T H E O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E O F T H E C A L I F O R N I A H O T E L & L O D G I N G A S S O C I A T I O N C A L I F O R N I A LODGINGNEWS Advocacy CHLA Board of Directors
2 M essage from the Chair 4 ADA Nuisance Lawsuits 6 D o Mandatory Employment Arbitration Agreements Still Have Utility in the Workplace? 8 Mandatory Alcohol Server Certifications 10 2022 CHLA Legislative Action Summit 14 Web Accessibility and Its Importance to Hotels and Lodging 16 Upcoming Events 17 CHLA Marketplace 27 CHLA Partners OUR MISSION CHLA is the indispensable resource for communicating and protecting the rights and interests of the California lodging industry, for providing educational training and cost-saving programs for all segments of the industry, and for supporting strategic alliances to promote the value of California tourism and travel. 4 14 10 LODGING NEWS TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS 414 29th Street Sacramento, CA 95816 916-444-5780 www.calodging.com EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR Tom Patton, CHA Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara VICE CHAIR Hee-Won Lim Pacific Palms Hotel IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Bijal Patel, CHA Coast Redwood Hospitality SECRETARY/TREASURER Dhruv Patel Ridgemont Hospitality GOVERNMENT & LEGAL RELATIONS CHAIR Javier Cano JW Marriott at L.A. LIVE AUDIT & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR Laurenne Douglas Pacific Plaza Hotels, Inc. 2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kristi Allen Ensemble Real Estate Solutions & Investments Bhupen Amin Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Javier Cano JW Marriott at L.A. LIVE Vipul Dayal Days Inn San Francisco Airport West Laurenne Douglas Pacific Plaza Hotels, Inc. Jeff Durham Redwood Fortuna Riverwalk Hotel Paul Gibbs, CHA Sonesta Redondo Beach and Marina Ross Gimpel Encore Terri Haack Terranea Resort Jon Handlery, CHA Handlery Union Square Hotel Niles Harris InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Wendy Heineke Pebblebrook Hotel Trusts Todd Hersperger Sunstone Hotel Investors Nic Hockman Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel Matt Humphreys Hyatt Regency San Francisco Daniel Kuperschmid Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego Mark LeBlanc Aimbridge Hospitality Hee-Won Lim Pacific Palms Resort RJ Mayer The Mayer Corporation Michelle Millar University of San Francisco Michael Pace InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel Bijal Patel, CHA Coast Redwood Hospitality Bimal Patel, CHA Hotel Zico Perry Patel BPR Hotels Pragna Patel-Mueller Samata Management Joe Piantedosi Park Hotels & Resorts Chip Rogers American Hotel and Lodging Association Pam Ryan The Inn at the Mission John Spear Hotel Drisco Jeffrey Thurrell Fisher Phillips Wes Tyler, CHA Chancellor Hotel on Union Square Bobby Walia Hyatt Hotels Corporation ADVERTISING & DESIGN LLM Publications 503.445.2220 | 800.647.1511 www.llmpubs.com Design & Layout Sales Representative Stephanie Pendell Grandt Mansfield grandt@llmpubs.com Copyright © 2022. All Rights Reserved THIS ISSUE OF the Lodging News magazine is devoted to one important topic: the legal and regulatory landscape we face as California's lodging industry. When dealing with all the tasks and challenges of managing any property, no matter the size, it can be easy to miss important changes when they happen. Whether you’re dealing with the lingering economic effects of the pandemic, trying to hire staff, and focusing on the guest experience, finding time to keep up with a dynamic legal environment can be hard. As you’ll read in this issue, though, you'll recognize that finding that time is important to you and your business. Just consider a few of the items that our authors are discussing: • If you serve alcohol—an important offering and revenue source for a great number of California properties—you are now subject to new training requirements covering your servers and their managers. And the time to comply is short. • If you use mandatory arbitration clauses in your employment or severance agreements, recent changes in federal law can disallow them in cases involving harassment. • A personal recounting of what happens when a property owner answers a knock—and finds himself on the receiving end of one of a growing number of nuisance lawsuits related to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Those are just a few changes that owners need to know about now—in addition to new laws covered in our last issue, including criminal liability for unpaid wages that can even lead to prison terms and a crucial shift in how Cal/OSHA looks at potential violations across multiple work sites. The importance of being aware of these and other changes in the law can’t be underestimated. They can cost your business significant dollars, tie you up in court, and damage your reputation. One of our goals at CHLA is to help you stay in the know about these important changes so you can keep your business running smoothly. One of the most important ways we do that is through our annual Legislative Action Summit in Sacramento, which we held in person for the first time in two years last month. Not only is the Summit an opportunity to learn about upcoming changes, it’s an opportunity to join in CHLA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of our industry and amplify the industry’s voice on California’s legislative agenda and budget priorities. As you’ll see from the story and photos from the two-day gathering, attendees had an opportunity to hear from key players in Sacramento, including the California Attorney General, as well as individual meetings with key legislators. That kind of face-to-face discussion is a powerful way to present our point of view where it counts. We hope to see you at our next summit. In the meantime, CHLA will continue to work on your behalf for reasonable taxation and reduced regulation that will accelerate our industry’s recovery. MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR Tom Patton CHLA Chair Don’t lose sight of changes in law and regulation.
