there is competition among hospitality com-
panies for the best workers. HR spends a great
deal of time developing ways to find qualified
candidates. HR also works to make its com-
pany more appealing to the candidates than
the competition.
In order to fill open positions, the com-
pany often has to hire temporary workers. A
temporary worker is a worker who is hired for
a specific, usually short, amount of time. A tem-
porary worker is not on the regular payroll and
does not receive company benefits.
Temporary workers are widely used in
today’s workforce. These workers do not just fill
in for clerical positions. Temporary workers are
used at all levels of hospitality businesses, 17-17.
Temporary workers often fill in for regular
workers on medical leave or family leave.
Temporary workers are especially useful during
peak seasons. Temporary workers are also
often used for banquet services. Issues with
temporary workers arise because these workers
do not receive benefits. They also often work at
several different hospitality businesses in order
to work the equivalent of a full-time job.
Family and Medical Leave
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
was designed to help workers deal with family
needs and still keep their jobs. Before this law
was passed, the worker would often have to
quit in order to take the time needed to care for
the family member.
The act entitles workers to take up to
12 weeks of leave (without pay) for certain
family needs, then be able to return to their
jobs. There are many details involved in meet-
ing this law, and HR is responsible for those
details. First, only employers who have at least
50 eligible employees are required to follow
this law. Smaller employers are exempt. The
employee must be eligible for the leave. An eli-
gible employee has worked for the employer
for at least 12 consecutive months, and must
have worked at least 1250 hours during the
past 12 months. Family members, for the
purposes of this law, are parents, children,
and spouses only. Family needs, for the pur-
poses of this law, include birth or adoption
of a child or serious illness of a family
member. Proof of the nature and seriousness
of the illness must be provided. The leave
does not have to be taken all at once. The
maximum amount of leave is 12 weeks in
12 months.
The FMLA was amended in 2008 to add care
for a seriously injured or ill family member of
the armed forces. For this reason, employees are
allowed to take up to 26 weeks off in a 12-month
period.
This law is very helpful to workers and their
families. However, it creates problems for the
company beyond the record keeping. The major
issue is how will the work get done? FMLA
requires that you hold the position or provide an
equivalent position when the employee returns
from leave. Arrangements must be made to
accomplish the work while the employee is tak-
ing FMLA leave. For example, suppose the front
office manager has to leave for 12 weeks during
the peak season for maternity leave. If the com-
pany hires a new front office manager, which
position will they give to their original office
400
Part 4 The Business of Hospitality
17-16 The workforce in the United States has become more diverse in the past 50 years.
Recent Workplace Statistics
59% of American workers are female.
43% of new American workers are minority.
Only 45% of the labor force is white and male.
The average age of the American worker is 40.
The size of the active labor force is shrinking.
Half of the workforce will be permanent part-time workers.