Category Archives: Training

by | August 8, 2013 · 5:50 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Solutions: Hotel, Restaurant Guests Will Soon “Check-In And Make Payments” Using Mobile Phones Offering “Secure Software Applications With Facial Recognition Technology”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OFaWQDg3_A]

Using the PayPal app for iOS, Windows Phone and Android, wallet-less shoppers can track down stores that accept PayPal’s “check in to pay” service. The customer then checks in to the shop where they need to make a payment, paying by sliding a pin down in the app. The shopper’s credentials then appear on the shopkeeper’s PayPal app, with the photo and name appearing to identify the person who has asked to make the payment, allowing the shopkeeper to then confirm the sale.

PayPal are trialling a new scheme in the Richmond shopping precint of London that will allow shoppers to have their PayPal payments confirmed by their profile pictures. The Richmond shops first to test out the new check-in service include Cook & Garcia, The Farmery, The Tea Box, The Bingham Hotel, Revolution, Caffé Paolo, The Cedar Coffee Shop, Urban Diner, Pier 1 Fish and Chips,  Noble Jones, Hill Café and Knot Coffee and Pretzel.

“PayPal first brought ‘pay by mobile’ to the UK high street two years ago,” said Rob Harper, Head of Retail Services at PayPal

“Through our Richmond initiative, we’re pleased to help local businesses of all sizes offer a new more personal experience, while never having to turn away customers who don’t have enough cash on them to pay. Now locals in Richmond can leave their wallet or purse at home and be the first in the country to use their profile picture to pay.

“This is another step on the journey towards a wallet-less high street, where customers will be able to leave their wallet or purse at home and pay using their phone or tablet. We predict that by 2016 this will become a reality.”

For more:  http://www.techdigest.tv/2013/08/paypal_to_let_y.html

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by | August 7, 2013 · 6:22 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Kansas Hotel Group Pays Fired Worker $22,000 In Back Pay And Damages; Filed “Whistleblower Complaint” After Raising Workplace Safety Issues

“…every employee has the right to raise workplace safety and health concerns without fear of retaliation or termination,” said Marthe Kent, OSHA’s New England regional administrator. “When employees are fearful or reluctant to raise these issues with their employers, hazardous conditions could go undetected until employees are injured or sickened…”

http://www.whistleblowers.gov/

http://www.whistleblowers.gov/

“…True North will immediately post the whistleblower fact sheet and OSHA poster, in English and Spanish, in conspicuous locations at all of its work premises nationwide, where they can be seen and read by all employees. It will also provide annual training on whistleblower rights and employer responsibilities to all managers and supervisors and provide training materials to all newly hired or promoted managers.”

As part of an enterprise wide settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor, True North Hotel Group Inc., a hotel management company based in Overland Park, Kan., will pay $22,225 in back wages and compensatory damages to a former employee who was terminated from a Massachusetts location after raising workplace safety concerns. The company will also educate all its managers and notify its employees nationwide about workers’ whistleblower rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act as administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

As the story goes, a worker at True North’s Devens Conference Center in Massachusetts was subjected to disciplinary action and then terminated in October 2011 after notifying superiors about safety concerns.

The worker then filed a whistleblower complaint with OSHA, which investigated and found merit to the complaint. True North has elected to settle the matter by taking corrective action.

For more:  http://www.workerscompensation.com/compnewsnetwork/workers-comp-blogwire/17206-hotel-management-co-settles-on-worker-safety-concerns.html

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Filed under Employment Practices Liability, Labor Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Training

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by | August 4, 2013 · 8:33 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Solutions: Hotels Must Increase “Value-Added Security Services” For Female Guests; $125 Billion Spent By Women On Travel

“…Women-young, old, single, married, widowed and gutsy are fueling an explosive growth in the travel industry. Estimates are that women will Hotel Safety Concerns For Female Travelersspend some $125 billion on travel in the next year.” With such staggering projected growth, it is exponentially beneficial for hotels to cater specifically to this market. More importantly, catering to this trend is necessary to remain competitive in the market, and a quintessential underlying value of all lodging establishments: safety for its guests with special attention to female travelers…”

Here are several security tips for hoteliers that will be perceived as value-added and appreciated services by female travelers. These suggestions from a hotel expert prospective to bolster the security for female guests include:

  • When female guests are checking into the hotel, the front desk staff should not call out her name or room number as a precaution.
  • Bellhops and front desk staff should be encouraged to be honest with the female guests about night travel alone. In any case the guest insists on leaving, the hotel should provide them with access to reliable transportation service that is trusted by the hotel agency.
  • Hoteliers should suggest rooms that are closer to the elevators to prevent women from walking down long halls or corridors. Women should be given rooms that are not on the first floor with a window or sliding glass door.
  • Place a card in each guest’s room with safety tips, like “Never place your room key card down unattended. If you do notice that the card is missing, you should contact the front desk immediately.” This is a very inexpensive way to inform women travelers that the hotel is focused on their security.
  • For the safety of your establishment, discourage employees from fraternizing with guests. This opens a huge door for liability lawsuits, and it is just not professional.
  • If the hotel doesn’t have valet service, female guests should be escorted to their vehicle, especially at night. The kind gesture will be appreciated and offer the female guest an added level of security. Additionally, it will add a significant amount of value to her stay with the hotel.
  • When a female guest checks-in, the bellhop should perform a brief security check of the room with the female guest standing in the doorway or where she feels comfortable. This quick check includes testing the windows to make sure they are locked and an explanation of the emergency exits and how to contact the hotel staff for help.