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4 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com ADA Nuisance Lawsuits
ON JANUARY 1 LAST YEAR, Bharat Patel answered a knock on his door at his property, the Comfort Inn Sunnyvale-Silicon Valley. It wasn’t the kind of New Year’s greeting he was expecting. The person at the door handed Patel papers serving him with a lawsuit claiming his hotel allegedly was in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It was the beginning of his experience with ADA nuisance lawsuits, which have been occurring with more frequency against hotel owners. It took him several months, some changes to his property, and the help of CHLA to deal with the outcome. “The first thing that struck me was that the person named as the plaintiff had never stayed in the hotel,” he said. “They claimed that they wanted to stay here during a visit to San Jose and Santa Cruz, but then didn’t when they weren’t able to get into my lobby because there was a car parked outside there.” Not only did it seem strange to him that he had been served on a holiday, but also that in the legal papers he had been handed was a list of lawyers Patel was invited to consider using—lawyers suggested by the attorney suing him. Soon after that, he says, he began getting letters from some of those lawyers offering to represent him in the case. “It just looks like a factory, filing generic lawsuits against 20 or 30 hotels at a time, looking for a settlement,” he said. Instead, Patel picked up the phone and began calling colleagues in the business and friends to ask them to recommend an attorney who could help him sort out the case. Many of them suggested he contact CHLA to have the association point him in the direction of a lawyer experienced in these cases. Patel and his attorney decided that, rather than offer to settle, they would actually contest the suit in court. The strategy was twofold: Give the hotel time to investigate any potential violations and fix them, and to reinforce with the court system the nuisance nature of these type of suits. “Judges are apparently seeing the same plaintiffs and the same lawsuit over and over,” Patel said. “The CHLA program was perfect, to try to fight this and educate the judges about what’s really going on.” In fact, the district attorneys of San Francisco and Los Angeles filed a civil complaint on April 11 against the plaintiff’s law firm, calling the pattern of “boilerplate” lawsuits against hundreds of small businesses “fraudulent” attempts to exploit the ADA. During the time he was contesting the suit against his hotel, Patel worked to correct any of the ADA issues on his property that were noted in the suit. He went beyond that, however, also hiring a CASp specialist—an expert in ADA compliance—to survey his property and prepare a report about anything that might be an issue. The inspectors will measure the size of parking lot stalls, rooms, doorways, and other areas to see if they meet the ADA standards for spacing and access, as well as other issues. Fixing the main complaint in the lawsuit meant Patel had a car-length box painted in front of the lobby door and marked it “No Parking.” But the report turned up several other issues that weren’t in the lawsuit, giving him a chance to take care of them all. Patel spent some $50,000 on the upgrades, and then was able to settle the case for a much smaller sum than the plaintiff had sought. Patel said that while the timing of all this wasn’t ideal, coming during the pandemic—as much as 80% of his business comes from job candidates for the high-tech industry—he said the cost of being proactive across the ADA spectrum was worth it. “I want to keep the hotel long term,” said Patel, who grew up in residential hotels in San Francisco that were owned by his immigrant father, and went into the business himself after a career as an entrepreneur in the semiconductor industry. “So I just wanted to be able to address all the ADA issues at once.” BHARAT PATEL www.calodging.com May/June 2022 5
6 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com HOTELS TYPICALLY REQUIRE EMPLOYEES TO agree to mandatory arbitration of many potential employment claims. But, a federal law signed by President Biden on March 3 has placed limits on mandatory arbitration in cases involving claims of sexual assault and harassment. The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 is intended to facilitate access to the court system for such disputes by limiting arbitration to situations where employees and employers mutually elect arbitration after a dispute has arisen, rather than being forced into arbitration through a predispute agreement. The Act applies to all disputes arising, or currently pending, on or after March 3, 2022, and includes alleged sexual harassment and sexual assault claims based on the conduct of guests or customers toward employees, as well as conduct by employees toward other employees. The new law amends the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) in three meaningful ways. It: • Invalidates employment pre-dispute agreements and class action waivers that require claims related to sexual assault or sexual harassment to be arbitrated on an individual basis; • Ensures that the employee who signs an arbitration agreement has complete autonomy in deciding whether to arbitrate sexual harassment or sexual assault claims or to pursue such claims in court, either individually or on a collective basis; and • Provides that regardless of the contractual terms of the arbitration agreement, the enforceability of the agreement as to covered claims must be decided by a court, not an arbitrator. While the changes are meant to create more transparency concerning remedies for workplace sexual misconduct, there are a number of issues that remain unresolved. For example, it’s not clear if the law allows an employee alleging a sexual harassment claim along with another related employment claim to litigate the entire dispute in court, despite a signed mandatory arbitration agreement. Another open question is whether certain retaliation claims are covered, such as a claim of retaliation for reporting an internal complaint of sexual harassment without a standalone claim of sexual harassment or assault. Finally, the law is silent on the enforceability of jury waivers, so in California whether such waivers are enforceable or even permissible likely is an issue of state law. Pragmatic Considerations for Excluding Other Claims from Mandatory Arbitration Agreements In addition to legal considerations around arbitration agreements, hotels should consider other factors like employee relations, company culture, and public/customer relations issues. The new law doesn’t prohibit employers from compelling arbitration for claims involving race, disability, age discrimination, or other civil rights claims, but it’s worth asking what message is conveyed if you force some types of cases to arbitration and bar class actions, yet litigate sexual harassment matters in court and on a class basis? We recommend Do Mandatory Employment Arbitration Agreements Still Have Utility in the Workplace? By Keith Grossman, Glen Kraemer, and Anna Pham
