Author Archives: Ida

by | June 27, 2013 · 6:25 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Massachusetts Restaurant Faces “Disabilities Lawsuit” After Terminating Employee With Cystic Fibrosis

“…(the plaintiff) claims she told her boss on March 28, 2012, that she would be late for work the Hospitality Industry ADA Lawsuitsfollowing day since “a nurse would be coming to her house to draw blood to check her medication levels.”…That was the first time Connell had mentioned her cystic fibrosis to any of her supervisors, the lawsuit says. It does state, though, that a manager overseeing her was aware of her cystic fibrosis and was encouraged to keep that information private…”

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. was sued on Monday by a former employee claiming the company violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1991. According to the Boston Business Journal, the plaintiff, Amanda Connell, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. Connell has cystic fibrosis and was hired to work for the company in December 2011. She worked as a crew member at the Franklin, Mass., location.

When she showed up for work on March 29, 2012, with a shunt showing partly in her arm — it was for a “peripherally inserted central catheter” — the suit says she was questioned by her boss and another manager. Connell explained that it was “for the treatment of lung disease.”

According to the suit, Connell was terminated from her job at Chipotle Mexican grill the next day.

The company has declined to comment on the incident with a spokesman saying they will not speak, pending legal action.

For more:  http://www.ibtimes.com/former-employee-sues-chipotle-after-she-says-she-was-fired-having-cystic-fibrosis-1324995

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by | June 25, 2013 · 7:02 am

Hospitality Industry Health Insurance: Restaurant Industry Continues To Assess Options, Costs Of Implementing “2010 Affordable Care Act” Next January; #1 Issue For Small Businesses

“…restaurants employ roughly 10 percent of the workforce both in Georgia and nationwide. While many dining establishments have fewer than health insurance national50 employees and therefore won’t be subject to the mandate, others will be affected…the cost of health insurance has been the No. 1 issue facing small businesses, according to surveys by the National Federation of Independent Business…(margins) are so thin, there’s only X amount of dollars…(if health insurance was affordable) you’d have everybody insured.”

Steve Simon is co-founder of Fifth Group Restaurants, which operates seven restaurants and other businesses in the Atlanta area, employing more than 500 people. Currently, Fifth Group offers health insurance to its managers only.

But under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, when it is fully implemented next January, a business with 50 or more full-time workers must offer all employees working at least 30 hours a week a health plan that’s considered “affordable.” If it doesn’t, the business must pay a penalty.

Despite all the concern in the industry, some restaurant operators say the law’s impact may not be as great as originally feared. They cite the fact that to count as affordable coverage under the law –– thus escaping the penalty –– a business can charge workers up to 9.5 percent of their annual wages to pay for insurance. So if a worker is making $30,000 a year, the business can set his or her share of the premium at $2,850 annually, or $237.50 per month.

The restaurant owners say many workers will avoid such premiums by going without coverage, choosing instead to pay the ACA’s penalty of $95 for uninsured individuals.

For more:  http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/health/2013-06-24/restaurant-industry-nervously-eyes-aca-s-changes-insurance-rules?v=1372103979

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by | June 24, 2013 · 6:27 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Georgia Restaurant Propane Gas Line Explodes Severely Damaging Building’s Interior And Roof; Five People Injured

“…workers installing a new air conditioning unit Saturday smelled gas and shut the propane line off at the building in Lake Park. When the line Restaurant Gas Explosion Riskswas turned back on, it exploded and destroyed the building’s roof and one of its walls…”

Authorities in Lowndes County say a propane explosion at a restaurant left five people injured and caused severe damage to the building.

Fire Chief Richard Guyton says between 80 and 85 percent of the building’s interior was damaged. Four employees and a customer were injured and information on their conditions wasn’t immediately available. Witnesses said some of the victims suffered cuts from falling ceiling tiles.

Lake Park is about 15 miles south of Valdosta.

For more:  http://www.11alive.com/news/article/296578/3/5-hurt-in-south-Ga-restaurant-explosion

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by | June 23, 2013 · 1:17 pm

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Texas Restaurant Fire Caused By “Stove Left Burning After Closing”; $10,000 In Smoke And Water Damage

Restaurant Fire Risks“…Fire officials (reported) the restaurant manager had closed up for the evening but forgot to turn off the stove. The fire caused about $10,000 in smoke and water damage to the building…”

Firefighters rushed to save a popular barbecue restaurant on the Northwest side late Saturday.
A fire broke out at the Bill Miller Bar-B-Q Restaurant in the 3200 block of Fredericksburg Road at 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

The stove caught fire but firefighters were able to quickly put out the blaze. The fire caused about $10,000 in smoke and water damage to the building.

For more:  http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Stove-sparks-fire-at-Bill-Miller-Restaurant/e0rTKN6bt0OHcOcpHKpAgg.cspx

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by | June 22, 2013 · 8:38 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Risks: “Safety And Health Among Hotel Cleaners” Report From CDC And National Institute For Occupational Safety And Health (NIOSH)

CDC Hotel Safety and Health Among Hotel Cleaners

CDC Hotel Safety

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by | June 21, 2013 · 6:26 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: South Carolina Hotel And Manager Sued For “Sexual Harassment”; Created “Hostile Environment”, Failed To Discipline

“…(the plaintiffs) claim Charleston Plaza “woefully failed in its duty” to provide a non-hostile and productive work environment free from Hospitality Industry Harassment Lawsuitssexual harassment by failing to discipline, monitor or take appropriate action against Lewis when it first learned of his sexual harassment…Charleston Plaza failed in its duty to exercise reasonable care in supervising the employment of Lewis and by failing to act in a reasonable manner to prevent subsequent tortious conduct from occurring; failed to make clear to its employees that the company took its sexual harassment policy seriously; and negligently, recklessly and intentionally retained Lewis as an employee and exposed (plaintiffs) to Lewis’ offensive conduct, according to the suits…”

Two women say their former employer caused a hostile work environment and caused them damages. Penta Charleston B LLC, which is doing business as Charleston Plaza Hotel, and Andrew Lewis were named as defendants in the suit.

