Paychex Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Services

A PEO is an all-in-one HR solution that helps make it easier for you to manage employee benefits, HR, payroll, and compliance. Working with a PEO offers many benefits to businesses like yours, such as:

• Simplifying HR tasks to focus on what matters most
• Offering Fortune 500-level benefits more affordably
• Access to HR advice and guidance on specific issues

A Higher Level of HR Outsourcing

Only a PEO gives you the benefits of a co-employer relationship.

Paychex® is the exclusive payroll services provider officially endorsed by CHLA.

CHLA Members enjoy special pricing.

To see how Paychex can help your business hire and keep employees, reduce administrative costs and increase productivity and profitability, contact CHLA@paychex.com.

“With Paychex taking care of the HR side of the business, my wife and I can focus on growing the business, being profitable, taking care of the employees, and taking care of the customers.”
— Nihar Mandavia, Co-Owner, The Druggist Pharmacy

CHLA Hotel Weekly

CHLA publishes the Hotel Weekly e-newsletter, sent on Thursday to all CHLA members. To request past issues of the Hotel Weekly, please contact us at service@calodging.com.

Governor Extends Hotel Stays until March 8 for Wildfire Evacuees and First Responders

Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-14-25 extends hotel stays for wildfire evacuees and first responders in Los Angeles County until March 8, 2025. This critical Executive Order temporarily suspends tenancy laws and allows hotels to continue providing shelter to displaced residents and first responders, offering much-needed flexibility for operators and stability for guests. This page offers essential resources to help hotel operators navigate the order and meet the ongoing needs of evacuees and responders.

A list of questions and answers to common questions is below:

Q. What does the Executive Order mean for hotels?

The referenced Executive Order states that persons displaced from their primary residence in Los Angeles County as a result of the wildfire emergency are deemed to have transient occupancy status for their stay, up until March 8, 2025. After that date, regular transient and tenancy laws apply. This means that, for covered hotels, evacuees may stay at the property until March 8, 2025 without establishing tenancy.

Q. Does the Executive Order apply to all hotels?

No, the Executive Order only applies to hotels in Los Angeles County which are normally subject to Transient Occupancy Tax via county or city regulations. Hotels outside of Los Angeles County are NOT subject to the Executive Order, and regular establishment of tenancy statutes remain in effect.

Q. Does the Executive Order apply to first responders or other response personnel?

No, as noted above, the Executive Order only applies to persons displaced from their primary residence as a result of the wildfire emergency.

Q. My hotel is located in Los Angeles County and is hosting displaced persons subject to the Executive Order, are there any suggested actions for my hotel?

Yes, CHLA has developed a guest acknowledgment form which it recommends hotels provide to guests to verify that the persons are in fact displaced persons and that they are aware of the effect of the Executive Order. For these guests, be sure to update your automated systems to reflect the longer permissible stay timeframe and communicate your hotel’s availability with those guests.

Q. Do I collect Transient Occupancy Taxes on the extended stay?

It depends. The Executive Order permits local governments to collect Transient Occupancy Taxes for the full duration of the transient occupancy. To the extent that the local ordinance permits extended collections, then collection is appropriate. Note, some jurisdictions require collected Transient Occupancy Tax on stay longer than a specified duration (typically 30 days) to be remitted back to guests. Hotels should refer to their local Transient Occupancy Tax ordinances and guidance from local tax collectors.

Q. Will there be another Executive Order expanding the effect of Executive Order N-14-25 to other counties?

Potentially, but this is not guaranteed. The Governor is aware of the current housing situation and the need for expansion. If an Executive Order is issued, CHLA will send an update with more information.

Exclusive Marketing Opportunities for CHLA Members

Boost your property’s visibility through the California Hotel & Lodging Association’s extensive network. Our multi-channel marketing opportunities connect you with thousands of industry professionals and potential guests.

Social Media Spotlight:

• Showcase property milestones or new hires on CHLA’s active social platforms
• Engage with a community of industry leaders and enthusiasts

Hotel Weekly Newsletter Feature:

• Announce property updates or staff achievements
• Reach thousands of subscribers in the hospitality sector

CHLA Website News Section:

• Gain prominent exposure for your property and staff announcements
• Benefit from CHLA’s high-traffic industry hub

Lodging News Magazine Profile:

• Secure an in-depth profile on your property or staff members
• Amplify your voice by participating in our Voices of Hospitality feature

Leverage CHLA’s trusted voice in the hospitality community to maximize your exposure and drive interest to your property.

Hospitality Nexus

The California Hotel & Lodging Association is pleased to share access to the Hospitality Nexus, a professional community that connects hospitality employers, educators, students, and industry professionals in one shared network.

CHLA members may create a free profile, participate in discussions, explore workforce and career resources, and connect with hospitality programs and emerging talent.

The CHLA partner space within the platform is under development and will include additional opportunities for member engagement and communication.

