Tag Archives: Hotel Employees

by | April 5, 2013 · 6:42 am

Hospitality Industry Employment Solutions: Hotel Owners Must Utilize “Modern Technology And Processes” To Increase Positive Working Atmosphere For “Back Of House Employees”

“…modern technology that maximizes efficiency is lending a hand to the process of putting employees in a positive state of mind…take good care of the staff and they’ll return the favor to the guests…Placing the newest technology in the back of house at any resort is just as important as using it for guestrooms and amenities…”

Hotel Employee SatisfactionAny customer-centric business is only as good as its weakest link. Money spent on a strong back of house will surely pay dividends. It’s crucial for the back of house at a resort to create a pleasant, efficient atmosphere for the employees which, in turn, influences the service they provide to guests and increases productivity.

At Revel, the new $2.4-billion luxury property in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the back of house is as nice as the guest amenities at many resorts. With more than 1,800 rooms, 10 swimming pools, 14 restaurants and more than 4,000 employees, having an efficient, enthusiastic and motivated staff is critical for Revel.

  • Efficient elevators At Revel, the elevators are reminiscent of Disney World. You walk to where you need to go, leave the wardrobe area and then magically appear somewhere else. The elevators were designed to be fast. By combining group dispatching with directed elevator shafts and proper speed settings, it’s easy to get employees where they need to be without delay. The employee elevators at Revel move with efficiency and on multiple tracks, so employees aren’t stuck wasting time traveling from location to location. Instead, the speed instills a sense of energy that’s designed to prepare the staff on a positive note.
  • Wardrobe conveyor systems Elevators aren’t the only technological advancements. Employees never have to worry about misplaced work uniforms, having to press their uniform or leaving a piece behind accidentally. Meet Revel’s wardrobe process and conveyor systems. Each employee is provided three uniforms (one to wear, one as a backup and one that is being laundered).
  • Touchdown stations Employees can check email and message people from touchdown stations. These stations enable employees to stay in touch with the outside world while at work and when it’s appropriate. Additionally, they can use the touchdown stations to get the latest information on the events in the hotel and other information that prepares them to be a resource for any guest.
  • Communications Instant communication is a major part of today’s customer service. By communicating through cell phones—sometimes provided by employers—supervisors have quick and easy ways to relate situations to all needed members of staff. Immediate response better serves the guest.
  • Efficient food services When employees have to leave work for lunch or worry about paying for food, their attitude on the job can be affected. By providing employees with a hassle-free way to get their meals in a relaxing and calm environment, they can focus on the job at hand. Quick meals, such as muffins and coffee in the morning and sandwiches and sodas at lunch, are readily available in the employee dining room. This is particularly important for 15-minute mid-shift breaks. Employees are provided access to upscale dining with multiple choices that are available 24 /7.

For more:  http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/10237/Back-of-house-technology-makes-staff-happier

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by | April 4, 2013 · 5:49 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Washington Hotel Manager And Staff Assist In Arrest Of “Identity Theft Ring”; Forged ID Cards, Computers And Printers Discovered In Room

“…the hotel manager called the police to report suspicious men who had booked a room. As he was talking to officers, the identity theftsuspects ran out a back door of the hotel and left in a vehicle…the manager called back to report that his staff found “suspicious computer equipment” and documents strewn about a room they had been scheduled to clean. Detectives served a search warrant on the room…three suspects returned to the hotel that night to get the items they left in the room and were arrested…”

Mukilteo police arrested three men on Thursday in connection with an identity-theft ring after hotel cleaning staff found a room full of forged IDs and the equipment to manufacture them. The room at the hotel in the 8500 block of the Mukilteo Speedway was filled with computers, printers, mail and paperwork that didn’t belong to anyone registered for the room, said Cheol Kang, spokesperson for the Mukilteo Police Department.

A search warrant also recovered numerous ID cards with different names but the same photo of one of the men, as well as a printer with pages of blank check paper.

A 32-year-old from Lake Stevens, a 31-year-old from Renton and a 28-year-old from Everett were booked into Snohomish County Jail for investigation of financial fraud and forgery. Kang said the three men were already under investigation by other law-enforcement agencies for identity theft, fraud and other financial crimes.

For more:  http://mukilteobeacon.villagesoup.com/p/identity-theft-ring-busted/983738

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by | March 13, 2013 · 6:31 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Hotel And Restaurant Employees Subjected To “Conditions Or Actions Intended To Humiliate, Harass Or Destroy Career” File “Constructive Discharge Lawsuits”

“…the intolerable or aggravated category (of constructive discharge) are actions intended to humiliate (e.g., demoting a vice president to janitor overnight); actions intended to harass (e.g., requiring a black employee to Hospitality Industry Termination Lawsuitswork extra hours for the same pay as white co-workers and punch a clock while others do not); actions intended to destroy the employee’s career or guarantee job loss (e.g., sudden, unexplained drops in performance ratings, skipped promotions, forced demotions, pay cuts)…”

Here’s how one state supreme court defined constructive discharge: “An employee who is forced to resign due to actions and conditions so intolerable or aggravated at the time of his resignation that a reasonable person in the employee’s position would have resigned, and whose employer had actual or constructive knowledge of the intolerable actions and conditions and of their impact on the employee and could have remedied the situation, but did not, is constructively discharged.”

