GRASSROOTS ALERT! Lodging Industry Targeted By Department of Labor

Lodging Industry Targeted By Dept. of Labor
Urge Your Members of Congress to Demand End to Assault

Washington, D.C., June 21, 2010 – The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and the Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association have learned that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is planning an initiative that specifically targets every hotel, motel and resort in the United States for audits by the department’s Wage and Hour Division. This is a federal threat arising from Washington DC.

Without contacting AH&LA or providing any justification, DOL has labeled the lodging industry as a “high-risk industry” where violations of federal wage and hour laws are most likely to occur. The department has chosen to consider employees in the lodging industry as “the most vulnerable workers” in the country. As a result, you will be subject to a DOL audit, covering all of your employees.

Despite the lack of contact by DOL, AH&LA learned of the department’s plans and is currently seeking more information from DOL on why the actions are being taken and attempting to further inform the department about the true nature of our industry and its practices.

We need you to contact your members of Congress today.

They need to hear from as many hoteliers as possible that these actions by the Department of Labor are not justified and that they need to contact the department on your behalf to insist that they be stopped.

It only takes two minutes to make a huge difference.

MLTA members with 51 rooms or more are automatically members of AH&LA and can immediately proceed to AH&LA’s grassroots website. Hoteliers can contact their House and Senate lawmakers by taking action through AH&LA’s hotelLOBBY grassroots Website. You can quickly send your legislators a short message stating your strong opposition to DOL’s actions and asking them to help.

MLTA members with 50 rooms or less are not automatically members of the AH&LA, but can still contact their members of Congress by clicking here. Fill out the form and a dialog box will open in which you can cut and paste the letter below. Even properties that are not members of MLTA should get involved by using the access point in this paragraph and the letter below.

______________________________________________________________________

Dear Representative or Senator (Last Name)

I have learned that the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is in the planning stages of a “Hotel and Motel Resort Pilot Initiative.” I understand that DOL has decided without justification to label the lodging industry (along with a few other selected industries) as a “high risk” industry and target hoteliers with audits, penalties, sanctions and other actions.

As a citizen, an employer and voter, I am outraged about this assault. Not only do I provide jobs to many workers, I pay them a good wage and benefits in a good working environment.

Despite the recession which has hit the lodging industry harder than most, I have struggled to keep as many of my employees on the job as possible. In doing so, I comply with all the burdensome federal laws and regulations that are mandated in order to provide those jobs.

DOL’s actions are an outright attack against me and my industry. I urge you to contact the White House and the Department of Labor and demand that they end their attack against the lodging industry and explain why they considered those actions in the first place.

I respectfully request that you please provide me with a copy of your correspondence to the Department of Labor and White House and their responses as soon as possible.


Sincerely,


(Your Name)
________________________________________________________________________

Whether it’s a threat in Lansing, or Washington DC, MLTA and AH&LA have got you covered. But we can do little if you don’t respond.

Unless you want a full blown audit by the U.S. Department of Labor – act today!