www.calodging.com May/June 2022 7 employers carefully assess their workforce and company culture and determine how such differentiated treatment of civil rights claims will impact employee relations and engagement. In addition, the message communicated by treating protected categories differently and compelling arbitration of non-sexual harassment and assault claims won’t be lost on a hotel’s customers (and, for public companies, on potentially activist shareholders). It’s also worth noting that there is the potential that the FAA could be further amended to exclude all discrimination claims (as well as other employment claims) from mandatory arbitration agreements. Accordingly, for legal, practical, and brand identity reasons, we believe there is merit to hotel employers pausing to consider making the arbitration of all statutory discrimination claims voluntary. In a similar vein, consideration also should be given to potentially excluding from mandatory arbitration agreements claims of retaliation based on alleged assertion of rights protected by discrimination laws. Mandatory Arbitration of Wage & Hour and PAGA Claims Notwithstanding our recommendation for discrimination and related retaliation claims, we recommend that employers maintain mandatory arbitration agreements that would cover wage and hour, PAGA, and other non-statutory employment claims, as well as include class/ representative action waivers. Mandatory arbitration agreements with class and representative action waivers covering these types of claims are still permissible under the FAA, and are an important tool requiring employees to arbitrate their claims on an individual basis, thereby avoiding potential class/representative action costs and exposure. However, a number of states have enacted legislation that seeks to prohibit pre-dispute mandatory arbitration agreements of single plaintiff, class, and representative actions in employment cases. In California, employers have faced a conundrum about their mandatory arbitration agreements since the passage of AB51, which added Labor Code section 432.6 and effectively banned all mandatory employment arbitration agreements covering all types of employment disputes as well as class action and jury waivers. We have questioned the viability of parts of AB 51 in light of the broad preemptive scope of the FAA, especially as it has been interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court. To date, though, the Ninth Circuit has upheld key portions of the law, although the Supreme Court has agreed to review this legal issue in Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Morian. This decision will have significant consequences either way for California hotel employers, and we expect the court’s decision this summer. So, What Should Hotel Employers Do? Minimally, employers will need to review their arbitration agreements to ensure compliance with the Act. In addition, employers will need to make a thoughtful assessment of how they will treat other discrimination, civil rights, and retaliation claims in light of employee, guest, customer, and public relations considerations. Employers should also expect to see a potential increase of sexual harassment and/or assault litigation in court, and more opportunities for companies to be scrutinized as to their cultures and work environments and how they address sexual and other misconduct in the workplace. Therefore, employers should: • Review and update their discrimination and harassment prevention policies; • Ensure their complaint and investigation processes are thorough, including, where feasible, deploying anonymous complaint mechanisms; • Strengthen training for human resources and other personnel responsible for conducting proper and impartial investigations; and • Provide robust regular harassment and discrimination prevention training to all employees that is not merely “check the box” and includes additional training for supervisors and managers and bystander engagement tools. It is also recommended that companies review their Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) programs and training, and if they don’t currently have a DEI program, consider investing in one. Hotel employers specifically should also review their agreements with their contractors and providers of contract labor, such as valet parking, night cleaning, and landscaping, to ensure those contractors have active, effective, stateof-the-art anti-harassment and discrimination programs, and training in place. As for mandatory employment arbitration agreements covering PAGA, wage and hour, and non-statutory employment claims, employers should monitor the U.S. Supreme Court’s impending decision in Viking River Cruises and check with experienced labor counsel to adjust their arbitration agreements to take advantage of a potentially favorable ruling, while still ensuring compliance with currently existing California law. Keith Grossman and Glen Kraemer are senior partners and Anna Pham is an associate with Hirschfeld Kraemer LLP, a full-service employment law firm with offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. www.hkemploymentlaw.com In California, employers have faced a conundrum about their mandatory arbitration agreements since the passage of AB 51, which added Labor Code section 432.6 and effectively banned all mandatory employment arbitration agreements covering all types of employment disputes as well as class action and jury waivers.
