Labor and Employment: Hospitality Industry

The hospitality-focused team in our Labor and Employment Practice Group is based in our offices throughout the U.S., aligning with your hospitality organization and offering insights into the best practices and regional nuances of each major market. With the capabilities and resources of a national firm to handle any type of matter, from discreet counseling questions to class actions, we are an extension of your in-house professionals.

Developed a model for quick-service restaurants to assist them with preparing for the new union organizing that has occurred in this industry, and advise and train them on how to best protect themselves and build defenses.
Representing a major hotel in Hartford, Connecticut, that reached out for assistance to help the hotel change its business model from a 350-room, full-service hotel to a 200-room, full-service hotel with the rest of the hotel switching to select service.
Simultaneously negotiated collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and contract extensions for four different hotels in four cities (Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Washington and Boston) on behalf of an international hotel client. Each CBA involved economic pressures and changes to industry work standards for housekeeping. The client faced grievance arbitration, job actions, picketing and threatened strike actions. The nationally coordinated negotiations demonstrate BakerHostetler’s ability to strategically negotiate business-changing issues in multiple cities and gain favorable outcomes.
Regularly conduct cutting-edge, effective labor relations training for hotels across the country through a creative and one-of-a-kind interactive approach, working closely with corporate and on-property managers on how to effectively and lawfully engage the hourly staff in order to build trust and drive loyalty to maintain a direct relationship with the employees and avoid substantial financial harm.
Provided advice and counsel to a major national food service chain on labor- and employment-related matters, including a wage and hour claim involving tip credit issues.
Managed an entire portfolio of employment-based visa and immigration support matters, including nonimmigrant visa applications and permanent residence filings, as well as providing support on immigration policies and immigration-related corporate compliance matters.