From 2011 to 2012, Lewis created a hostile work environment by making grabbing Cassandra Chapman and Marie Foster in front of hotel guests’ making lewd and sexual comments  about guests and co-workers; and making racial comments about African-American co-workers, according to a complaint filed May 30 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Chapman and Foster claim they continually expressed to the district manager that Lewis’ sexual comments were unwelcome and unwanted and that his abusive conduct was interfering with their ability to adequately perform their jobs.

For more:  http://wvrecord.com/news/260766-women-say-charleston-plaza-hotel-is-a-hostile-work-environment

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by | June 20, 2013 · 6:24 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Pennsylvania Restaurant Manager Indicted For Stealing $75,000 Through “Fraudulent Transactions”

“…(the former manager) allegedly stole the money through “fraudulent transactions at the restaurant,” which may have fueled his gambling, hospitality industry employee theftstate police spokesman Lt. Stephen Jones said in September…(the owner) reported the thefts the same month Suozzo was arrested, according to court documents.   It was not clear how he discovered the alleged crime had taken place…”

A former manager at a White Township restaurant and golf club was indicted today on a theft charge after he allegedly stole more than $75,000 from his employer to fund a gambling habit. A Warren County grand jury returned an indictment today against James Suozzo, 56, of Route 57 in Franklin Township, on a theft charge.

At the time of his arrest in September, New Jersey State Police said Suozzo stole tens of thousands of dollars from Top of the Green Restaurant at Apple Mountain Golf Club while working as a restaurant and banquet manager. The investigation revealed Suozzo stole from April 2009 to June 4, 2011, court documents said.

Kiszonak did confirm Suozzo was fired.

For more:  http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/express-times/index.ssf/2013/06/former_top_of_green_resturant.html

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by | June 19, 2013 · 1:35 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Risks: Pennsylvania Hotel Employee Injured And Property Evacuated When Pool Chlorine Tablet Feeder Explodes

“…the hotel’s general manager says an employee suffered minor injuries when the equipment that feeds chlorine tablets to the pool exploded. He Hotel Pool Chemical Riskswas taken to a hospital…The hotel was evacuated when fire crews got on scene, including about 10 guest rooms and 15 employees…”

An explosion at a hotel in Clinton County forced some guests from their rooms Tuesday morning. It happened around 9:30 a.m. at the Comfort Inn near Lamar. The building was evacuated as a precaution and fans were used to air out the hotel. By 11 a.m., business was back to normal.

Emergency officials say chlorine can be deadly but in this instance, the chlorine tablets are commonly used for swimming pools and don’t pose serious risks.

For more:  http://wnep.com/2013/06/18/hotel-cleared-out-after-chlorine-incident/

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by | June 18, 2013 · 10:14 am

P3 Hospitality Industry Risk Report: “Hotel Pool Preparation, Maintenance And Checklist” By Petra Risk Solutions’ Risk Manager Joe Fisco, CLSD (Video)

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/52436189]

P3Petra Risk Solutions’ Risk Manager, Joe Fisco, CLSD , offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Update – ‘Hotel Pool Preparation, Maintenance And Checklist’.

P3 (Petra Plus Process) is the Risk Management Division of Petra Risk Solutions – America’s largest independent insurance brokerage devoted exclusively to the hospitality marketplace.

For more information on Petra and P3 visit petrarisksolutions.com or call 800.466.8951.

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by | June 17, 2013 · 10:16 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: North Carolina Hotel “Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Deaths” Tied To 2006 “Unpermitted Pool Water Heater” Replacement, Poor Ventilation System

“…the hotel, which was originally built in 2000, never applied for a permit, nor did they seek an inspection of the new pool water heater…State Hotel Carbon Monoxide Deathslaw requires a permit if businesses perform any alteration to indoor plumbing or heating…An 11-year-old Rock Hill boy died in room 225 at the Best Western Plus in Boone in early June. The toxicology report states the concentration of carbon monoxide in his blood was greater than 60-percent…An elderly couple staying in the same room died in April of carbon monoxide poisoning…”

Authorities in Boone say the Best Western Plus replaced the pool’s water heater without applying for a permit or requesting an inspection. The town of Boone Planning and Inspection Department says the Best Western Plus, the hotel where three people died of carbon monoxide poisoning, replaced the pool water heater in 2006.

The Planning and Inspection Department says the town is discussing having the fire department check all area hotels to ensure there are no other pool water heaters that have been replaced without their knowledge. Officials say this will be implemented in the near future.

Room 225 is directly above a storage room where pool chemicals are housed, and the pool’s water heating system lives. Authorities have blamed deficiencies in the natural gas water heater and the storage room’s ventilation system for the poisonous gas seeping into the guestroom directly above.

For more:  http://www.wcnc.com/news/business/No-permit-no-inspection-after-installing-new-hotel-water-heater-211841721.html

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