"Hands Off, Pants On" When Guests Sexually Harass Your Hotel Employees
June 26, 2018 via ConvergeBlog
In an April 2016 survey of 400 Chicago-area women working at hotels, nearly 50 percent indicated that they have had a guest answer the door naked, expose themselves, or were otherwise flashed. Worse yet, 1 in 10 said they had been kissed, grabbed,
pinched, or groped by a guest. Hotel employees reported incidents in which they were assaulted, groped, propositioned, and shown sexually explicit materials when interacting with guests. These individuals and the unions that represent them insist that these survey results and anecdotal reports are not exaggerated and that sexual harassment by guests is a pervasive and significant problem.
Two major cities have responded by enacting ordinances to address the problem, while unions representing hotel employees have raised the issue in collective bargaining. But all hotels, regardless of location or whether they are unionized, should be concerned about the issue and would be wise to take steps to address it.
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The Not-So-Happy-Hour: Preparing For Investigations & Subpoenas In Light Of #MeToo & More
July 7, 2018 via ConvergeBlog
Based on these trends, we predict substantial increases in the number of individual employee claims and government-backed investigations over the next several years. And, we expect that the hospitality industry will be a prime target.
New Housekeeping Law Has Ramifications For Industry July 18, 2018 via Hotel News Now
As hotels throughout the United States continue to upgrade their rooms in order to improve the guest experience, the physical requirements for cleaning will only increase.
It’s important for hoteliers to be aware of the institutional issues that lead to harassment, as well as how they can best support employees who are victimized and report wrongdoing. Andria Ryan, partner at Fisher Phillips, a law firm
that specializes in workplace issues, says that in the 30 years she’s been practicing law, she’s never seen the needle move when it comes to reducing sexual harassment.
