HospitalityLawyer.com®’s Post

I had never experienced racial discrimination until I walked into the “Global Ambassador Hotel.” I was immediately taken to the past when certain prestigious hotels only allowed certain cultures in their establishment. My girlfriends and I were there for a celebration at the recommendation of a good friend. We were immediately greeted with dismissive behavior by the attending floor lead, who completely ignored me when I approached. The disdain on the concierge's faces as my Latina friend walked by. If the intention is to create a hotel with a specific appeal to a particular culture. You are heading in that direction. It's evident to the eye there is one preferred culture. Do not falsely misrepresent the expectations of the hotel. It would be better for the hotel's owners to place a sign that says no "Latinos allowed." I did not blame the hotel, only those with apparent prejudices against a particular culture. In my observation, this hotel meets the criteria for not only racial discrimination, but also a lack of respect for their female servers. The female servers are wearing very short, tight-fitting dresses that leave little to the imagination, while the males wear respectable collared shirts and pants. It's common knowledge women deal with sexual harassment in the workplace. According to the US Equal Opportunity Commission, 78.2% of women have filed sexual harassment charges against their employers within the last 3 years. As their employer, you must protect your female employees.  The hotel hasn't reached its 1st anniversary. But the message is loud and clear: "The Global Ambassador Hotel" racial discrimination of the Latino culture and exploitation of young women's sexuality. #hoteldiscrimination

June is known as the Pride month around the world. We asked 2 questions to our HR manager, Maud L., about LGBTQIA+ thematic. 🌈 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐚 & @𝐢𝐡𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐬&𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡? One of the three major promises that IHG makes to its employees is "Room to Belong". This concretely means that IHG, as an employer, supports all its employees in various aspects of their lives, regardless of their differences, because it is crucial for us that everyone feels included and valued in their professional lives. Therefore, it is only natural that Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport is involved in supporting LGBTQIA+ rights during the month of June (and all the year long), as we believe that a diverse and inclusive culture allows the integration of varied perspectives. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲? 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡? In a daily life in our hotel, as coworker LGBTQIA+, you feel accepted and respected for your identity without fear of discrimination or harassment; you participate in team activities where your identity is respected rather than being a source of curiosity or exclusion and you feel comfortable to speak openly about your personal life without altering details to conceal your identity. Good to know also : all our job positions are open to X and each year. In June, we participate to Pride Month to raise awareness and foster inclusion within our staff. Throughout the month, we're highlighting the subject in our daily news and sharing key dates related to the LGBTQIA+ cause. On top, we are going to organize a workshop on inclusion to raise awareness among participants of the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ people and to further promote an inclusive and respectful work environment. 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈 #GoFurtherTogether #allies #hospitality #interview #ExperienceIHG

You can be a better customer for LGBTQ+ hospitality workers. Insightful piece from University of Melbourne about the challenges LGBTQ+ hospitality workers can face at work and what we as consumers should be aware of. So much of the service sector is made up of small businesses and whilst their duty of care as employers is the same as large companies, consumers have a critical role to play to shaping inclusive environments in the B2C setting.

As we celebrate and reflect on Juneteenth, take a moment to check out my latest blog sharing the importance of creating inclusive workplaces! https://lnkd.in/enBw9iaX #Juneteenth #DiversityEqualityInclusionBelonging #AtlasHXM

Gender Critical and Other Philosophical Beliefs in the Workplace There have been quite a few cases recently in England & Wales about 'gender critical' beliefs in the workplace, such as Rachel Meade v Westminster City Council & Social Work England and Phoenix v Open University, and the earlier cases of Forstater v CGD Europe Ltd and Grainger v Nicholson. It's a really interesting area of employment law that only seems to be increasing in number and relevance. And we've just had the case of David Miller and University of Bristol, involving a professor who expressed (protected) anti-Zionist beliefs, so employment disputes involving differing employee philosophical beliefs (and their concomitant protected characteristics) will likely be coming to your door soon. Imagine what it would be like if most of us didn't work from home! Employers really ought to have a think about how to react to and deal with complaints about employee-held views, philosophical or otherwise, because it seems to me that it brings with it a whole heap of trouble, regardless your (in)actions or reactions. Employers are caught in the middle of arguments that usually have little to do with work. Obviously, I'd recommend that you consider mediation (and not only because it has an aggregate settlement rate of 92%), but maybe just think about what you might do if employees openly express their views on Trans issues or what's happening in the Middle East and others (employees, customers, suppliers, campaigners) find those views offensive? How do you balance differing rights, reduce tension, rebuild relationships, avoid or limit discrimination claims? To that end, might I recommend you take a look at this recent article written by James Green of Littleton Chambers? It's a good starting place and sets out a checklist of considerations for employers when responding to complaints about a worker’s protected beliefs: https://lnkd.in/eHtj_4EU

