More than $370,000 has been returned to 67 employees for immediate release.
Getting in Touch
Cynthia Santana may be reached at 206-256-5297 or by email at cynthia.santana@seattle.gov.
The Seattle Office of Labor Standards has reached the first settlement under the Hotel Employee Protection Ordinances.
Greater than $370,000 67 employees were returned
Seattle, Washington (August 9, 2022) — SBCO DCIC (Seattle) Operating Company, LLC dba Residence Inn Seattle Downtown (Residence Inn) and Go America Inc. Staffing Service (Go America) were investigated by the Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) for alleged violations of the Hotel Employees Safety Protections Ordinance, Protecting Hotel Employees from Injury Ordinance, Improving Access to Medical Care for Hotel Employees Ordinance, and Minimum Wage Ordinance. The companies employ between 25 and 75 individuals in Seattle, and many more globally. The employers agreed to pay $370,439.04 in total financial restitution to 67 employees and $2,500 to the City of Seattle.
OLS claimed that the health insurance given by Residence Inn to certain workers did not reach the necessary healthcare expenditure levels, and that the company did not offer other forms of healthcare expenditures to fulfill the criteria. Furthermore, OLS claimed that the company did not give any health insurance or other types of healthcare costs to other workers.
OLS said that Go America did not always pay employees the Seattle minimum wage and did not always provide them with healthcare.
In addition, OLS claimed that both employers:
lacked a written policy prohibiting violent or harassing behavior by guests, failed to post required notices in Spanish – the primary language of their employees, failed to obtain employee consent before requiring cleanings beyond the maximum permitted floor space, and failed to issue premium pay for cleanings beyond the maximum permitted floor space.
They also agreed to attend OLS management and payroll staff training, host Fair Work Center worker trainings in English and Spanish, and develop and implement lawful policies for obtaining employee consent to clean beyond maximum square footage limits and against violent and harassing behavior by guests.
“As a proud employer in the city of Seattle, we accept the settlement today and look forward to continuing to provide a safe, healthy, and productive environment that makes this hotel a great place to work while serving the friends, family, and business partners who visit this community,” said Residence Inn Seattle.
“This has been a pretty eye-opening experience.” It’s natural to believe that you can put your faith in your employer to pay you what you’ve been promised. It’s really difficult to plan your life around an income that isn’t even close to what you anticipated. “I work hard in this field, and it was tension that no one wants to deal with,” one employee said. “I would advise anybody working in the hotel sector to pay careful attention to what they are told and promised when accepting a job offer and to be aware of their legal wage rights.” You deserve every dime, so don’t assume there’s nothing you can do about it; speak out if anything isn’t right.”
“This may be the first concluded inquiry under Seattle’s Hotel Employee Protection Ordinances, but it will not be the last,” stated Steven Marchese, OLS Director. “This settlement should serve as a signal to all hotels in Seattle, whether big and small, that hotel workers have workplace rights that will be enforced.” Hotel owners must encourage and safeguard their staff by adhering to these rules, which help guarantee that clients have a positive experience.”
To learn more about Seattle’s Hotel Employee Protection Ordinances, please click here or contact the Office of Labor Standards at http://www.seattle.gov/laborstandards or call 206-256-5297.
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