State & Local Labor & Workforce
The hotel industry exemplifies the American Dream, fostering development, upward mobility, and exciting lifelong careers. We currently face complex interrelated challenges in persistent labor shortages, rising costs, and a challenging regulatory environment. We are committed to finding common sense solutions to the labor and workforce challenges facing our industry. At our core, hotels are an industry of people serving people, and we feel a deep responsibility to ensure our workers feel valued, have opportunities for advancement and have collaborative relationships with their employers.
Our Position
AHLA advocates for policies at the state and local level that encourage business growth, protect employee freedoms and enhance collaboration between employees and their employers. AHLA works with state and local officials on policies to promote economic fairness and to mitigate unreasonable operational mandates. AHLA advocates for policies that allow our members to determine wage and benefits within their organizations, or to collectively bargain to negotiate wage and benefits, instead of being subject to wage and benefits mandates imposed by government.
AHLA supports policies that help expand our talent pipeline and advance and upskill our workforce. The AHLA Foundation helped create the nation’s first registered hospitality apprenticeship program, supported and recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor. We advocate for policies that help support and expand funding for registered apprenticeship programs. We recognize that there are different entry pathways to the many high-paying and fulfilling careers in the hospitality industry and support initiatives that improve state skills-based education practices.
We have a deep commitment to ensuring the safety and security of hotel employees and guests. We advocate for policies that advance AHLA’s 5-Star Promise and we support efforts that enhance employee safety, such as requirements for anti-sexual harassment training, human-trafficking prevention training and deployment of employee safety devices.
Have a question? Contact Luke at lmartel@ahla.com