Hotel Staff Panic Button for the City of Seattle: Hotel Employees Health and Safety

Many cities and states have passed hotel panic button legislation requiring that hotels equip employees with safety devices, the City of Seattle abides by guidelines to protect hotel employees from workplace injury or assault.  Hotel employees are exposed to the risks associated with working alone in hotel rooms that may be occupied by guests.  Therefore, panic buttons must be provided to all hotel employees who provide in-room services for hotels with 60 rooms or more.  This applies to all employees, regardless of their position and panic button devices must be provided at no cost to the employee.  Panic buttons must be easy to carry, employees must be able to call for immediate assistance and the devices must be functioning properly, and must not require continued activation by the employee.  Equipping employees with panic buttons is the responsibility of the hotel employer.  If an employee uses their panic button under appropriate circumstances, they may leave the scene and wait for help elsewhere.  No employer retaliation may occur against the employee for acting in this manner.

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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.