8 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com AN IMPORTANT CHANGE IS ON the horizon in California for alcohol sales. Starting on September 1, the state will require all alcohol servers and their managers to undergo mandatory, state-approved training and certification in order to be allowed to serve alcohol to customers on licensed premises. The legislation, known as the Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training Act, was introduced in 2017 to mitigate alcohol-related harm in California communities. The original deadline for the law to come into effect was extended in 2020 because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the hospitality industry. The extended deadline now gives licensed premises a 60-day compliance window: Training must be completed with a provider approved by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) before August 31. Mandatory Alcohol Server Certification Who Needs to Be Trained? All alcohol servers and their managers need to be trained under the new legislation. This is defined to include anyone who: 9Takes customer alcoholic beverage orders 9Pours alcoholic beverages for customers 9Delivers alcoholic beverages to customers 9Checks customer identification for purposes of alcoholic beverage service or entry to an ABC on-premises licensed establishment 9Trains, directly hires, or oversees alcohol servers at an ABC licensed premises 9Trains alcohol servers how to perform the service of alcohol for consumption for an ABC on-premises licensee, including but not limited to, when to check identification or when to refuse service to a patron ENFORCED Sept. 1
www.calodging.com May/June 2022 9 How the Training Works Training may be conducted online or in person, but it must be conducted by a provider approved by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Training is currently available in English and Spanish, and takes approximately two hours to complete. When a server successfully completes the training, the approved training provider alerts the ABC. At that point, the server is able to complete a final exam on the RBS portal. The exam also requires that the server obtain a unique Server ID from the RBS Portal in advance. This costs $3, paid directly to the ABC. Training and certification must be renewed every three years. Training Topics Courses must cover topics such as prevention of alcohol service to minors, identifying the signs of intoxication, and calculating the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of customers based on their sex, weight, and number of drinks consumed. The ABC has only approved providers that meet strict requirements for presentation of this course content. Proof of Training Unlike many other certifications, there are no physical or downloadable certificates issued to certified servers. Instead, the ABC issues a certificate number to alcohol servers who have completed the exam; the certificate number is valid for three years. Licensees will be able to verify that their servers are certified via a feature being implemented on the RBS Portal. Enforcing the Legislation Anyone who owns or operates a licensed premises needs to ensure all employees are trained appropriately. Beginning on September 1, the legislation will be enforced by the department and fines may be issued for non-compliance. If they haven’t already done so, businesses offering on-premises alcohol service are advised to begin signing up employees now to ensure compliance and avoid fines. Danielle Cullen is President of Userve, a trusted leader of online food and hospitality training across the U.S. Userve has a strong focus on compliance training, ensuring that food and hospitality businesses meet all federal and state requirements for employee education—thus protecting themselves, their employees, and their customers.
10 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com THIS YEAR’S CHLA LEGISLATIVE ACTION Summit showcased the strong voices of California hotels and the impact they are having on state and local policy-making. Held in-person for the first time in two years in Sacramento, hoteliers heard from California’s Attorney General, elected representatives, and state regulators. Importantly, all of them heard from attendees, who focused on improving public safety, reducing high-frequency ADA litigation, and promoting the state’s hospitality recovery. “Advocacy for our hotels, for our employees, and for California’s hospitality industry is one of the most important roles hoteliers have,” said Lynn Mohrfeld, CHLA President and CEO. “After two years of closures because of the global pandemic, it’s incredibly important for us to pursue level playing with STRs, reasonable taxation, and beneficial regulation so that hotels and hospitality can generate the economic recovery that benefits so many in California.” “After two years of closures because of the global pandemic, it’s incredibly important for us to pursue level playing fields, reasonable taxation, and reduced regulation so that hotels and hospitality can generate the economic recovery that benefits so many in California.” – Lynn Mohrfeld, CHLA President and CEO Tom Patton, CHLA Chair, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Lynn Mohrfeld, CHLA President & CEO at the CHLA Annual Legislative Action Summit. Lynn Mohrfeld, CHLA President & CEO
www.calodging.com May/June 2022 11 California’s 5,500+ hotels and 292,000 employees represent a significant segment of the state’s economy: • $24 billion in federal, state, and local taxes • $83 billion in state GDP contributions • $70 billion of guest spend at hotels and hospitality Before meeting with dozens of state senators and assembly members, attendees heard from a variety of speakers, including: • Attorney General Rob Bonta, who focused on public safety and crime reduction. “We’re stopping organized retail crime because it hurts business, hurts tourism, hurts employees, and the public. The smash and grab videos we’ve all seen are unacceptable and we’re making progress in preventing these types of crime and holding perpetrators accountable.” He also praised hotels for the work they’ve done in helping reduce crime: “Our success isn’t possible without hotels, owners, and the hospitality industry. I recognize the important role you play in our communities.” • Assembly Member Tasha Boerner Horvath, who addressed hotels’ economic recovery. “It’s gonna be a long haul as international and convention travel is a long ways away. That said, we’re California, the diversity of our geology is huge—no one else has that. We’ll come back.” • Julee Malinowski-Ball, Public Policy Advocates, focused on the legislative process: “State senators and assembly members want to hear from you. Your voice is powerful, particularly, if your hotel is in their district.” Julee Malinowski-Ball, PPA “Our success isn’t there without hotels, owners, and the hospitality industry.” – Rob Bonta, CA Attorney General “...we’re California, the diversity of our geology is huge—no one else has that. We’ll come back.” – TashaBoernerHorvath, CA Assembly Member Dean Heyl, AAHOA Assembly Member Tasha Boerner Horvath “State senators and members of the assembly want to hear from you. Your voice is powerful.” – Julee Malinowski-Ball, CA Public Policy Advocates Attorney General Rob Bonta continues
