BOARD ADVANCES PROTECTIONS FOR HOTEL WORKERS
August 8, 2023
Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Board of Supervisors approved a motion to create an ordinance to strengthen workplace safety and training for hotel workers in unincorporated Los Angeles County. The motion authored by Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Hilda L. Solis, requires the approximately 66 hotels in unincorporated communities to implement best practices to provide safer and more equitable working conditions.
“Hotel workers and housekeepers, who are largely women of color, fuel our economy through the essential services they provide, and they deserve to be safe and protected at work,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, Third District. “As hotel workers bravely strike for fair pay and better working conditions, this Board has an opportunity to implement best practice protections for unincorporated LA County that align with the broader region. Workload, training, and safety standards help prevent abuse and exploitation, and support the dignity of those who perform this hard and valuable work.”
Specifically, the draft ordinance will address safety concerns by:
- Mandating training and equipping hotel workers who work alone in guest rooms with personal security devices;
- Prohibiting employers from taking adverse action against employees who report threats or incidents of violence;
- Mandating reasonable workload;
- Forbidding employers from mandating working more than 10 hours a day unless the worker consents; and
- Providing training on hotel worker rights and best cleaning practices as well as training on best practices for identifying and responding to potential human trafficking, domestic violence or violence or threats.
“When hotels reopened after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we found that they were replacing senior staff with younger, entry-level staff,” said Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District. “That is why this Board took action immediately and implemented ordinances to protect older and more experienced workers—and now, as we consider the safety of people working in our hotels, we must once again implement protections for those most vulnerable. Other large jurisdictions have successfully implemented similar protections for hotel workers, and it is time for Los Angeles County to step up. I stand in solidarity with all the thousands of striking hotel workers calling for living wages, equitable benefits, and just working conditions.”
The ordinance will be modeled on those in West Hollywood, Santa Monica, and the City of Los Angeles.
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