Panic Buttons Oakland

Hotel Staff Panic Button for the City of Oakland: Measure Z

Many cities and states have passed hotel panic button laws that require hotels to provide employees with safety devices for their protection while at work.  Measure Z was passed by Oakland voters in November of 2018 and requires that Oakland hotels with 50 or more guest rooms or suites provide hotel employees with increased minimum wage, panic buttons and workload restrictions.

Effective July 1, 2019, City of Oakland’s Measure Z will become effective.  It requires Oakland hotels with 50 or more guest rooms to provide hotel employees who work alone in guest rooms with panic buttons at no cost to the employee.  These panic buttons will be used to report threatening or violent behavior and will alert the responsible party within the hotel to provide immediate help.  The City of Oakland defines a hotel employee as someone who provides service in an Oakland hotel and who works an average of 5 hours per week for 4 weeks.  The City of Oakland mandates that a panic button that simply makes a loud noise does not meet the requirements of the hotel workers protection law.  Instead, the panic button must notify a designated monitor in the event of an emergency.  In addition to nominating primary responders, the City of Oakland suggests that a company assign secondary responders for back-up reasons.

Hotel Panic Buttons – What to look for:

Brand Approved:

Marriott International Hotels

Marriott International, plans to provide employees in the U.S. and Canada with safety devices/panic buttons, with the goal to fully install and integrate by 2020.

 

Hilton

Hilton has already implemented employee safety devices at numerous hotel locations and plan to deploy devices for all employees working in guestrooms at Hilton-managed properties in the U.S. by 2020.  In addition, Hilton plans to include anti-harassment and anti-trafficking policies and training at all their properties.

 

Hyatt

Hyatt became one of the first hotel brands to issue safety devices to employee who work in guestrooms.  This is a brand standard for Hyatt-managed full-service hotels in the U.S., and more than half of full-service franchise Hyatt hotels will implement safety devices to staff.

 

IHG

IHG has deployed safety devices to employees at numerous hotel locations within the U.S. and plan to fully implement safety devices at their managed hotels in the U.S. by 2020.  As well as mandatory and enhanced workplace training for corporate and hotel employees in the U.S.

 

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts plan to deploy employee safety devices to all employees in the U.S. who are assigned to work alone in guestrooms.  These devices will be provided to the employee at no cost.  Wyndham also plans to roll out mandatory, annual anti-sexual harassment, discrimination, and human trafficking training for all employees.

 

AccorHotels

Accor plans to equip employees who enter guestrooms and restrooms unaccompanied with safety devices by 2020.  Accor also has a strict policy against sexual harassment and will also provide mandatory trainings to employees.

 

Best Western Hotels

Best Western branded hotels in the U.S. are required by the end of 2020 to provide employees with safety devices, at no cost to hotel employees who are assigned to work alone in hotel guestrooms or hotel areas.  In addition, employees will be provided with training to identify and report sexual harassment.

 

Radisson Hotel Group

Radisson will deploy employee safety devices for hotel employees who work alone in guestrooms by 2020. Mandatory anti-sexual harassment policies and trainings will be provided to all employees.