12 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com In their meetings with individual legislators, attendees focused on issues being considered in bills and the budget, including: • Assembly Bill 2390, which would have allowed the aggregation of the values of the property involved in one or more cases of shoplifting or theft, making it easier to enforce anti-theft laws. • Assembly Bill 2162, which would collect $4 on new business licenses to fund identifying and remedying constructionrelated ADA deficiencies in small business properties. • Gov. Newsom budget, which would allocate $45 million to Visit California for tourism marketing promotion to extend media campaign to attract visitors to California. Tom Patton, CHLA Chair Jason Riederer, AHLA Ashley Hoffman, CalChamber Javier Cano, CHLA Government & Legal Relations Chair CHLA LEGISLATIVE ACTION SUMMIT, CONT. Sam Sadle, Sonder; Mike Riverside, CHO, CHA, AAHOA Regional Director South Pacific Region; and Naresh (ND) Bhakta, AAHOA Regional Director, Greater LA Area Region
ISSUE DEADLINE Jul/Aug ‘22 June 1 Advertise in California Lodging News! California Lodging News is the official bi-monthly magazine of the California Hotel and Lodging Association. With a readership of 9,000 viewers per issue, your advertising will reach members of a booming industry in California— all of which are the owners, presidents, and key decision makers of their respective companies. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to brand your business to those that need your products and services most. ADVERTISING RATES STARTING AT $470! • CHLA members receive special discounts. •
14 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com IMAGINE A GUEST WITH A physical disability arriving at your hotel in a wheelchair, only to find that your building doesn’t have a wheelchair ramp or handicap push buttons that open the doors automatically. The same feeling of exclusion happens when someone with a disability visits your website and finds that they can’t use it because it isn’t optimized for accessibility. Just as your establishment must accommodate a guest with reduced physical mobility, you also need to make sure that people with disabilities can access the content on your website. With the recent statement by the Department of Justice saying that web accessibility must be a priority for all public businesses, the urgent need for web accessibility is apparent. It’s clear that this is now a business essential, rather than a “nice to have” option. More than that, for hotels and lodging, great web accessibility is the beginning of a great guest experience for people with disabilities. An accessible website allows hotels to drive more bookings and delight customers with an excellent guest experience while helping avoid lawsuits in an industry that is one of the top three most targeted for lawsuits involving lack of website accessibility. Plus, U.S. companies that implement web accessibility can get up to $5,000 in tax credits per Title 26 of the Internal Revenue Code, Section 44. What is Web Accessibility? At its core, web accessibility is about making the world a more inclusive place. It refers to the practice of ensuring that people with disabilities can use the internet just as readily as those who are fully able. When thinking of accessibility, many people think only about accommodations for someone who is blind, deaf, or uses a WEB ACCESSIBILITY and Its Importance to Hotels and Lodging By Denise Páne, Access Design Studio wheelchair for mobility. However, web accessibility also helps countless others who have many common impairments, including: • ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities • Color blindness • Loss of motor skills • Epilepsy • Short-term memory loss • Low vision • Autism • Changing abilities due to aging To overcome these barriers to interaction, websites need to be developed and designed in accordance with specific guidelines. They also need to be compatible with assistive devices used by potential visitors, such as braille displays, screen readers, head wands, mouth sticks, or voice recognition software. The Importance for Hotels and Lodging Your website is not only the primary face that your business presents to the world, it’s also the home of the majority of the interactions that a customer will have with your hotel before they decide to make a reservation, as well as between making the reservation and eventually stepping through your door. Yet, some 71% of all websites are inaccessible to those with disabilities, even though 61 million U.S. adults (18% of the population) having a disability or condition that affects their ability to navigate online. If your website is one of those, that means one in four potential guests cannot properly view photos of your hotel, read testimonials, browse the rooms, learn about the amenities, or interact with your booking engine. This huge disconnect has serious business implications for hotels and lodging—in fact, for the entire travel industry as a whole. As digital trends and consumer behavior continue to evolve, current statistics suggest that more than 90% of travelers do their research online, and 82% end up completing their bookings online. An inaccessible website is dramatically costing your hotel by excluding these would-be travelers—losing countless bookings and revenue in the process. So why not flip the switch and prioritize web accessibility, in order to realize a significant boost to your bottom line? Optimizing your website for accessibility helps your business to: • Increase market share by 25% • Boost SEO efforts and conversion rates • Dramatically increase bookings • Build a strong and inclusive brand • Enhance customer loyalty • Create a better user experience for all The Solution While the importance of web accessibility is quite clear, how to go about making sure your website is compliant isn’t so obvious. There are very specific guidelines that must be followed, and the solutions for every website are unique, so you’ll need the advice of an accessibility expert. Issues that have to be addressed include things like poor color contrast, lack of text
www.calodging.com May/June 2022 15 alternatives (“alt text”) on images, no captions on videos, inaccessible online forms, mouse-only navigation, use of color alone to give information, and much more. What About Accessibility Toolbars (aka Overlays)? Toolbars use AI (Artificial Intelligence), which can only address 30% of accessibility issues. Many companies install these toolbars and then think their websites are accessible… until they get sued. More than 250 lawsuits were filed in 2020 against companies using toolbars or overlays as an accessibility solution for their websites according to a report from Usable. Not only can toolbars not do the job of a real person, but some of these toolbars actually make it worse for people with disabilities. In order to be confident that you’ve made your website accessible, it needs to be done by a certified accessibility expert. Deliver an Excellent Guest Experience Making your website accessible in order to comply with official guidelines is only part of the benefit of accessibility. Web accessibility allows hotels to shore up their bottom line and deliver an excellent guest experience from start to finish. Denise Páne is the CEO & Founder of Access Design Studio, the leading expert in accessible websites for the hospitality industry, WCAG 2.1 AA Certified and Online ADA Accredited. Visit accessdesignstudio.com to request a free video review of your website’s accessibility issues.
