As an employer in the hospitality industry, you have most likely needed answers to the following questions:

• If an employee hands me union authorization cards, do I have to recognize the union?
• DHS/DOL just showed up at my hotel and wants to see all my I-9's right now - what do I do?
• How can I make sure we are keeping track of all hours worked by employees and complying with the various state laws on rests/meals periods across the country?
• Can I fire that server with the skull and crossbones tattooed on his forearm?
• How will my company survive this nationwide class/collective lawsuit?

The hospitality industry has one of the most diverse employee workforces. It also faces the challenge of being an industry with a high employee turnover rate. Effective management of the workforce can be as important to guest satisfaction, quality assurance and company profitability as the food you serve or the hotel rooms you rent.

Ford & Harrison's Hospitality Group was formed to combine the extensive knowledge and experience of our attorneys working with hospitality clients. This group's unique knowledge and insight into the industry enables us to provide hospitality employers with legal advice specific to their demands. Our clients range from large, multi-unit operators, to mid-size franchisees, to the individual operator. In addition, our lawyers are actively involved in local and national hospitality trade associations, including the National Restaurant Association, American Hotel and Lodging Association, and visitor and convention bureaus in our individual office markets, and are acutely aware of the trends and issues facing the hospitality industry.

Just as having a single source to develop and administer the operational standards and policies of the hotel/motel or restaurant company, utilizing a single resource for the labor and employment needs of the company provides reliability and helps ensure consistency. Our lawyers' specific industry experience and client institutional knowledge provides a broad base of resources for resolving these issues and minimizing costs. Simply put, our hospitality attorneys speak the language of the hospitality industry.

Our lawyers partner with hospitality clients to address all of the following labor and employment related areas:

• labor relations,
• policy review and development,
• training and risk avoidance programs,
• wage and hour,
• employment discrimination claims,
• ADA and FMLA,
• class, collective and multi-plaintiff litigation,
• alternative dispute resolution programs,
• immigration,
• employee benefits and OFCCP, and
• workplace safety.