Category Archives: Management And Ownership

by | August 14, 2013 · 1:25 am

Hospitality Industry Information Risks: “Cyber-Risk Insurance” Protects Businesses Against “Data Breaches”

…CFOs are looking for insurance against cyber threats. In the past few years,  cyber-risk coverage has become one of the fastest- Cyber Risk Insurance Graphicgrowing businesses for insurers…Businesses, government agencies, hospitals and schools in  the U.S. reported 343 data breaches this year through July, reports CFOJ’s  Maxwell Murphy. That exceeds the number reported in all of 2006 and puts 2013 on  pace for 588 breaches, the most since 2010…”

Data breaches have been on the rise after a dip in the past two years, and experts say the publicly disclosed breaches of computer networks may be only a  fraction of the total.

Cybersecurity used to be something that Ciena CFO James Moylan Jr. delegated. But now he spends as much as 10% of his time making sure  Ciena and its technologies are protected from hackers, cutthroat competitors and other potential cybercriminals. “With all the things that have been in the  news—hackers and, frankly, the Chinese—it’s all caused us to think about” how to cut the potential cost of a data breach, he says. The average cost of a breach  is about $188 per stolen record, and the average loss per incident is $9.4 million, according to a study last week from the Ponemon Institute.

For more:  http://stream.wsj.com/story/latest-headlines/SS-2-63399/SS-2-300092/

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by | August 13, 2013 · 6:00 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Louisiana Motel Sued For “Negligence” After Guest Falls Down Flight Of Stairs; Claims Poor Lighting Led To Injuries

“…The lawsuit is seeking an award of damages for medical expenses, loss of impairment of earnings or earning capacity, physical pain, mental Hospitality Industry Injury Lawsuitsanguish, physical impairment, physical disfigurement, mental impairment, loss of society and/or consortium, mental anguish, loss of household services, interest, court costs and attorney’s fees…”

A Super 8 Motel in Alexandria, La., is being sued after a guest fell down a flight of stairs due to poor lighting. Sonya Lynn Moore and J. David Moore filed suit against Super 8 Worldwide Inc., H.L. & H. Holding Co. Inc., Wyndham Worldwide Inc., individually and doing business as Wyndham Hotel Group, on July 3, 2013 in Jefferson County District Court. The defendants removed the case to Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division on Aug. 8.

The plaintiffs were guests on the premises of the Super 8 Motel in Alexandria on Jan. 24, 2013, when Sonya Moore allegedly fell down a flight of stairs.

The defendants are accused of negligence due to a lack of adequate lighting.

For more:  http://setexasrecord.com/news/288075-super-8-motel-sued-after-guest-falls-down-stairs

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by | August 12, 2013 · 5:53 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Florida Resort Building Damaged As “Large Sinkhole Opens Up”; 30 Percent Of Three-Story Structure Collapses

“…(guests) could hear a cracking sound as the villa began sinking. A large crack was visible at the building’s base…most sinkholes are small. Hotel Resort Sinkhole DamageSinkholes can develop quickly or slowly over time…they are caused by Florida’s geology — the state sits on limestone, a porous rock that easily dissolves in water, with a layer of clay on top. The clay is thicker in some locations making them even more prone to sinkholes…Other states sit atop limestone in a similar way, but Florida has additional factors like extreme weather, development, aquifer pumping and construction…”

A sinkhole caused a section of a central Florida resort villa to partially collapse early Monday, while another section of the villa was sinking, authorities said. About 30 percent of the three-story structure collapsed around 3 a.m. Monday, Lake County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Tony Cuellar said. The villa at the Summer Bay Resort had already been evacuated and no injuries were reported. Cuellar said authorities were also concerned about another section of the villa, which was sinking.

The sinkhole comes five months after one elsewhere in Florida killed a man. Monday’s sinkhole, which is in the middle of the villa, is about 40 to 50 feet in diameter, Cuellar said. He said authorities think it was getting deeper but couldn’t tell early Monday if it was growing outward.

The villa houses 24 units and about 20 people were staying in it at the time, Cuellar said. Authorities were called to the scene, about 10 miles west of Disney World, late Sunday where they found that the building was making popping sounds and windows were breaking.