Merchant Advocate

Profit margins are tight and hospitality business owners are always looking for ways to reduce expenses and add more to their bottom line. Merchant Advocate can help you navigate the complexities of accepting credit cards and has saved clients more than $300 million in excess fees. Merchant Advocate provides a FREE ANALYSIS on the health of your account and will:

✓ Negotiate lower rates
✓ Eliminate hidden fees
✓ Fix coding errors

Contact your dedicated CHLA representative, Howard Goldstein, at hgoldstein@merchantadvocate.com or 206-387-0189 with any questions or to get a free, no-commitment analysis today.

Compliance Guide – 24-Hour Cancellation Requirements

Under a new state law, Senate Bill 644 (Glazer, D), on and after July 1, 2024, all hotel reservations will be required to offer free cancellations for 24-hours after the booking confirmation is sent, subject to some conditions. Specifically, the measure only applies to bookings made at least 72-hours in advance of the stay. Further, the measure does not apply to negotiated rates that are not advertised or otherwise made available for booking by the general public, nor does it apply to reservations where the specific hotel is not disclosed to the consumer until after the booking is confirmed.

LIMITATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION EXAMPLES

Does Apply to:

1. This law only applies to bookings made at least 72 hours or more before the check-in time.
   If a hotel offers check-in after 4pm, a reservation made and confirmed at 3pm on August 1st for a stay on August 5th would be able to cancel their reservation with a full refund until 3pm on August 2nd. However, if the guest booked and received a confirmation for the same reservation at 5pm on August 1st, the reservation would
   not be governed by this law.

Does Not Apply To:

1. Reservations made for a negotiated rate that was not advertised, or otherwise made available, for booking by the general public.
   If a hotel negotiates a special rate with a meeting planner for an event, that rate is not subject to this measure. Additionally, if the hotel negotiates a special rate contract with a corporation permitting corporate employees to stay at the hotel for a special rate, that booking is also not subject to this measure.
   
2. Reservations for a hotel accommodation that is confirmed before July 1, 2024.
   If a guest books a room on June 30th for a stay on July 7th, the cancellation policy will be dictated by the time of delivery for the confirmation email. If the confirmation email was delivered on June 30th, then this measure would not apply to the reservation. If the confirmation email is delivered on July 1, then the law applies to the reservation.
   
3. Reservations where the specific hotel is not disclosed to the consumer until after the booking is confirmed.
   Your hotel participates in a program whereby guests book a trip to your local city for a set price. As part of the program, the guest is notified before booking that they may be placed in one of several participating hotels, and will be informed of which hotel after booking. In the event a guest books through this program, their reservation will not be subject to this measure.

Green Key Global

Green Key Global Eco-Rating Program: Trusted Sustainability Certification for the Hospitality Industry 

Sustainability in tourism is evolving, and Green Key Global is at the forefront of this evolution, ready to bring lodging facilities, convention centers, meeting, and event spaces up to speed and ready to receive a new generation of planet-conscious guests and attendees.

Certification with Green Key Global demonstrates your hotel or lodging facility’s commitment to improving environmental and social performance, enabling you to compete more effectively. Hotels that join the Eco-Rating Program are able to reduce operating costs, increase visibility on online travel platforms and attract new clients. 

CHLA has partnered with Green Key Global to help members advance their sustainability goals. With preferred pricing on the Green Key Global’s Eco-Rating Certification Program, hotels can improve their sustainability performance, get listed on Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s), boost credibility with travelers and access sustainability-focused funding as well as participate and qualify for corporate and business travel RFPs. Join thousands of certified properties leading the way in sustainable hospitality. 

Together, we will showcase your sustainable efforts to guests and help save our planet for future generations. 

Members can save 15% on Green Key Global membership by using code CHLA2025 at sign up. 

How do hotels earn their certification?

Green Key Eco-Rating certification is awarded to hotels that have completed and are up to date with Green Key Global’s assessment and audit process. The assessment analyses a property’s efforts to respect and protect the environment and local communities and provides personalized tips on how to improve by upgrading equipment, systems, standards, and operations. 

Hotels that have been awarded Eco-Rating Certification must retake the assessment every three years in order for their certification to remain valid. In addition, all members get access to tips, tools, resources, education, and vetted vendors that ensure their hotel stays on a continuous path toward improving their rating. 

Hotel Audits: 

• $500/3 year virtual audits 
• $2500/3 year in person audits 
• $500 for additional audits

CHLA Supports Hotels Hiring Veterans

CHLA is proud to promote programs to help hoteliers with their recruiting efforts. Linked below are two programs offered by the US Department of Labor and Department of Defense geared to support active military servicemember and veteran job seekers.

American Job Center (AJC) is a primary resource for many veterans looking to find jobs locally. CHLA members can contact David Seay with the DOL at Seay.David@dol.gov who will put you in touch with your local AJC on listing open positions.

