The Hospitality Sector has many unique legal issues, and the number of crimes involving Hospitality Laws continues to rise. There were 2656 hotel crimes committed in New York in 2017 alone. Hotels and bars restaurants are the two most common sites of hospitality crimes. Legal issues in the hospitality sector most often involve the theft of guest property, the safety of a business’ staff, or failure to meet safety standards for the property.
Property Crimes Still Dominate the Hospitality Sector
The majority of hotel crimes are property related. Burglary and theft are the two most common crimes in hotels and most hospitality-based businesses. Hospitality businesses are expected to provide a safe environment to their clients. Many clients have begun seeking legal action not only against the thieves, but the service providers as well. Evidence suggests that this number is tied to poor security practices and that many property crimes could be avoided.
Security for Your Staff
Harassment and discrimination crimes continue to soar in the hospitality sector. One poll of 300 workers in the hospitality sector showed that 89% had been sexually harassed by guests or fellow employees at some point. Of those, around 56% said that the harassment came from a member of the public or a client. Staff safety and avoidance of bullying for physical and mental health reasons however, is a priority.
Furthermore, legal issues regarding tip pools and Fair Labor Management are expected to become an important topic soon. In countries like America and the UK, prices in the hospitality sector are expected to fluctuate due to recent changes in policy. This means businesses trying to maintain their same wages and practices may soon fail to meet minimum wage laws, overtime laws, and more.
Negligence Maintaining Buildings and Permits Persists
For management, the most common legal issues still involve business maintenance. Laws regarding expiring building permits and health codes are expected to become stricter soon. The rate of legal cases involving tax obligations and trademark issues has remained steady for the time being.
The hospitality sector currently faces several legal issues. Discrimination and harassment are unfortunately considered common in the hospitality sector. Property theft and burglary are the most common legal issues facing guests and clients in the hospitality sector. The most common legal issues for management in the hospitality sector continue to be issues regarding health codes, expiring building permits, and tax or trademark issues that businesses have chosen to ignore.
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