One of the hardest jobs in hospitality is managing human resources.  In normal businesses, hiring, training and supervising employees is a demanding job - but in hospitality, with its irregular hours, razor-thin margins and high staff turnover, the task becomes much more challenging.

In addition to discrimination, harassment and family and medical leave regulations, the wage & hour laws that apply to hospitality workers are highly specific, requiring a careful eye and standardized practices to steer clear of legal trouble. 

 

Employee handbooks are extremely useful tools for hospitality managers.  Having set mechanisms for dealing with staff issues adds a significant degree of certainty to an industry full of moving parts.  By clearly communicating store policies as well as required legal notices, employers can be confident that they are compliant with the laws and that their team is on the same page. Some of the many topics covered in a handbook include:

  • Minimum Wage & Overtime
  • Tip Pooling
  • Call-outs & Attendance
  • Employee Discipline
  • Harassment/Discrimination
  • Worker's Compensation
  • Paid Sick Leave/Family Medical Leave

My handbooks are tailored to the unique specifications of your business, developed in close conversation with your managers to create a comprehensive and readable resource for your staff.  In addition to drafting the actual handbook, my services include:

  • Set amount of support over the first six months
  • Reviewing the handbook after six months and one year

Contact me now to find out more about how an employee handbook can make managing easier.

Few things are more disruptive to a business than government investigations or, heaven forbid, a lawsuit.  One area in which employers are especially susceptible to such challenges is labor management.  The number and complexity of labor laws that apply to the hospitality industry can be difficult to manage from an operations standpoint:

  • Who is exempt from overtime?
  • Can I pay my sous chef on salary?
  • Can I split tips with back of house employees?
  • Should I fire someone who joined a lawsuit against me?

Without clear and expert guidance, hospitality owners and management can very easily expose themselves to six figure liability.  Wage & hour lawsuits account for roughly 10% of cases filed in federal court in New York City.  I've handled wage & hour litigation and can tell you firsthand how damaging these cases can be - both in terms of morale and the bottom line.  The good news is that these problems are easily avoided by consulting with a professional early in the game to develop and institute sound labor management practices.

I offer compliance consultations and audits for:

  • Wage & Hour (including tipping)
  • Hiring & Termination
  • ADA & Discrimination 
  • Family Medical Leave & Paid Sick Leave
  • Harassment & Retaliation

Whatever your business needs - a one-time audit or monthly consultations - I can provide valuable guidance to keep your team running smoothly and in the right direction.  Contact me now and schedule a consultation to talk about whether my compliance services are right for you.