The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently adopted a Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance (HWPO) designed to increase workplace safety protections, establish workload limitations and implement mandatory training requirements for covered hotel employees working within the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County.
On April 1, 2026, the ordinance will take effect, except for the training requirements, which will take effect October 1, 2026. The HWPO closely mirrors existing hotel worker protection ordinances in Santa Monica, West Hollywood and the City of Los Angeles.
Some of the main HWPO requirements are outlined below.
Personal Security Devices
Covered hotel employers must provide employees with personal security devices — often called “panic buttons” — whenever they are assigned to work alone in guest rooms or restroom areas. Employers must also:
- Train employees annually on how to use these devices and on response procedures for when a device is activated;
- Designate an onsite responder who is available at all times to receive alerts and respond on-scene when a device is activated; and
- Maintain detailed incident records for all device activations.
Additionally, the HWPO grants protections to workers who experience or report violent or threatening guest behavior. Employers must provide paid time off to file a law enforcement report and offer reasonable accommodations to covered employees who have been subjected to violent or threatening conduct.
Workload and Hours Limitations
The HWPO limits the amount of square footage and the number of rooms that hotel employees can be required to clean on a given workday without providing additional pay. Square footage limitations for hotels with fewer than 40 rooms differ from those with 40 or more rooms.
Under the HWPO, covered hotel employees cannot be required to work more than 10 hours in a single workday unless they provide written consent. Employers must give employees at least seven days’ notice before seeking that consent and must make clear that employees can refuse to work beyond 10 hours without fear of retaliation.
Employers must keep comprehensive records regarding hotel employees, including but not limited to the total number of rooms cleaned, total square footage cleaned each workday, overtime hours worked each workday, and rate of pay for the time worked.
Mandatory Training for Hotel Workers
Beginning October 1, 2026, covered hotel employees must complete at least six hours of live, interactive “Public Housekeeping Training” that covers:
- Hotel worker rights and employer responsibilities under the HWPO;
- How to identify and respond to suspected human trafficking, domestic violence or threatening behavior;
- Cleaning techniques that help prevent the spread of disease;
- How to detect and avoid insect and vermin infestations; and
- How to recognize and respond to other potentially criminal activity.
Covered employees must complete a “Public Housekeeping Examination” after being trained. Hotel employers must keep sufficient training records showing compliance with these requirements.
Notice and Postings
Once the ordinance takes effect, employers must provide notice to all employees of the ordinance’s requirements as well as all new hires. Covered hotel employers must post notice of the ordinance at all worksites along with specific signage on the back of each guest room and restroom door.
Vanessa M. Greene, J.D., Employment Law Subject Matter Expert, CalChamber CalChamber members can read more about Los Angeles County ordinances in the HR Library, and use the Local Ordinance Wizard to help determine the local ordinances and labor law posters that apply to your business or location(s). Not a member? Learn how to power your business with a CalChamber membership.
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