16 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com UPCOMING EVENTS 2022 Crystal Ball Conference The Westin Verasa Napa 1314 Mckinstry St, Napa, CA 94559 The California Hotel & Lodging Association proudly welcomes you to attendee the exclusive 2022 Crystal Ball Conference that will expand on last year’s recovery strategies for California properties, how the pandemic’s long-term impact on travel is fairing, and predictions for the future. Contact Jennifer Flohr at jennifer@calodging.com with any questions. August 25 2022 2022 Southern California Hotel Conference & Trade Show Town and Country Resort 500 Hotel Cir N, San Diego, CA 92108 CHLA and AAHOA have partnered to bring the largest one-day conference and trade show in Southern California to the Town and Country Resort in San Diego. Each year over 450 hoteliers attend this special event to get educated on a variety of industry topics and to attend the trade show to see and buy the latest new products and services. More details and registration are coming soon. https://calodging.com/events/2022-southern-california-hotel-conference-trade-show October 6 2022 Go to www.calodging.com/events for more details. WEBINAR
www.calodging.com May/June 2022 17 ACCESSIBILITY/ ADA COMPLIANCE ADA Compliance Consultants, Inc....................................916.608.0961 ACCOUNTING SERVICES Nimble Accounting, Inc................. 866.964.6253 ACOUSTICAL CONTROL/ SOUND MASKING GS Williams, Inc.....................877.799.2644 x101 AIR CONDITIONING/ HEATING Carrier Enterprise............................... 480.249.6516 DMG North...............................................650.280.3141 Indoor Air Hygiene Institute...... 442.216.1735 AMENITIES/ROOM & HOTEL AMENITIES Chadsworth & Haig.......................... 843.675.8250 Lather, Inc................................................. 626.397.9050 APPLIANCES Panasonic Life Solutions............. 510.203.3630 APPRAISERS HVS.................................................................415.268.0351 ASSOCIATIONS Hotel Council of San Francisco..................................415.391.5197 Visit California Caroline Beteta 916.444.0410 cbeteta@visitcalifornia.com www.visitcalifornia.com Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. AUDIO/VISUAL California Commercial Satellite (ComSAT AV)......................................... 619.795.9444 AUDIO/VISUAL Encore Ross Gimpel 530.559.0700 ross.gimpel@encoreglobal.com www.encoreglobal.com Encore is a leading provider in the global event technology services industry delivering creative production, advanced technology, and staging to help customers deliver more dynamic experiences. BANKS/BANKING SERVICES Provident Credit Union...................650.801.7141 TMC Financing...................................... 415.989.8855 BANQUET SEATING/ TABLES & EQUIPMENT Southern Aluminum.......................... 870.234.8660 BARTERING/TRADING IMS Barte.................................................. 800.287.3874 Marketplace CHLA
18 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com CHLA MARKETPLACE BATHROOM ACCESSORIES & SERVICES Green Suites Hotel Solutions.................................................... 909.334.4004 VersaTraction, Inc............................... 714.973.4589 BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Hotel Effectiveness Solutions.................................................... 678.325.1150 BEVERAGES/BEVERAGE DISPENSING SERVICES Twinings North America, Inc..... 973.574.2228 CARPET & FLOORING SALES & SERVICE Embassy Carpets................................800.366.7847 CLEANING SUPPLIES/ SYSTEMS HD Supply Facilities Maintenance........................................... 800.431.3000 Innovative Building Energy Control...................................... 949.267.9095 Makita U.S.A.......................................... 657.345.9073 No Slip Trash Bags........................... 949.837.1494 COMPUTER HARDWARE Dell.................................................................. 615.545.7186 CONSTRUCTION – NEW Milanco Building Group................. 310.817.3555 PENTA Building Group.................. 213.500.8120 RC Strong Construction, Inc..... 775.901.2630 Shawmut Design and Construction................................ 323.602.1000 CONSULTING & TRAINING Accurate Ergonomics...................... 707.894.4544 Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking (BEST)........................ 206.905.6843 Filigree Training Solutions, LLC....................................... 646.233.7769 Hotel Financial Coach.................... 949.791.2739 KML Hospitality....................................925.212.0701 Petra Risk Solutions..........................800.466.8951 Singer Associates, Inc.................... 831.227.5984 STR................................................................. 615.824.8664 Wallace Hospitality Solutions.. 800.450.0082 CREDIT CARD SERVICES Casablanca Ventures...................... 203.253.7259 Chase Faheem Khan 800.288.9295 faheem.khan@chasepaymentech.com https://merchantservices.chase.com Chase Merchant Services offers CHLA members the best service and competitive rates. They are the global payment acceptance and merchant acquiring business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and a leading provider of payment, fraud management, and data security solutions. Heartland Payment Systems...................................................... 530.415.6850 Soar Payments, LLC........................ 888.225.9405 DIRECT TV PROVIDER Commercial Connect Television, Inc......................................... 877.789.7995 Just in Time Technology Solutions...................... 909.280.5169 MTV, Inc...................................................... 818.772.4200 ECO-FRIENDLY Blink Charging...................................... 510.219.2570 Evolve Charging Corp USA........ 604.314.6022 Zero Impact Solutions..................... 424.401.8074 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS CA Community Colleges - Retail/Hospitality/Tourism.........415.758.1077 California State Polytechnical University - Pomona....................................................... 