Factors that may contribute to a constructive discharge claim—either singly or in combination—include whether an employee suffered:

  • a demotion
  • reduction in salary
  • reduction in job responsibilities
  • reassignment to menial or degrading work
  • reassignment to work under a younger supervisor
  • involuntary transfer to a less desirable position
  • badgering, harassment or humiliation by the employer
  • offers of early retirement or encouragement to retire
  • offers of continued employment on terms less favorable than the employee’s former status
  • a threat of violence or actual physical assault
  • a threat of termination

For more:  http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/glp/43084/Termination-Guidelines.html

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by | February 6, 2013 · 8:11 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Louisiana Hotel Sued By Lobby Concierge For “Age Discrimination”

“…she was terminated in June 2012 from her position as a lobby concierge. At the time of her termination, she Hospitality Industry Lawsuitwas 53 years old…the plaintiff is asking for an award of damages for loss of pay, pain and suffering, mental anguish and distress, medical expenses, interest, and attorney’s fees…”

A former Ritz-Carlton concierge has filed an age discrimination lawsuit claiming she was terminated from her position due to her age and not because she left her shift two hours earlier than scheduled. Claudette Breve filed suit against The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. on Jan. 11 in federal court in New Orleans.

Breve began working at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans in February 1998 and transferred to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in September  2000.

According to the court record, the defendant states it terminated Breve from her position because she violated hotel policies by leaving work early without the authorization of her supervisor. In response, Breve admits she left her shift early and states that she had arranged for another concierge to cover her shift. The other concierge failed to complete Breve’s shift and the replacement concierge arrived late for a shift. Breve and the person she arranged to complete her shift were fired over the incident, court documents state.

The defendant is accused violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

For more:  http://louisianarecord.com/news/248884-ritz-carlton-concierge-files-age-discrimination-lawsuit-after-termination

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by | February 4, 2013 · 10:16 am

Hospitality Industry Business Risks: Hotel And Restaurant Companies Must Make Plans For “Natural Disasters” That Comply With Federal Employment And Safety Laws

“…Employers only have to pay em­­ployees for hours actually worked, unless they have a collective bargaining agreement or contractual arrangement that says otherwise. Normally, employees are not entitled to pay for Coastal Floodingwork that was scheduled, but did not occur because of the disaster…Floods and other natural disasters may bring allergens and pollutants to the workplace, triggering possible ADA accommodations. Employees may need time off under the FMLA…”

When Hurricane Sandy roared up the East Coast in October, it brought immense destruction to heavily populated areas. Similarly, the June 2012 derecho storm that tore through the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic produced destructive winds and at least one tornado. People in the Midwest and the South are still dealing with prolonged drought.

All brought business to at least a temporary standstill. Employers must be prepared for a variety of disaster scenarios. And while they focus on getting up and running again, they must still comply with federal em­­ploy­­ment laws.

THE LAW: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets strict wage-and-hour requirements for paying employees—regardless of how high the water rises. Floods and other natural disasters may bring allergens and pollutants to the workplace, triggering possible ADA accommodations. Employees may need time off under the FMLA.

Employers that must clean up their facilities may face hazards requiring worker protections under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

WHAT’S NEW: In the wake of Hur­­ricane Sandy, the U.S. Depart­­ment of Labor has launched a disaster pre­­paredness page with guidance and contact information for both employers and employees.

Additionally, OSHA provides count­­less resources on handling flood and cleanup hazards in its Fact Sheet on Natural Disaster Recovery.

HOW TO COMPLY: Employers must deal with two very practical matters in the aftermath of a natural disaster: workplace cleanup and paying workers. Federal law affects both.

Cleaning up

A major disaster changes the workplace’s entire environment. Power may be out, gas lines may have ruptured, overhead electrical wires may be dangling. All can be deadly.

Cleanup is hard work. OSHA ad­­vises cleanup crews to use good lifting techniques and take frequent breaks. When lifting heavy objects, employees should work in teams so no one has to lift more than 50 pounds alone.

Make first aid kits readily available. Provide training so employees know how to prevent infection by cleaning and protecting cuts and abrasions. Pro­­tective clothing should include watertight boots with steel toes and insoles, long pants, safety glasses and a hard hat if there’s a danger of falling debris.

If cleanup crews encounter mold, they should wear respirators approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

When handling hazardous chemicals, employees must follow specific instructions for protective clothing.

When moving ladders or scaffolds, make sure employees know to watch for low-hanging power lines. When connecting generators to active power systems, instruct them to shut down and lock main breakers to prevent energizing outside power lines on which utility workers may be working. Have expert electricians inspect lines that are damaged or submerged.

