Hotel Panic Buttons Protect Workers from Sexual Harassment

In the era of the #MeToo movement, hotel operators are taking steps to address the problem of sexual harassment faced by many hospitality workers in this country. Hotel and resort companies big and small are responding to the concerns of workers and union leadership to provide devices and training to protect employees. It has been a year since Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, Wyndham, and Hilton jointly announced an initiative to look into ways to respond to their workers’ sexual harassment concerns.

The prominent hotel heads released a statement laying out the intention to take the matter seriously, but to allow each company to address the issue individually. Different properties have different logistical challenges, making a one-size-fits-all solution ineffective. A city high-rise hotel faces different requirements and restraints than those of a roadside motel.

Personal Protective Devices

Options for personal protective devices for staff range from handheld panic buttons equipped with tracking to the ability to emit loud noises to fend off an attacker. Industry leaders insist that the initiative involves more than just whistles. Most employee safety devices implemented are small gadgets that workers wear on a lanyard around their neck or attach to a keychain they keep on their person.

Hotel union leaders note that most of these devices give off an alert, but they do not summon help. If such a feature were made available, endangered employees could notify property security or even police at the touch of a button. Safety advocates argue that the ability to call for help is a better way to keep employees safe than simply making noise, especially if there is no one nearby to hear it.

In the time since the announcement, 39 companies representing 5,000 U.S. hotels and resorts have joined the initiative, with an additional 15,000 properties slated to follow suit by 2020. Hotels in Chicago, New York, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. are required by law to provide handheld panic buttons to employees. Ballot initiatives throughout the county aim to make similar measures mandatory to protect hotel workers in other areas.

Cherry Hill Employment Lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. Represent Victims Suffering from Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Employers have a duty to provide workers with a safe and secure work environment. In that spirit, business owners must ensure that their valued workers are protected from sexual harassment and other forms of intimidation and distress. If you were the object of unwanted sexual attention in the workplace and your employer refuses to address the issue, you should contact the Cherry Hill employment lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. For a free consultation, contact us online or call us at 215-569-1999 today. Located in Pennsauken, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout South Jersey, including Haddonfield, Marlton, Moorestown, and Mount Laurel.