the Flamingo Motel on Groesbeck Highway in Fraser.

Firefighters from Fraser and Roseville responded and worked for about two hours before the fire was extinguished. Fraser Public Safety Lieutenant Dan Kolke said damage to the building is extensive.

All 10 of the motel’s occupants were able to get out safely and uninjured. Lilly Eilem said she saw the firetrucks outside her window, but didn’t put two and two together until she heard Meeks pounding on her door, telling her to get out.

Two firefighters were taken to the hospital for minor smoke inhalation.

For more:  http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/01/17/two-firefighters-injured-in-motel-fire/

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by | January 16, 2013 · 7:39 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: New York Restaurant Sued By Guest Who Choked On Fish Bone; Throat Surgery To Repair Perforated Trachea

“…She was brought to Lenox Hill Hospital, where she required surgery and a four day stay. Doctors found a Hospitality Industry Lawsuitmicro perforation of her trachea and she was unable to speak for two weeks after being discharged…”

An Upper East Side restaurant that specializes in serving fish is now choking on a lawsuit because of a tiny little bone that lodged in the throat of one of its customers. Claire Amiano, a Michael Kors specialist at Saks, is suing Fulton NYC, a fish restaurant on East 75th Street, saying that she needed emergency throat surgery in August 2012 because a filet of fish she ordered for dinner was not entirely deboned as promised.

Papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court say when Amiano started to choke, employees called 911 and offered her olive oil and bread to dislodge the bone.

Fulton is owned by Joseph Gurrera who founded the small local chain of Citarella stores which offer high end groceries. He also created Tutto Italiano, an Italian specialty shop.

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by | January 15, 2013 · 7:48 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Risks: California Hotel Faces “Negligence Lawsuit” Over Carbon Monoxide Leak From Hotel Pool Boiler

“…(the plaintiff) was a guest at the time of the evacuation, which was believed to be caused by a boiler leak…claims the hotel was not equipped with carbon monoxide detectors resulted in exposing paying guests to hotel Carbon Monoxide Poisoninghazardous levels of the gas… he’s claiming negligence and requesting the hotel cover costs of general damages, medical bills, potential loss of revenue and legal fees…”

A carbon monoxide leak that prompted the evacuation of the Embassy Suites San Francisco Airport hotel in Burlingame in November prompted a lawsuit from a guest who was staying at the hotel. On Friday, a lawsuit was filed against the hotel on behalf of Robert and Diane McNamara by San Francisco-based attorney Richard Schoenberger.

Firefighters were called to the hotel at 150 Anza Blvd. to test its air quality and evacuate guests around 1 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, according to news reports at the time.

The carbon monoxide was traced to a boiler that feeds the hotel pool and a spa, Central County Fire Chief Don Dornell said at the time. The unit was immediately shut down, and carbon monoxide levels dissipated, he said. At the time, it was reported that there were no injuries nor was treatment required of anyone. Guests were able to return to their rooms shortly after 5 a.m. Crews remained at the hotel monitoring the air throughout the morning.

For more:  http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=1761499&title=Carbon%20monoxide%20leak%20at%20hotel%20sparks%20lawsuit

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by | January 14, 2013 · 8:31 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Texas Restaurant “Natural Gas Fire” Caused By Faulty Water Heater; Damage Estimated At $15,000

“…When firefighters got to the scene, the cook there told them that he heard the hot water heater pop and Restaurant Firethat’s when they saw the fire… Crews immediately evacuated the restaurant and the surrounding businesses, but they also had to cut the gas off before they could put out the fire, which was located in the restaurant’s mechanical room…”

Fire officials said a hot water heater is to blame for a natural gas fire at a Chinese restaurant on the city’s northwest side. The fire broke out at about 4:18 p.m. Sunday afternoon at the Hunan Chinese Restaurant.

Fire officials said this natural gas fire caused about $15,000 worth of damage.

Nobody was hurt in the fire and the surrounding businesses opened back up later that Sunday.

For more:  http://www.ksat.com/news/Officials-Water-heater-causes-fire-at-Chinese-restaurant/-/478452/18116632/-/dt62eg/-/index.html

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by | January 13, 2013 · 8:00 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Massachusetts Motel Fire Starts In “Old Sauna Room” Used For Storage; “Extensive Smoke Damage” Estimated At $50,000 To Concrete Building

“…The fire started in an old sauna room on the first floor next to the main office…the room was being used by Motel Firethe owner for storage…several second-floor motel rooms received extensive smoke damage…”

The Travelodge on Rte. 9 in Natick was evacuated Saturday morning after a two-alarm blaze struck, forcing occupants outside and damaging several rooms. Fire Chief James Sheridan said the department responded to the 1350 Worcester St. motel after receiving multiple 911 calls for a fire beginning at 11:11 a.m.

Sheridan said the building was evacuated, as the first firefighters on the scene saw heavy smoke and fire. They aggressively suppressed the fire and knocked it down quickly.

Sheridan said the department struck a second alarm upon getting to the motel, with firefighters from Framingham and Wellesley covering the central station.

He estimated roughly $50,000 in damages to the concrete building. As of 1:30 p.m., the department was still cleaning up at the scene, he said.

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by | January 12, 2013 · 7:49 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Restaurant Franchisee Settles EEOC “Sexual Harassment And Retaliation Lawsuit” For $2.5 Million; Managers Made Working Conditions Intolerable

The EEOC’s suit charged that Carrols subjected a class of women – including many teenagers – to egregious sexual harassment at Burger King locations throughout the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast. EEOC alleged that the harassment, which ranged from obscene comments, jokes, and propositions to unwanted touching, EEOCexposure of genitalia, strip searches, stalking, and even rape, was perpetrated by managers in the majority of cases. According to the EEOC, Carrols also retaliated against some of the women by cutting their hours, manufacturing discipline against them, and even firing them, while it forced more women to quit because the harassment made their working conditions intolerable.

Carrols Corporation, the world’s largest Burger King franchisee, will pay $2.5 million and take significant remedial steps to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The lawsuit alleged discrimination against 89 female employees around the country, many of whom were teenagers when they worked for Carrols.

Sexual harassment and retaliation for complaining about it violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit (Civil Action No. 98-cv-01772 FWS/TWD in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York) after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement.

Under the terms of the publicly-filed consent decree resolving the case, Carrols will pay $2.5 million in compensatory damages and lost wages to the 89 victims. It also will implement a number of measures to increase employees’ awareness of Carrols’ anti-harassment policies and to improve Carrols’ response to complaints brought forward under those policies. Those measures include enhanced training for Carrols’ managers in preventing and responding to harassment; improved mechanisms for tracking harassment complaints; notices posted in all domestic Carrols Burger King locations informing employees about the lawsuit’s resolution and their rights under federal anti-discrimination laws; and an injunction prohibiting further harassment and retaliation.

For more: http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/1-9-13.cfm

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