Red Hot Employment Issues in Restaurants

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

From a single restaurant to a chain of more than one thousand outlets, every hospitality client should have basic policies and procedures to help guide them through managing their employees. The red hot employment law  issues in restaurants these days continue to be: 1) claims of retaliation for any type of protected activity (i.e. filing workers compensation claims, making complaints about discrimination,  harassment or wages); 2) Americans with Disabilities Act claims, both in employment and public accommodations; 3) sexual harassment claims; and 4) wage and hour issues (tip pooling, rest and meal periods, pay issues). Having a good understanding of the laws underlying these issues, putting policies in place to ensure compliance, and having a plan of attack as to how you will handle concerns as they come up will not only help you avoid potential liability, but also help ensure a happy and productive workforce.