909.869.3105 California State University - Chico............................................................. 530.898.6016 California State University - Long Beach............................................ 562.985.4493 San Diego State University........ 619.594.4964 University of San Francisco........415.422.2581 EMPLOYEE RELATIONS/ BENEFITS Petra Risk Solutions..........................800.466.8951 EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES/SITES Instawork................................................... 512.903.2579 Staff Pro Workforce Solutions.................................................... 800.315.2219 ZipRecruiter, Inc................................... 877.252.1062 ENERGY EFFICIENCY Franklin Energy.................................... 312.940.9552 ENERGY MANAGEMENT APTIM........................................................... 720.234.2093 Vector Energy Group....................... 818.600.4348
www.calodging.com May/June 2022 19 CHLA MARKETPLACE ENTERTAINMENT Sonifi Solutions.................................... 888.563.4363 Union Square Business Improvement District....................... 415.781.7880 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING Shred City, LLC............................... 844-50-SHRED FINANCING/ FINANCIAL PLANNING Hallmark Funding Corporation.............................................. 916.784.2614 Hospitality Funding........................... 650.740.9875 Pinnacle Bank....................................... 408.637.6030 Ygrene Energy Fund......................... 415.261.7578 FLOOR COVERINGS/ EQUIPMENT Gemeni Flooring.................................. 559.356.9920 FOOD SUPPLIERS/ DISTRIBUTORS BruxMix....................................................... 714.803.9060 Just 'N' Case Essentials, Inc........................................ 866.636.8225 FRANCHISING Choice Hotels International....... 301.593.5600 Red Roof Franchising..................... 713.576.7459
20 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com CHLA MARKETPLACE FURNITURE/FIXTURES & EQUIPMENT (FF&E) A-1 Hospitality........................................888.383.0391 Case Goods Refinishing............... 757.430.9663 Cassone...................................................... 415.329.4932 ERS Hospitality.....................................415.863.7191 Hospitality Designs.......................... 604.248.1806 Interia............................................................ 619.205.4489 GUEST SERVICE SOLUTIONS Akia................................................................. 650.644.8073 Hospitality Wellness Group....... 310.339.9042 HEALTHCARE MedExpert International, Inc.................................. 650.224.2288 HEATING Pro Star Mechanical Services...................................................... 714.261.1044 HOTEL BROKERAGE Marquee Commercial Lodging Advisors................................ 303.883.6788 NewGen Advisory - The Bowman Group...........................818.667.0627 HOTEL MANAGEMENT Aelius Management Group......... 559.595.1500 BPR Hotels.............................................. 650.424.1400 Concept Hotel Group...................... 650.839.6274 Crescent Hotels & Resorts........ 703.279.7820 Davidson Hospitality Group....... 678.349.0909 Destination Properties, LLC..... 760.250.0998 Edward Thomas Collection........ 310.859.9366 Ellis Hospitality..................................... 415.775.8116 Ensemble Hotel Partners............ 562.257.1005 Four Sisters Inns...................831.649.0908 x114 G6 Hospitality, LLC.......................... 972.360.5916
www.calodging.com May/June 2022 21 CHLA MARKETPLACE Global Vision Hotels, Inc.............. 650.504.4119 Hotel Managers Group, LLC..... 858.673.1534 Hyatt Hotels Corporation............ 301.380.3000 Interstate Hotels & Resorts....... 949.783.2500 Johnson Hospitality.......................... 925.730.4930 K&K Hotel Group............................... 281.530.1500 Loews Hotels......................................... 212.521.2000 Noble House Hotels & Resorts....................................................425.827.8737 Pacific Plaza Hotels, Inc............... 510.832.6868 Pacifica Hotel Company............... 805.957.0095 Park Hotels & Resorts....................571.302.5757 Reneson Hotel Group..................... 415.883.4400 Ridgemont Hospitality.................... 510.569.4400 Service Properties Trust............... 617.964.8389 Sonesta Hotels..................................... 800.766.3782 Springboard Hospitality................ 818.905.8280 Stonebridge Companies............... 303.785.3100 Storey Hospitality............................... 650.880.1000 The Mayer Corporation...................949.759.8091 HOTEL/RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES A1 American Pacoima, CA 91331 833.205.2200 sales@a1americangroup.com www.a1americangroup.com A1 American (formerly A-1 Textiles & Hospitality Products) offers a full line of Golden Mills products including towels, sheets, blankets, top of bed, and bedding. We also offer a full line of FF&E, OS&E, and PPE Defender Collection Products. Frank & Ron Hotel-Motel Supply, Inc................................................. 510.568.4072 HUMAN RESOURCE SERVICES Carrera Lee Enterprises, Inc..... 310.375.6033 Heartland Payroll................................ 530.415.6850 Hireology................................................... 844.337.0422 Hotel Employee Rate BV..... 31.062.787.8043 Seasonal Connect..............................617.716.6491 The Crew, Inc.......................................... 630.780.0320 WOTC Planet..........................................800.655.5281 ICE MAKERS Western Pacific - Manitowoc Ice Scott Haag 2953 E Hamilton Ave Fresno, CA 93721 559.266.9505 scott@teamwpd.com www.teamwpd.com Ice machines, water filtration, disinfection devices, refrigerators and freezers, cooking equipment, and more. Six locations in California and Nevada. INSURANCE SERVICES/ BROKERS Calvista Insurance Agency, Inc............................................... 831.637.7766 DiBuduo & DeFendis Insurance................................................... 