Labor and Employment Roundup: What to Expect in 2026
JMBM law firm outlines 15+ new California employment laws taking effect in 2026, including expanded paid family leave, AI regulations, and strengthened whistleblower protections.
Press Releases
Excellence Endowment Bolsters Senior Living Programing in Hospitality Management
Penn State's School of Hospitality Management receives $50,000 total from Liberty Lutheran and Waverly Heights to expand senior living career programming.
New 2025 Hotel Labor Costs & Trends Report Finds Operators Improve Labor Efficiency Amid Rising Wages and Softer Revenue
Report reveals U.S. hotels cut labor hours by 7-15% across departments while maintaining profitability despite wage increases up to 5.9%.
HotelData.com and Actabl
U.S. Hospitality Hits an All-Time Workforce High as a New Labor Crisis Emerges, New 2025 Report Finds
Despite reaching record workforce levels, the industry faces 70-80% annual turnover in hotels and restaurants, with QSR exceeding 100%.
Report benchmarks representation of women, Black leaders in hotel industry
Penn State study of 10,000+ hospitality leaders shows women's representation stagnant at senior levels while Black leadership declined from 2.2% to 2.1% over three years.
Tourism Leader Rossi Ralenkotter Loses Battle with Cancer
The man who helped create the iconic Las Vegas brand-ad campaign, “What Happens Here, Stays Here” has passed away after a 16-year battle with cancer.
AHLA Foundation Awards More Than $700,000 in Academic Scholarships to 246 Students Nationwide
AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of AHLA dedicated to supporting a strong hotel industry workforce, today announced the distribution of more than $710,000 in academic scholarships to 246 students at 64 schools across the country for the 2025–2026 academic year.
Study: H-2B Visa Program supports U.S. workforce, positively impacts domestic salaries and jobs
The H2B Workforce Coalition, an effort aimed at protecting American workers through a stable and reliable seasonal workforce, today released a comprehensive economic analysis that explores the impacts and realities of the H-2B Visa Program. Completed by Edgeworth Economics, the study finds that the H-2B program has not had a detrimental effect on jobs and the salaries of U.S. workers - it has increased wages and supported the labor force.
Hilton Garden Inn Sunnyvale Certified as Silicon Valley’s First Neuro-Ready Hotel
A new partnership between Hilton Garden Inn Sunnyvale and Friendly Accessibility is making travel more inclusive for neurodivergent hotel guests.
HFTP Announces 2025 CHAE of the Year Award Recipient: Rebecca Bennett, CHAE
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) is proud to announce Rebecca Bennett, CHAE, as the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE®) of the Year Award.
Hospitality America’s PEACH Con 2025 Charts the Future of Hospitality Leadership
GREENVILLE, S.C.— As hospitality faces labor shortages, shifting guest expectations, and technology disruption, Hospitality America’s PEACH Con 2025 brought together more than 50 hotel leaders, corporate partners, and industry experts to address the trends redefining the guest experience. With the theme “Navigating New Frontiers; Where Trailblazers Thrive,” the three-day leadership conference equipped attendees with strategies to strengthen performance today while preparing for hospitality’s future.
Joy Barlow Named General Manager of the Historic Colony House Motor Lodge in Roanoke, Virginia
The Colony House Motor Lodge, one of Roanoke’s most distinctive mid-century modern landmarks, announced the appointment of Joy Barlow as general manager. Barlow will oversee all operations at the 67-room boutique property, which officially reopened in August 2025 following a multi-million-dollar restoration that preserved its iconic Googie-style architecture while introducing modern hospitality amenities.
Hospitality industry urges passage of state legislation requiring human trafficking training
Today, state legislators and leaders from the hospitality industry convened to urge passage of House Bill 1286, which would require short-term rental operators—in addition to hotels and other lodging establishments—across Pennsylvania to provide human trafficking awareness training to employees. The legislation, introduced by State Representative Regina Young (D-HD185) and co-sponsored by Representatives Robert Leadbeter, Eric Nelson, and Tarik Khan, is currently pending before the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
U.S. Travel Welcomes Confirmation of Bryan Bedford as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman issued the following statement on the Senate’s confirmation of Bryan Bedford to serve as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA):
Appellation Healdsburg Appoints Leadership Team Ahead of Late Summer Opening
Appellation – the culinary-first hotel brand co-founded by renowned American chef Charlie Palmer and former Four Seasons Americas President Christopher Hunsberger – proudly announces the appointment of a seasoned team of hospitality professionals who will deliver the brand’s signature experience at Appellation Healdsburg, opening late summer 2025. The resort celebrates the region’s seasonal bounty through food, wellness, and meaningful connections, anchored by on-site culinary gardens and two signature Charlie Palmer dining concepts.
Waldorf Astoria New York and NO Uniform Unveil Wardrobe Design Collaboration
NEW YORK CITY – Waldorf Astoria New York unveiled today ahead of its opening new team member wardrobes designed by NO Uniform, the specialist design studio led by acclaimed British couture designer Nicholas Oakwell. The partnership marks NO Uniform’s first venture with a New York City hotel.
Adam Bullard Joins Hospitality America as Corporate Director of Human Resources
At Hospitality America, people matter. It’s with that shared mindset that Adam Bullard joins the third-party hotel management company as Corporate Director of Human Resources. In the hotel environment, this position is more crucial than ever as operators strive to mitigate challenges such as high employee turnover, customer service demands, and increasingly diverse workforces across multiple locations. In this role, Bullard will navigate these complexities for the growing company that is managing 20 Hilton and Marriott brand hotels.
Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Robert G. Goldstein to Transition to Senior Advisor Role in March 2026
Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS) announced that Robert G. Goldstein, its chairman and chief executive officer and long-time senior executive, will transition to the role of senior advisor on March 1, 2026. Mr. Goldstein has agreed to serve as a senior advisor through March 2028. In that capacity, Mr. Goldstein will assist management with its government relations activities, efforts to pursue new physical development opportunities and the company’s gaming strategies.
U.S. Travel Association Announces New National Chair, Governing Committee Members
The U.S. Travel Association announced on Tuesday that William (Bill) J. Hornbuckle, Chief Executive Officer and President of MGM Resorts International, was selected National Chair of the association’s board of directors. His appointment to a two-year term was formalized with a membership vote. A new slate of U.S. Travel Executive Board members and elected officers for the upcoming term was also announced.
FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management appoints new chair
Florida International University's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management has welcomed three new members and named a new chair to the school's Executive Advisory Board, Richard Brilliant, who is also an FIU Hospitality alumnus. The new board members include two FIU alumni John Boettger '85, managing director of Westmont Hospitality Group and Jorge L. Rodriguez '91 president of Latin America and the Caribbean at SUBWAY®, in addition to Mutluhan Kucuk, complex managing director for Loews Miami Beach Hotel and Loews Coral Gables Hotel.