For more:  http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_23843301/huge-florida-sinkhole-causes-resort-villa-partially-collapse

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Filed under Guest Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Structural Damage

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by | August 11, 2013 · 6:03 am

“2014 Hospitality Law Conference” Sponsored By HospitalityLawyer.com On February 10-12 Features Industry Legal, Safety And Security Solutions

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2014 Hospitality Law Conference-page-002

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Filed under Conferences, Guest Issues, Injuries, Insurance, Labor Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Training

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by | August 9, 2013 · 6:32 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Washington Restaurant Destroyed By Fire Caused By Cleaning Towels Left In Dryer “Spontaneously Combusting”

Restaurant Cleaning Towel Combustion Fires“…It was the second restaurant fire in Olympia in two years caused by towels in the dryer, and the fifth in five years to other businesses including hair salons…the cleaning towels that were left inside the dryer smolder for hours and then spontaneously combust.  The greases and oils used in the cleaning process apparently don’t all get washed out…”

Investigators have determined a fire that destroyed the Oyster House restaurant in Olympia started in the dryer, when cleaning towels spontaneously combusted. Now, they’re sending out a warning to all restaurants, hair salons, and even bowling alleys where towels are used to clean things and then washed and tossed in the dryer.

Olympia fire investigator Brian Schenk gave KOMO News a close look at the dryer where the Oyster House fire started. “I see a very distinct burn pattern here that shows me the fire came from the inside out,” Schenk said. “It just looks like it’s towels.”

The restaurant manager said the night of the fire that they used the dryer just before closing.

“And so when they get thrown in the dryer and left, they’ll continue to spontaneously heat even after the dryer cycle has stopped and people have all left,” said Assistant Chief Robert Bradley, the Olympia fire marshal.

For more:  http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Spontaneous-combustion-deemed-cause-of-Olympia-restaurant-fire-218925741.html?tab=video&c=y

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by | August 8, 2013 · 5:50 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Solutions: Hotel, Restaurant Guests Will Soon “Check-In And Make Payments” Using Mobile Phones Offering “Secure Software Applications With Facial Recognition Technology”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OFaWQDg3_A]

Using the PayPal app for iOS, Windows Phone and Android, wallet-less shoppers can track down stores that accept PayPal’s “check in to pay” service. The customer then checks in to the shop where they need to make a payment, paying by sliding a pin down in the app. The shopper’s credentials then appear on the shopkeeper’s PayPal app, with the photo and name appearing to identify the person who has asked to make the payment, allowing the shopkeeper to then confirm the sale.

PayPal are trialling a new scheme in the Richmond shopping precint of London that will allow shoppers to have their PayPal payments confirmed by their profile pictures. The Richmond shops first to test out the new check-in service include Cook & Garcia, The Farmery, The Tea Box, The Bingham Hotel, Revolution, Caffé Paolo, The Cedar Coffee Shop, Urban Diner, Pier 1 Fish and Chips,  Noble Jones, Hill Café and Knot Coffee and Pretzel.

“PayPal first brought ‘pay by mobile’ to the UK high street two years ago,” said Rob Harper, Head of Retail Services at PayPal

“Through our Richmond initiative, we’re pleased to help local businesses of all sizes offer a new more personal experience, while never having to turn away customers who don’t have enough cash on them to pay. Now locals in Richmond can leave their wallet or purse at home and be the first in the country to use their profile picture to pay.

“This is another step on the journey towards a wallet-less high street, where customers will be able to leave their wallet or purse at home and pay using their phone or tablet. We predict that by 2016 this will become a reality.”

For more:  http://www.techdigest.tv/2013/08/paypal_to_let_y.html

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by | August 7, 2013 · 6:22 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Kansas Hotel Group Pays Fired Worker $22,000 In Back Pay And Damages; Filed “Whistleblower Complaint” After Raising Workplace Safety Issues

“…every employee has the right to raise workplace safety and health concerns without fear of retaliation or termination,” said Marthe Kent, OSHA’s New England regional administrator. “When employees are fearful or reluctant to raise these issues with their employers, hazardous conditions could go undetected until employees are injured or sickened…”

http://www.whistleblowers.gov/

http://www.whistleblowers.gov/

“…True North will immediately post the whistleblower fact sheet and OSHA poster, in English and Spanish, in conspicuous locations at all of its work premises nationwide, where they can be seen and read by all employees. It will also provide annual training on whistleblower rights and employer responsibilities to all managers and supervisors and provide training materials to all newly hired or promoted managers.”

As part of an enterprise wide settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor, True North Hotel Group Inc., a hotel management company based in Overland Park, Kan., will pay $22,225 in back wages and compensatory damages to a former employee who was terminated from a Massachusetts location after raising workplace safety concerns. The company will also educate all its managers and notify its employees nationwide about workers’ whistleblower rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act as administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

As the story goes, a worker at True North’s Devens Conference Center in Massachusetts was subjected to disciplinary action and then terminated in October 2011 after notifying superiors about safety concerns.

The worker then filed a whistleblower complaint with OSHA, which investigated and found merit to the complaint. True North has elected to settle the matter by taking corrective action.