🤝🏻 This week (5th-11th February) is Race Equality Week, so today we're asking if you know what "microaggressions" are and if you know how to spot and tackle them in the workplace. We explore this topic in our article, covering issues around: 🔹 Stereotyping 🔹 Backhanded compliments 🔹 Uninvited comments 🔹 Physically touching someone 🔹 Being ignorant 💡 To learn more about how this issues can affect your colleagues from ethnically diverse backgrounds and how you can avoid causing offence, check out our blog 👉 https://lnkd.in/eRBF5xRs #raceequalityweek #ListenActChange #diversityandinclusion

Celebrate Pride Month with Inclusivity and Compliance! 🌈 Now is a great time for California businesses to review their practices for creating an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ employees. Employment law attorney Tomiwa Aina breaks it down with a checklist for employers to create and maintain a supportive workplace. https://lnkd.in/ggyFjPcR #pridemonth #pride2024 #laborlaw #employmentlaw

Creating an inclusive workplace is essential in honoring Juneteenth's legacy. In our latest blog Atlas Chief HR Officer Lulu Rufael explores the significance of Juneteenth and shares actionable steps to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) within your organization.    Discover how robust employee resource groups and continuous DEIB training can enhance engagement and respect. Let’s commit to making our workplaces more inclusive for all. Read more about our initiatives and strategies to promote equality in the workplace. https://lnkd.in/enBw9iaX #Juneteenth #DiversityAndInclusion #InclusiveWorkplace

How well does the legal sector reflect diversity? Take a look at our latest graphic to see the progress and the gaps in creating inclusive workplaces. Interested in shaping a more inclusive environment at your firm? Get in touch with us to learn how we can help you build diverse teams that drive success: https://lnkd.in/ex3E-pjW #legaldiversity #inclusivelaw #diversityandinclusion #legalinclusion #diverseteams #inclusiveworkplaces #legalprofession #diversitymatters #equalityinlaw #lawfirmdiversity

https://lnkd.in/eXJWE8Nm I'd love to hear your thoughts on business transparency in values and the rights of potential employees. Recently, Encore Pilates & Wellness in Stuart Park chose to withdraw its support for Waratah Football Club after the club promoted its involvement in the Pride Round. This decision, accompanied by harmful trans- and homophobic rhetoric from studio owner Katie Crane, brings up an important question: should potential employees have a right to know a business's stance on diversity and inclusion before applying for a role? https://lnkd.in/ejrn2s3Z https://lnkd.in/e_KvJpNU I’m curious about your perspective on business transparency in values. Here are some of my thoughts. 1. Transparency in Values: In an ideal world, transparency about a business's core values—including any views on diversity and inclusion—would be beneficial for both employers and prospective employees. Just as religious organisations openly state their values, it could be helpful for all businesses to have clear statements about their stance on equality and inclusivity. This can help individuals decide if their personal and professional values align with those of the organisation, promoting a better workplace fit. 2. Ethics vs. Legal Obligations: While it might seem logical for businesses to disclose views that could influence employee experiences, legally enforcing such transparency would be complex. Current laws focus on prohibiting discrimination in hiring and employment practices, rather than mandating that companies disclose specific values or beliefs. Forcing a company to state discriminatory beliefs upfront might be challenging and could even indirectly endorse those biases by normalising their declaration. 3. Implications for Equal Opportunity Law: If a business’s discriminatory views were explicitly known, it might reduce the risk of individuals from targeted groups applying and facing discrimination. However, this runs the risk of “gatekeeping” that could potentially sidestep equal opportunity laws. Instead of fostering inclusivity, it could unintentionally push certain groups away from certain workplaces, reducing the diversity that equal opportunity laws aim to protect. 4. Social Responsibility and Public Accountability: In situations like this, where a business has publicly demonstrated discriminatory views, community awareness and personal choice become powerful tools. Social accountability may prompt business owners to reconsider their public stance. People can make choices—whether to avoid working with or patronising such businesses—which may encourage shifts in organisational culture over time. Ultimately, greater transparency can be a tool for empowerment, but it’s important to weigh the consequences and feasibility of enforcing it.