What West Hollywood Hoteliers Should Know About Panic Button Protection

In recent years, the hospitality and tourism industries have moved towards putting a greater emphasis on hotel employee safety. One of the safety initiatives implemented is the 5-Star Promise, a pledge that is dedicated to providing hotel employees with the proper means of protection, such as employee safety devices (ESDs). Along with ESDs, hotels pledged to offer training on how to use these devices, as well as offer information and resources around violence prevention and how to react to violence.

This pledge was launched by the American Hotel & Lodging Association in 2018 and has since been adopted by more than 50 hotel companies. In doing so, these hotels have committed to keeping employees safe by implementing protective measures and solutions. West Hollywood is one of the many cities to pass the Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance, enacting the 5-Star Promise in many of its hotels. Passing this ordinance comes after crime has skyrocketed in West Hollywood, disproportionately impacting hotel staff. In June 2022, there was a shooting near the W Hotel and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, resulting in three people losing their lives.

Learn more about these safety measures and what this means for hoteliers in this article. For additional information, check out our Panic Button Legislation Guide for Hoteliers here.

Overview 

The City of West Hollywood passed the Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance in 2021, which is in full effect today. In September 2021, the first requirement went into effect, with the rest of the requirements following behind on January 1, 2022, except for the training component, which became operative on July 1, 2022. This ordinance expanded the protections of hotel employees in five huge ways. These include ESDs, compensation and workload, right of recall, employee retention, and training.

Summary of Hotel Employer Responsibilities

The City of West Hollywood Hotel Protection Ordinance applies to all hotels in West Hollywood. Panic buttons are required, workload is regulated, and the right to recall has been implemented. Protections are applied if a change of ownership occurs and housekeeping employees now have to attend training from a city-certified Public Housekeeping Training Organization.

Employer responsibilities include, but aren’t limited to:

1. Provide personal security devices, such as panic buttons, to all hotel staff assigned to work in guest rooms or public restrooms where other hotel employees may not be present.
2. Assign a security guard, supervisor, or manager, who will be responsible for providing on-scene assistance in the case that a panic button is triggered.
3. Train hotel staff on how to use their employee safety devices, inform them of protocol if an ESD is to be triggered and inform them of their rights and the employer's obligations to hotel staff.
4. Employers must contact a certified public housekeeping organization to hold training for all housekeeping staff. They must also examine workers and ensure they are following best practices.

For more employer responsibilities and details on the ordinance click here.

What Makes an Effective Panic Button Device?

The City of West Hollywood has numerous hotels for guests to choose between, and each hotelier will find a need for different solutions based on the size of their hotel and staff. The solution they decide on needs to fit the needs of hotel employees, provide help in an efficient manner, and be relatively simple for staff to familiarize themselves with. The ordinance states that the panic buttons used must have the following features:

• Accurately pinpoints the hotel worker's location.
• Be portable and easy to carry on oneself.
• Provide direct contact from the hotel worker to the person responsible for responding to emergencies, such as the hotel security and/or manager.

Find the Right Panic Button Solution for You

With numerous hotel panic button solutions available, it's important to pick the right one for your hotel. Our safety platform is flexible to fit your hotel's needs. We understand that one size does not fit all and offer tailored solutions that fit your workplace.

React Mobile's goal is to help make the community a safer place, including hotels. Hoteliers deserve to feel safe in their workplace, and ESDs are one of the easiest ways to create a safe workplace. If you are interested in learning more and meeting your panic button requirements, book a free demo with us today: https://www.reactmobile.com/demo-request.