On January 1, 2017, the Arkansas minimum wage will increase from $8.00 per hour to $8.50 per hour and the per hour for tipped employees stays the same at $2.63 per hour. Compensation for tipped employees must total at at least $8.50 per hour when tips are calculated. The Arkansas minimum wage will be higher than the federal minimum wage so even the Arkansas businesses whose annual gross sales are over $500,000 pay the higher wage of $8.50 per hour. When Arkansas and the federal minimum wages conflict, you must pay the employees the higher of the wage rates. Click here to see the ARKANSAS MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE FACT SHEET
By Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus, P.C.
Click here for more information prepared for our members.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) partnered with WageWatch, Inc. to conduct a national survey of hotel pay practices (the “Survey”).
The survey was conducted from January to August 2014.
Total participation in this survey amounts to 23% of the 53,000 hotels in the
industry today and represents almost half a million employees. The Survey results provided significant insight into the current pay practices
in the lodging industry. The minimum wage in the lodging industry is used mostly as a starting rate for new hires in entry-level positions in front- and
back-of-the-house positions, such as front desk agent and housekeeper. Pay raises usually occur in less than six to nine months, with workers moving up
through the ranks and leading into life-long careers in the hospitality industry. Further, the majority of employees receive extensive benefits packages with flexible hours and continuing education opportunities. Click here to see THE WAGE AND BENEFITS survey
THE HOTEL INDUSTRY OFFERS GOOD, HIGH-PAYING JOBS
The hotel industry is a leader in business, providing hourly and full-time employees’ fair and reasonable wages in jobs that offer a fast-track to a hospitality career.
THE HOTEL INDUSTRY OFFERS GOOD, HIGH-PAYING JOBS WITH BENEFITS
Benefits constitute a significant portion of a non-exempt hotel workers’ total compensation. Benefits serve a strategic function in attracting and retaining a competitive workforce.
THE HOTEL INDUSTRY OFFERS GOOD, HIGH-PAYING JOBS WITH BENEFITS AND A FAST-TRACK TO SENIOR POSITIONS
Minimum wage positions in the hotel industry offer a fast-track to upward mobility and serve as a gateway for new workers to enter the lodging industry.
One of three Americans gets their start in the restaurant industry.
While our nation’s economy continues to recover, there remains a strong passion for entrepreneurship in the restaurant industry. Restaurant owners, operators and employees are some of the most motivated, creative and savvy business people in our nation.
Small restaurant businesses are the backbone of countless local communities, with a crucial impact on our nation’s economy. The restaurant industry’s 990,000 locations are expected to support 13.5 million jobs and generate $683.4 billion in sales in 2014.
The National Restaurant Association’s America Works Here campaign tells the story of America’s restaurant industry — the nation’s second-largest private sector employer and an engine of economic growth. Click here to view the entire campaign.
MANAGE MY RESTAURANT – Like all retail small businesses, restaurant payment systems can be targets of data security intrusions. 6 measures to protect your network from hackers
MANAGE MY RESTAURANT – Consider these five patterns identified in the National Restaurant Association’s 2014 Restaurant Industry Forecast. 5 workforce trends to watch for in the restaurant industry
Join Us in This Important Effort
Service animals enrich the lives of many disabled Americans by performing vital tasks that increase their owners’ safety, mobility and independence. These animals are not a luxury, but a necessity. By denying a disabled person with a service animal access to your business, you’re exposing yourself to lawsuits and serious penalties. So please join us in welcoming disabled guests and their service animals into your business. It’s the law. And it’s the right thing to do.
“We Welcome Service Animals” is a national campaign created by the California Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Foundation and made possible by funding from the American Hotel & Lodging Foundation and the American Express Foundation to teach people in the hospitality industry and law enforcement how to improve service to disabled guests who depend on service animals for assistance. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), hotels, motels and restaurants are required to treat disabled customers with service animals like all other guests, providing them with the same service and access to all areas where other guests are allowed. Violating the ADA can lead to serious penalties and costly lawsuits. Also denying access to disabled people with service animals is a crime in every state.
Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990 to prevent discrimination against persons with disabilities. Among other things, the law guarantees all disabled persons the legal right to be accompanied by a service animal in all areas open to the general public. Failure to comply with the ADA exposes you and your business to lawsuits and serious federal penalties. Other state and local laws against discrimination may also exist in your area.
Federal law defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog or other animal trained to perform tasks for an individual with a disability. While most service animals are dogs, other animals, such as miniature horses, are sometimes used. The potentially life-saving tasks they perform may include:
You may not always see a service animal performing these tasks — but they’re always on the job, working to make life safer and more rewarding for their owners. Service animals can often be identified by special harnesses or colorful vests they sometimes wear — but these items are not required by law. So if you are uncertain whether an animal is a service animal, simply ask its owner.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act:
For more information about our “We Welcome Service Animals” program, or please contact Montine McNulty at 501-376-2323 by phone or by e-mail . For more information on the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Department of Justice via the telephone numbers or web site below.
ADA Information Line — Telephone: 1-800-514-0301 (Voice)
ADA Information Line — Telephone: 1-800-514-0301 (TTY)
ADA Homepage: http://www.ada.gov/