Similarly, if anyone detects a gas leak, ensure they know to evacuate the building and notify utility crews.

FLSA issues

Natural disasters can wreak havoc on payroll operations. Maintain redundant systems to avoid losing payroll records and preserve the ability to issue paychecks. Many payroll companies offer cloud or offsite storage of wage-and-hour data so even if your facility is damaged or destroyed, existing payroll information is preserved.

Generally, employers must meet regularly scheduled paydays, but disasters have a way of upsetting normal routines. Employers that anticipate having difficulty meeting payroll should contact the DOL’s Wage and Hour Divi­­sion at (866) 4USWAGE (487-9243) for guidance.

For more:  http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/34280/disaster-averted-make-emergency-preparedness-part-of-your-job

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by | February 1, 2013 · 7:45 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: New York Hotel Settles Federal Class-Action Lawsuit For $550,000; “Service And Grutuity Charge” Not Paid To Workers

“…alleged that guests were not told that service charge was part of their bills. The amount of charge varied, depending on the service…in the dining room, standard meals were charged at a certain amount per diner Hospitality Industry Class Action Lawsuitswhether it was $5 or $8 or whatever, per meal, and also that the lodging charges were per night…”

Leatherstocking Corp., owner of the Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, has agreed to pay a $550,000 settlement in a federal class-action lawsuit brought by service workers, largely over the distribution of service-charge proceeds. The workers alleged in the suit filed in Albany in 2010 that the hotel’s actions violated New York labor law the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

The lawsuit also alleged violations of overtime and minimum-wage standards, but the bulk of the case focused on a “service/gratuity” charge that the hotel charged guests and restaurant patrons, according to court papers.

According to court documents, the hotel insisted that it properly distributed all of the service-charge money to employees. The dispute centered on which employees were paid, according to the documents.

The plaintiffs contended that management employees who were not legally entitled to a share of the payments nonetheless received them, while the hotel countered that that all of the people it paid were entitled to a share of the money.

For more:  http://thedailystar.com/localnews/x1746084500/Otesaga-pays-550-000-to-settle-lawsuit

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by | January 24, 2013 · 8:28 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Risks: Alabama Hotel Sued By Guest Trapped In Elevator; “Sustained Injuries During Escape From Broken Machinery”

“…(plaintiff) and several others became entrapped in the hotel’s elevator…(she claimed) the hotel didn’t respond to the emergency call which resulted in two male guests in the elevator prying the door open and Hotel Elevator Accidentcreating an opening to escape…hotel administrators pulled King by the legs through the opening resulting in her falling and suffering physical injuries…”

An Alabama resident is suing a local Marriott-owned hotel after allegedly being trapped in an elevator and sustaining injuries during an escape from the broken machinery. Maureen A. King filed a lawsuit against Marriott Hotel Services, Inc., Renaissance Hotel Management Company, LLC, Renaissance Hotel Operating Company, Sodexo, Inc. and John Doe in the Orleans Parish Central District Court.

The defendant is accused of failing to respond to the emergency elevator alarm, pulling petitioner from the elevator and causing her to fall and failing to seek emergency assistance.

An unspecified amount is sought for past medical expenses, future medical expenses, past lost wages, future lost wages, pain and suffering and mental anguish.

For more:  http://louisianarecord.com/news/248516-renaissance-pere-marquette-hotel-blamed-for-injuries-sustained-by-guest-stuck-in-elevator

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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 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 2, 2013 · 8:35 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: California Hotel Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Over “Fixed Percentage Withholdings” From Room Service Tips; Violation Of California Labor Law

“…(plaintiff) claims the hotel pools the tips of its room service delivery staff and withholds a fixed percentage of them…the withholdings, which have been standard policy since at least 2003, violate California labor Hospitality Industry Class Action Lawsuitslaw…he seeks compensatory and exemplary damages for unfair competition, conversion and money had and received…”

Hyatt Hotels and the Manchester Financial Group steal workers’ tips to cover “glass breakage,” whether employees have broken any glasses or not, a class action claims in Superior Court. Former room service delivery worker Leonardo Acosta sued Host Hotels and Resorts, Manchester Financial Group and Hyatt Hotels Corp.

“Hyatt and the other defendants maintain that the monies are withheld pursuant to Hyatt’s policy of reimbursing themselves for purported ‘glass breakage.’ The same percentage of gratuities was withheld from all room service delivery workers in plaintiffs’ tip pool, without regard to the amount of breakage, if any, during any pay period.

The same percentage of gratuities was withheld from all room service delivery workers in plaintiffs’ tip pool, without regard to whether any purported breakage was caused by any dishonest or willful act, or by the gross negligence of any employee … [and] without regard to the individual, if any, responsible for the alleged breakage,” Acosta claims.

For more:  http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/01/02/53536.htm

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