805.545.5016 G2 Insurance Services...................415.426.6651 Heffernan Insurance Brokers........................................................ 650.842.5246 Petra Risk Solutions Ida Gonzalez 800.466.8951 idag@petrarisksolutions.com www.petrarisksolutions.com Petra Risk Solutions specializes in insurance, risk management, and employee benefit solutions for the hospitality industry. Petra is offering CHLA members exclusive discounts and access to their industry-leading Hospitality Risk Management Program, P3. Sandin Insurance Group............... 503.381.8583 Suitelife Underwriting Managers.................................................. 877.409.8069 UnitedHealth Group Alliah Sheta 763.361.6963 alliah.sheta@optum.com www.optum.com The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA) is part of a strategic alliance program to help address the diverse needs of the hospitality industry. The Hospitality Associations Alliance, a strategic alliance platform created by UnitedHealth Group, offers exclusive discounts and solutions that benefit CHLA members and their employees. INTERIOR DESIGN Boston Trade.......................................... 510.623.9999 HotelFurniture.com........................... 312.637.2230 INTERNET SERVICES ODV Networks.......................................855.638.9011 LAUNDRY DESIGN & INSTALLATION Western State Design.................... 800.633.7153 Aqua Systems, Inc.............................. 805.489.9250
22 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com CHLA MARKETPLACE LAUNDRY EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES Bestway Laundry Solutions...... 951.734.9430 PWS Commercial Laundry Systems................................ 650.871.0300 Taylor Houseman................................ 925.432.0323 LAW FIRMS/ LEGAL SERVICES Berding and Weil................................ 800.838.2090 DCap Claims........................................... 702.334.5705 Fisher Phillips......................................... 949.798.2102 Haas & Najarian.................................. 415.788.6330 Hirschfeld Kraeme.............................310.255.1821 Holland & Knight, LLP................... 214.964.9500 Miller Law Group................................. 650.566.2290 Murchison & Cumming, LLP..... 213.623.7400 San Diego Biz Law............................ 858.964.0625 Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP....................................... 858.720.7480 Snell & Wilme......................................... 858.434.5003 Stokes Wagner, ALC........................ 213.618.4124 Thomas P. Sayer, Jr., Attorney at Law.................................... 858.335.9590 LIGHTING & FIXTURES CalSun Energy, Inc............................ 626.688.2038 LINENS/BEDDING/TEXTILES A1 American........................................... 833.205.2200 Comphy Company.............................. 323.225.8234 Cuddledown/ Royal River Trading........................... 855.272.1742 H&I Hospitality & Institutional Supplies....................... 562.544.1942 Venus Group........................................... 949.609.1299 Whyte Design, Inc.............................. 651.578.2929 LOCKS/KEYS/ LOCKING SYSTEMS Acculock, Inc.......................................... 817.637.1236 ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions.................................. 972.907.2273 Dormakaba Group............................. 248.583.3700 MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS American Hospitality Services...................................................... 530.662.7750 Baney Corporation............................ 541.749.1050 CIM Group................................................ 323.860.4900 Empire USA, LLC............................... 310.394.6300 Evans Hotels........................................... 858.777.6705 Franklin Croft......................................... 858.454.2188 Greystone Hotels................................ 415.915.0426 Host Hotels & Resorts................... 240.744.1000 Inns by the Sea......................................831.624.0101 Kintetsu Enterprises Company of America....................... 213.617.2000 Lyon & Lyon Property Management.......................................... 619.296.6333 Met West Terra..................................... 504.566.4754 Morrison & Company....................... 858.454.5633 Pacific Hospitality Group............. 949.861.4700 Pebblebrook Hotel Trust.............. 240.507.1300 Samata Management.......................805.544.5651 Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc........................................... 949.330.4000 Waterford Hotels & Inns............... 650.347.1222 Woodside Hotels & Resorts...... 650.330.8888 Zenique Hotels...................................... 209.602.2123 MARBLE/SOLID SURFACE PRODUCTS Arizona Tile............................................... 480.763.2852
www.calodging.com May/June 2022 23 CHLA MARKETPLACE MARKETING/DIGITAL MARKETING SERVICES Epic Drone Tours................................ 858.524.9512 Portlight Creative, Inc..................... 916.984.7063 RezStream................................................ 720.420.7783 Sound Choice DBA The OnHold Experience............... 877.412.4653 MATTRESS RECYCLER Mattress Recycling Council....... 707.307.3052 MOBILE HOSPITALITY SOFTWARE Pierre Mobile Concierge.............. 647.970.4406 MOLD REMEDIATION BluSky Restoration Contractors...............................................800.266.5677 OUTDOOR FURNITURE & DECOR Patio Guys.................................................800.310.4897 PARKING ABM Building Value Parking........................................................ 213.393.0248 Parking Company of America....................................................... 562.862.2118 PEST CONTROL/ PESTICIDES Clark Pest Control 800.936.3339 commercialservices@clarkpest.com www.clarkpest.com No matter what your pest issue is, we have the key to help you with our extensive line of pest management solutions for your hospitality needs. POINT-OF-SALE SYSTEMS/ PAYMENT PROCESSING Paymerang............................................... 804.256.3958
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