The Military Spouse Employment Partnership connects military spouses with partner employers committed to hiring and retaining them. While military spouses tend to be well educated and qualified for a range of careers, they have high unemployment rates due to their spouses’ military service.

CHLA values the leadership and unique skills offered by the military community, and recognizes the rewarding and long-lasting careers they can find in the hotel industry.

Workplace Violence Prevention Program (WVPP)

By July 1, 2024, California employers are required to develop and implement a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP). Senate Bill 553 (SB 553) establishes the first general industry workplace violence prevention safety requirements in the United States. The WVPP may be part of your Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP) or it may be a standalone plan. An effective WVPP improves life safety and health in the workplace. Materials provided by the California Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA) should be used as a starting point to help you develop or improve your own WVPP, customized specifically to your property.

WVPP Development Guide and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
CHLA is pleased to provide a WVPP Development Guide and FAQs at no cost to members upon request. Developed by Ballard Rosenberg Golper & Savitt, LLP and CHLA, the WVPP Development Guide and FAQs provide a comprehensive outline for developing and implementing an effective WVPP which complies with SB 553 and the standards set forth by the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). Following this guide will help to ensure the health and safety of your property’s employees, visitors, and guests. 

Copyright: The WVPP materials are intended only for active CHLA hotel and lodging property members. CHLA grants active property members the right to copy, reproduce, modify, and transmit these WVPP materials only for the property for which it was created. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, publish, display, perform, modify, create derivative works, transmit, or in any way exploit any such content, nor may you distribute any part of this content over any network, or sell or offer it for sale. You may not alter or remove any copyright or other notice from copies of the content on the WVPP materials. Copying or storing any content except as provided above is expressly prohibited without prior written permission of the California Hotel & Lodging Association.

Request WVPP Development Guide and FAQs

Disclaimer: The information and recommendations contained on this page have been compiled from various sources. All of these sources are believed to be reliable and accurate, but the California Hotel & Lodging Association makes no guarantee as to, or assumes no responsibility for correctness, sufficiency, or completeness of the information and recommendations. It is the California Hotel & Lodging Association’s belief that when their members use this page as a guide that they should essentially comply with the requirements of Cal-OSHA. However, it is each member’s responsibility to confirm the contents of their specific WVPP are in compliance with the most current Cal-OSHA requirements.  This guide is not meant to be a substitute for or a legal interpretation of the occupational safety and health standard.

Active Shooter Preparedness

Active shooter incidents are often unpredictable and evolve quickly. In the midst of the chaos, anyone can play an integral role in mitigating the impacts of an active shooter incident. CHLA has compiled tools and resources to help you prepare for and respond to an active shooter incident.

Active Shooter Profile

An Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearms(s) and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to victims. Because active shooter situations are often over within 10 to 15 minutes, before law enforcement arrives on the scene, individuals must be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation.

What You Can Do

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has developed an independent study course entitled Active Shooter: What You Can Do. This course was developed to provide the public with guidance on how to prepare for and respond to active shooter crisis situations.

Upon completion of Active Shooter: What You Can Do, employees and managers will be able to:

• Describe the actions to take when confronted with an active shooter and to assist responding law enforcement officials;
• Recognize potential workplace violence indicators;
• Describe actions to take to prevent and prepare for potential active shooter incidents; and
• Describe how to manage the consequences of an active shooter incident.

The online training is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management Institute.

Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan

The Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan Guide supplements the Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan Video. Together, they create a virtual training tool designed to help develop an organization’s Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan.

The Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan Video describes the fundamental concepts of developing an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for an active shooter scenario. This instructive video guides viewers through important considerations of EAP development utilizing the first-hand perspectives of active shooter survivors, first responder personnel, and other subject matter experts who share their unique insight.

The Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan Template is a fillable form useful in documenting an organization’s Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan.

Pathway To Violence

The “Pathway to Violence” video provides information regarding the behavior indicators that assailants often demonstrate before a violent act. Behavior experts reference research conducted by Frederick Calhoun and Steve Weston’s on threat management and further describes the six progressive steps that may be observable by colleagues. The video also includes law enforcement expert interviews that discuss engagement strategies and recommended responses to someone potentially on a pathway to violence.

Download the printer-friendly Pathway to Violence fact sheet that explains warning signs that may lead to violence and what individuals can do to mitigate a potential incident.

“How To Respond” Resource Material

DHS has developed a series of materials to assist businesses, government offices, and schools in preparing for and responding to an active shooter. These resources include a detailed booklet, a desk reference guide, a reference poster, and a pocket-size reference card. DHS has also developed both a Recovery Guide, and an Incident Fact Sheet to assist your organization as you consider the recovery phase of an event. Visit their website to download the resources.

Constant Contact

CHLA members save 25% on email marketing solutions.

Constant Contact is the easy, effective and highly affordable way to get your message out. Retain current guests and attract new ones with scenic email newsletters and more. CHLA members receive a 25% discount for a 12 month prepay or a 20% discount for a 6 month prepay.