For more:  http://www.workerscompensation.com/compnewsnetwork/workers-comp-blogwire/17206-hotel-management-co-settles-on-worker-safety-concerns.html

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by | August 5, 2013 · 6:16 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Arkansas Restaurant Closed By Fire And Water Damage Reopens After 8 Months; Business Owners’ Insurance Pays For 80% Of Staff To Be Retained

“…Sixty employees were without work following the fire. The business owners’ insurance coverage allowed the staff to continue earning a Restaurant Fire Riskspaycheck while the restaurant was closed…Calico County partner Scott Blair said they retained about 80 percent of their pre-fire staff and hired about 40 new team members for the re-opening…”

Calico County was forced to shutdown after a fire damaged the restaurant (in the early morning on November 26, 2012)… Police were alerted to the fire after receiving a call from an alarm company that a commercial burglary alarm went off at approximately 2:37 a.m. Monday, according to dispatchers with the Fort Smith Police Department.

Fort Smith police arrived at the scene and alerted the fire department when smoke was seen coming from the building. Fort Smith Department Battalion Chief Tery Graves said responders quickly put out the flames, however, the restaurant suffered severe smoke and water damage. According to a preliminary investigation, the fire appeared to have started in the kitchen area of the restaurant.

For more:  http://5newsonline.com/2013/08/04/popular-fort-smith-restaurant-opens-back-up-after-fire/

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by | August 4, 2013 · 8:33 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Solutions: Hotels Must Increase “Value-Added Security Services” For Female Guests; $125 Billion Spent By Women On Travel

“…Women-young, old, single, married, widowed and gutsy are fueling an explosive growth in the travel industry. Estimates are that women will Hotel Safety Concerns For Female Travelersspend some $125 billion on travel in the next year.” With such staggering projected growth, it is exponentially beneficial for hotels to cater specifically to this market. More importantly, catering to this trend is necessary to remain competitive in the market, and a quintessential underlying value of all lodging establishments: safety for its guests with special attention to female travelers…”

Here are several security tips for hoteliers that will be perceived as value-added and appreciated services by female travelers. These suggestions from a hotel expert prospective to bolster the security for female guests include:

  • When female guests are checking into the hotel, the front desk staff should not call out her name or room number as a precaution.
  • Bellhops and front desk staff should be encouraged to be honest with the female guests about night travel alone. In any case the guest insists on leaving, the hotel should provide them with access to reliable transportation service that is trusted by the hotel agency.
  • Hoteliers should suggest rooms that are closer to the elevators to prevent women from walking down long halls or corridors. Women should be given rooms that are not on the first floor with a window or sliding glass door.
  • Place a card in each guest’s room with safety tips, like “Never place your room key card down unattended. If you do notice that the card is missing, you should contact the front desk immediately.” This is a very inexpensive way to inform women travelers that the hotel is focused on their security.
  • For the safety of your establishment, discourage employees from fraternizing with guests. This opens a huge door for liability lawsuits, and it is just not professional.
  • If the hotel doesn’t have valet service, female guests should be escorted to their vehicle, especially at night. The kind gesture will be appreciated and offer the female guest an added level of security. Additionally, it will add a significant amount of value to her stay with the hotel.
  • When a female guest checks-in, the bellhop should perform a brief security check of the room with the female guest standing in the doorway or where she feels comfortable. This quick check includes testing the windows to make sure they are locked and an explanation of the emergency exits and how to contact the hotel staff for help.

For more:  http://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=46609

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by | August 3, 2013 · 5:43 pm

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Texas Restaurant Sued By Customer Claiming Sickness From “Cyclospora”; Parasite Traced To Tainted Salad Mix

“…According to her lawsuit, (the plaintiff) dined at an Olive Garden restaurant in Addison, Texas on July 1 and suffered nausea, fatigue and Restaurant Cyclospora Outbreaksdiarrhea a few days later. Tests confirmed that her gastroenteritis was caused by cyclospora, the lawsuit states…Cyclospora is a single-celled parasite that attacks the small intestine, causing diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, gas, nausea and fatigue, health officials said…”

A Dallas woman is suing Darden Restaurants, claiming she became sick with the rare parasite cyclospora after she ate at an Olive Garden restaurant.

Suzanne Matteis contracted the severe gastrointestinal sickness in July and tested positive for the parasite, said her attorney, Ryan Osterholm. Nationwide, there are at least 378 confirmed cases of illness from cyclospora in 16 states since mid-June.

On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that cyclospora cases in Iowa and Nebraska have been traced to a tainted salad mix supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico to Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants in those states. Both restaurant chains are owned by Darden Corporation.

For more: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-salad-darden-cyclospora-lawsuit-20130803,0,4967942.story

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