1 HOTEL AND EVENT CENTER MINIMUM WAGE, WORKER RETENTION, AND HOTEL WORKER SAFETY AND WORKLOAD INITIATIVE
This Initiative would require Anaheim hotels and event centers (including publicly or privately owned convention centers, concert halls, stadiums, and sports arenas of over 20,000 square feet) to pay their workers service charges and
a minimum wage starting at $25/hour, and to
retain most of their workers for at least 90 days after an ownership change, mandate the provision of electronic security devices to certain hotel workers, require overtime wages to hotel workers who exceed workload limits, and prohibit mandatory overtime.
Personal Security Devices
Hotels would be required provide an electronic emergency device to each hotel worker assigned to work alone in guest rooms or restrooms. The device would provide direct contact to a hotel security guard or manager designated to respond to violent or threatening conduct. No adverse employment action could be taken against a worker who activates the device absent clear evidence that the worker knowingly made a false emergency claim.
Hotels would have to allow workers paid time to report any violent or threatening conduct, and to reasonably accommodate workers subject to such conduct.
Hotels would have to post “The Law
Protects Hotel Workers From Threatening Behavior” on the back of each guest room door, and provide annual employee training on the security device and the hotel’s response protocols.
Workload / Overtime
Workers whose principal duties are to clean hotel rooms could not be required to clean more than 4,000 square feet in hotels with fewer than 60 rooms, or more than 3,500 square feet in hotels with at least 60 rooms, unless the hotel pays that worker twice the pay rate for the entire workday. Absent workers’ written consent, hotels could not require or permit workers to work more than ten hours a day.
Hotels would be prohibited from implementing programs (including financial incentives for guests) whereby guest rooms are not cleaned after each night they are occupied.
Employee Retention
When hotels or event centers change ownership, the new owner must offer continued employment for at least 90 days to every non‐managerial worker who the prior owner had employed for at least one month. This would not apply if the new owner had substantiated cause not to retain employees based on past performance or conduct.
2 Minimum Wage
Hotels and event center workers would be entitled to a $25/hour minimum wage. Beginning January 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, the minimum wage would increase by the greater of 3% or the consumer price index.
Service Charges
Hotels and event centers would have to pay all service charges to the employee(s) performing services for the customer who pays the service charge. Services charges could not be paid to managerial or supervisory employees.
Waivers
Employers could seek annual waiver from the financial requirements upon the showing of financial hardship, as defined.
Enforcement
An employee could seek to enforce this initiative by reporting it to Anaheim officials or by bringing a lawsuit against the employer.