CHICAGO – The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA) recently recognized National Hotel Employee Day, celebrating the service and dedication of thousands of employees who work in hotels throughout Illinois.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and National Day Calendar established National Hotel Employee Day in 2022 to honor the nearly two million employees who work in the hotel industry. It is observed annually on September 1. This year, National Hotel Employee Day comes as hotels across the nation are working quickly to fill nearly 100,000 open hotel jobs. To attract more talent, hotels are offering current and prospective employees near-historic wages, better benefits, and more flexibility than ever before.
“Our employees are the most important part of our business, and we are thrilled to celebrate them not just today, but every day. They are the ones who make you feel at home while you are away from home, and without their hard work and dedication our hotels could not operate,” said Michael Jacobson, President & CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association. “We are proud of the steps we’ve taken this past year to better protect hotel employees and ensure they feel safe and supported when they come to work and are committed to continuing to advocate for hotel employees’ physical and mental wellbeing. As we continue to welcome tourists back to Illinois and see hotel occupancy rates rise, we encourage job-seekers to consider one of the thousands of good-paying career opportunities available in the hospitality industry.”
This year’s National Hotel Employee Day follows IHLA’s successful efforts to pass HB2220, which was signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and strengthens protections for hotel workers. Under the measure, hotels were given tools to better protect employees by refusing service or removing customers who engage in verbal harassment towards hotel employees.
“Employees are the lifeblood of every hotel, and we created National Hotel Employee Day to help thank America’s nearly two million hotel professionals for their incredible service and dedication,” said AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers. “Today and throughout the year, we are proud to celebrate hotel employees and their important work. From wedding receptions to family reunions and vacations, our workforce helps create some of Americans’ most important memories. With hotel pay, benefits, flexibility, and upward mobility all at near-historic levels, there’s never been a better time to start a hotel career.”
To learn about hotel career opportunities and search for jobs, visit thehotelindustry.com
To learn more about National Hotel Employee Day, visit ahla.com/day
About the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association
The Illinois & Lodging Association (IHLA) serves as the essential resource and unified voice for advancing the lodging industry across Illinois. Consisting of more than 500 hotels and their employees throughout the state, IHLA advocates the industry’s position on political, legislative and regulatory issues that have the potential to impact the success of Illinois hotels. For more information, visit https://www.illinoishotels.org/