Los Angeles County Enacts Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance

What happened?

On August 8, 2023, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance (HWPO), establishing new safety measures, workload limits, and mandatory training for hotel employees in unincorporated areas of L.A. County.

Overview

Most provisions take effect April 1, 2026, with training requirements effective October 1, 2026. (§8.21.140).

Why this matters: This is a binding local law with near‑term deadlines. If an employer’s property is in the unincorporated areas of L.A. County, the HWPO’s core requirements apply and employers will need policies, devices, and budgets in place.

Action Steps for Compliance

1. Personal Security Devices

• Provide panic buttons at no cost to employees working alone in guest rooms or restrooms.

• Must include:
  • Onsite responder available at all times.
  • Annual training on device use and response procedures.

• Additional protections:
  • Paid time off to file law enforcement reports.
  • Reasonable accommodations for affected employees.

• Posting: Notices in guest rooms and restrooms.

• Recordkeeping: Incident records retained for 3 years.

Section(s): (§8.21.040)

2. Workload & Hours

• Hotels with fewer than forty rooms: Maximum four thousand five hundred square feet per eight-hour day.

• Hotels with forty or more rooms: Maximum three thousand five hundred square feet per eight-hour day.

• Exceeding limits require double pay for all hours worked that day.

• Special rules for checkout rooms and prorated calculations for shorter shifts or overtime.

• Overtime: No more than ten hours per day without written consent (with seven days’ notice).

• Records: Maintain pay, rooms cleaned, square footage, overtime, and consents for three years.

Section(s): (§8.21.050)

3. Mandatory Training

• Effective October 1, 2026:

• At least 6 hours of live, interactive training from a County-certified organization.
• Topics: HWPO rights, trafficking/domestic violence response, disease prevention, pest control, crime indicators.

• Workers must pass an exam for a Public Housekeeping Certificate (valid 5 years).
• Cannot work as a room attendant for more than 120 days without certification.
• Employers must keep compliance records.

Section(s): (§8.21.060)

4. Notice & Posting

• Written notice of HWPO rights to all employees and new hires.
• Post ordinance notice at worksites and signage on guest room and restroom doors.

Section(s): (§8.21.080)

5. Enforcement & Penalties

• Retaliation prohibited; presumption of retaliation if adverse action occurs within 90 days.
• Civil actions allowed by County or individuals.

• Penalties:
  • Actual damages or $100 per worker per day.
  • Up to $1,000/day for recordkeeping violations.
  • Treble damages for willful violations.

• Attorney fees may be awarded to prevailing party.

Section(s): (§8.21.090, §8.21.120)

Additional Information

Applicability Exemptions:

• County Waiver: One-year waiver if compliance would require reducing workforce by more than twenty percent or reducing hours by more than thirty percent.

• Collective Bargaining Waiver: Allowed if explicitly stated in a collective bargaining agreement.

Excluded roles: Managerial, supervisory, or confidential employees.

Section(s): (§8.21.030, §8.21.070, §8.21.110)

Source References

• Los Angeles, CA, Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance – (08/08/2023 Board Agenda; Item No. 9, Directive 1)
• Unincorporated Areas of the County – List

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