AH&LEF Special Projects
A grant was awarded to fund the research portion of the Lodging Industry Image Campaign which will demonstrate that the industry energizes the national and local economies by providing essential job growth as well as business and tax revenues. For more information, visit the Governmental Affairs section of AH&LA's Website, www.ahla.com.
The toolkit is a comprehensive collection of the best practices, reports, and sample documents from state hotel associations regarding how to run a successful association. Areas of focus include governance, membership, advocacy, public relations, educational and training programs, operational issues, and non-dues revenue programs. It's available to members of the International Society of Hotel Association Executives (ISHAE) and is on its Website.
In 2008 a grant was made at the request of AH&LA’s Labor Council to produce a video to educate hotel workers in regards to the Employee Free Choice Act and the card check process. For more information, visit the Governmental Affairs section of AH&LA's Website, www.ahla.com.
The Foundation funded a grant to enable the hotel industry to counter the frequently unsubstantiated claims made by unions about the industry – particularly in the areas of work overloads, dangers in housekeeping, and employment pay and benefits. For more information, visit the Governmental Affairs section of AH&LA's Website, www.ahla.com.
At the request of AH&LA, a grant was approved to analyze the employment conditions of the lodging industry including the economic impact of the lack of labor and the current immigration policy including temporary work visas, as well as provide an accurate estimate of the projected future labor needs of the industry. For more information, visit the Governmental Affairs section of AH&LA's Website, www.ahla.com.
In 2006, the Foundation funded an immigration polling survey that provided important statistics for AH&LA's Governmental Affairs Department and other organizations and individuals who support a comprehensive immigration program. The poll, conducted by Ayres, McHenry & Associates, found that more than 80 percent of registered voters wanted Congress to pass immigration reform before the end of 2006. More than seven in 10 voters surveyed would rather have Congress pass "a bill that includes border security, employer enforcement, and a temporary worker program" than pass no bill at all.
Click here to view the Immigration Poll Analysis
For more information on the immigration issue, visit the Governmental Affairs section of AH&LA's Website.
AH&LEF has funded several grants related to the lodging industry’s response to the U.S. Department of Justice's proposed changes to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). Nearly every single property in the U.S., both existing and in the planning stages, can expect to be affected by these changes. The overall objective is to minimize the negative impact of any changes. For more information on ADA issues, visit the Government Affairs section of AH&LA's Website.
The disciplines of loss control, risk management, safety, security, fire protection, and the various mandates at the federal level that impact the lodging industry are the focus of this service. The Foundation funded this project from 1998 - 2009.
APEX is an initiative to bring together all stakeholders in the development and implementation of industry-wide accepted standards that create and enhance efficiencies throughout the meeting industry. The accepted standards are not mandatory, but recommended, illustrative of the best practices of the industry. Panels developed the recommended practices in terminology, history/post-event reports, request for proposals, resumes and work orders, meeting and site profiles, housing and registration, and con-tracts. Spearheaded by the Convention Industry Council, AH&LEF is one of several supporters of the initiative. Additional information is available at www.conventionindustry.org/apex.
Borne in response to the industry's growing concerns over attrition, this short-term industry collaboration was designed to help educate members of the meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry on the issue, while pursuing solutions to minimize the impact of the problem. AH&LEF was one of several industry organizations to fund this important project. The Project Attrition Final Report, which details the project work and includes tools developed to assist planners and suppliers alike, is available through the Convention Industry Council's Website, www.conventionindustry.org.
A comprehensive literature search for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in the hotel sector, conducted by Schirmer Engineering Corporation, identified health hazards of CO exposure, but did not identify a consensus as to what documents a dangerous exposure level, to what extent CO migrates from the source (in non-single-family residential units), and how extensive "accidental" poisoning of CO exposure is versus "non-accidental" incidents. AH&LA continues to monitor industry-related carbon monoxide issues and might request additional funding to further address this study if necessary. For additional information, contact Kevin Maher in AH&LA's Government Affairs Department at (202) 289-3147 or kmaher@ahla.com.
In 1996 AH&LA spearheaded an initiative designed to accelerate the lodging industry's technology usage and lower automation costs through the specification of voluntary computer interfacing standards. The project developed three suites of standards comprising 15 individual standards completed; Central Reservation Systems, Posting Device Systems, and Remote Device Systems. The project was funded by the Foundation and other donors.