For more:  http://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=46609

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by | July 29, 2013 · 6:24 am

Hospitality Industry Pool Safety: “The Model Aquatic Health Code: Making Swimming Healthy And Safe”

Model Aquatic Health Code CDC-page-001

Model Aquatic Health Code CDC-page-002

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Filed under Guest Issues, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Pool And Spa, Risk Management, Training

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by | July 25, 2013 · 1:46 am

P3 Hospitality Industry Risk Report: “Globally Harmonized System (GHS)” By Petra Risk Solutions’ Director Of Risk Management Todd Seiders, CLSD

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/68627105]

P3Petra Risk Solutions’ Director Of Risk Management, Todd Seiders, CLSD , offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Update – ‘Globally Harmonized System (GHS)’.

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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Filed under Guest Issues, Health, Injuries, Insurance, Labor Issues, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Training

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by | July 24, 2013 · 5:37 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: North Carolina Hotel Group Settles “Religious Discrimination” Lawsuit With EEOC For $45,000; Refused To Provide “Religious Accomodation” To Employee

“…The EEOC’s suit charged that the hotel group refused to provide Claudia Neal, a Seventh-Day Adventist, with a religious accommodation of not having to work on her Sabbath, which is from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday.  Neal began EEOCworking at the hotel in May 2009.  Initially, Neal’s request not to work on her Sabbath was honored.  However, a change in management occurred in October 2010, and in November of that year, the hotel group refused to provide her with a religious accommodation, and fired her…”

A hotel group which owns and operates the Comfort Inn Oceanfront South in Nags Head, N.C., has agreed to pay $45,000 and provide substantial additional relief to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on religion.  The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Eastern Division (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Landmark Hotel Group, LLC d/b/a Comfort Inn Oceanfront South; Dare Hospitality, LLC d/b/a Comfort Inn Oceanfront South; Jain and Associates, LP d/b/a Comfort Inn Oceanfront South; and JRS Partners, LLC d/b/a Comfort Inn Oceanfront South; Civil Action No. 4:12-cv-158) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

In addition to providing monetary relief to Neal, the hotel group will implement policies designed to prevent religious discrimination and conduct training on anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation laws.  The hotel group will also provide reports to the EEOC regarding future requests for religious accommodation.

“Employers need to understand their obligation to balance the conduct of their business with employees’ needs and rights to practice their religion,” said Lynette A. Barnes, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Charlotte District Office. “Where there is minimal impact on the business, those religious needs must be accommodated.  No person should ever be forced to choose between her religion and her job.”

For more:  http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/7-23-13.cfm

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Filed under Employment Practices Liability, Labor Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Training

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by | July 18, 2013 · 5:57 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Solutions: Hotels And Restaurants With Ten Or More Employees Must Maintain A Written “Fire Prevention Plan” That Complies With OSHA Standards

OSHA Emergency Exit Route Facts-page-001

OSHA Fire Prevention Plan

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Filed under Fire, Guest Issues, Health, Injuries, Labor Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Risk Management, Training

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by | July 9, 2013 · 5:28 am

Hospitality Industry Insurance And Legal Solutions: “Live Webinar” On “Lodging And The ADA” Presented By HospitalityLawyer.com On July 17

HospitalityLawyer Lodging and the ADA WebinarHospitalityLawyer Lodging and the ADA Webinar 2HospitalityLawyer Lodging and the ADA Webinar 3

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by | July 2, 2013 · 1:07 am

P3 Hospitality Industry Risk Report: “Hospitality Hoaxes And Scams” By Petra Risk Solutions’ Director Of Risk Management Todd Seiders, CLSD

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/52048409]

P3Petra Risk Solutions’ Director Of Risk Management, Todd Seiders, CLSD , offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Update – ‘Hospitality Hoaxes And Scams’.

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.

Comments Off on P3 Hospitality Industry Risk Report: “Hospitality Hoaxes And Scams” By Petra Risk Solutions’ Director Of Risk Management Todd Seiders, CLSD

Filed under Guest Issues, Injuries, Labor Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Training

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by | July 1, 2013 · 12:08 pm

Hospitality Industry Insurance Solutions: “HospitalityLawyer.com” Presents “Live Webinar” On “The Healthcare Act” On July 10

HospitalityLawyer Live Webinar July 10 Healthcare Act

HospitalityLawyer Live Webinar July 10 Healthcare Act page 2

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