From Our Blog

Sample Employment Handbook, Warnings, and Evaluations

November, 15 2017

THLA has sample employment handbooks, employee warnings, and employee evaluations for your convenience.   Sample hotel employee handbook Sample employee warning Sample performance evaluation

THLA’s 7th Annual Educational Foundation Online Auction

November, 10 2017

View and bid on the gift of travel this season!     View and bid on the gift of travel this season! THLA’s 7th Annual Online Auction begins on Thursday,… Read more »

Congress Passes the “Save Local Business Act”

November, 8 2017

Earlier this month, Congress voted to pass HR 3441, also known as the “Save Local Businesses Act.” This bi-partisan bill clarifies the regulations within the expanded joint employer rule. Under HR 3441, an… Read more »

2018 THLA Short Course & Advanced Short Course

November, 1 2017

Register now for THLA’s 2018 Short Course Monday, January 08, 2018 9:00 AM through Friday, January 12, 2018 2:30 PM Hilton University of Houston 4450 University Drive Houston, TX 77204 Register… Read more »

Houston Hospitality Employee Relief Funds Seeks Donations

October, 31 2017

Thousands of Houston area residents were affected by Hurricane Harvey, including many hotel and hospitality industry employees. In response, Visit Houston, the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston (HLAGH),… Read more »

The Impact Of The Gig Economy On The Hospitality Industry

October, 30 2017

By Pamela Williams and Lariza Hebert What Is The Gig Economy? When many employers hear the term “gig economy,” they immediately think of popular services such as Uber and Lyft.… Read more »

Hotels Reevaluate Safety & Security Protocols After Las Vegas Shooting

October, 30 2017

Safety & Security Protocols After Las Vegas Shooting Nearly a month after Mandalay Bay Hotel guest Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowd of concertgoers from his hotel suite on… Read more »

FEMA’s Lodging Assistance Program Extended until November 27, 2017

October, 15 2017

FEMA’s “Emergency Lodging Assistance (ELA) Program” provides temporary lodging assistance to disaster evacuees. FEMA also refers to this program as the “Transitional Shelter Assistance (TSA)” program when communicating with evacuees… Read more »

City Council approves Visit Austin’s Budget for 2017-2018

October, 13 2017

Thanks to all of you for taking action this week to send a message to Austin City Council in support of Visit Austin’s budget. Your efforts paid off. Last night,… Read more »

Crisis Preparedness: Having a Plan of Action for When the Unthinkable Happens

October, 11 2017

Posted by: Ellen Meyer in Lodging Crisis situations—whether natural disasters or man-made tragedies like last month’s mass shooting in Las Vegas—require hotels to have an established plan of action. While many hotels already… Read more »

Guest Safety: After Las Vegas Shooting

October, 2 2017

Dear Hoteliers: Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of this tragic shooting in Las Vegas.  As an industry, no issue is more important to us than… Read more »

Hurricane Preparations and Response

September, 28 2017

From the hotel industry’s perspective, the challenge and the need for communications, was this:  In a natural disaster, there is no central governmental agency or authority to disseminate targeted, useful… Read more »

Things To Do in Marfa Texas

September, 27 2017

This month we take a long, strange trip West. Marfa is an unlikely mixture of art, culture, and creativity located in the high desert of the Trans-Pecos in far West Texas. The… Read more »

Suspension of State and Local Hotel Occupancy Taxes

September, 22 2017

Updated 9/22/2017 Governor Abbott extended the state and local hotel occupancy tax exemption for guests affected by Hurricane Harvey through October 23rd.  Note that FEMA is continuing to pay hotel… Read more »

Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption

September, 15 2017

  There are often questions about whether the permanent resident exemption to the state and local hotel occupancy tax applies to a given situation, and at what point in time… Read more »

Hurricane Harvey Resources

September, 15 2017

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.7.1″] Information for hotel guests: Obtaining financial assistance for lodging:  Are you a Hurricane Harvey evacuee in need of financial assistance for lodging?  We suggest contacting the… Read more »

Know the Law on Gift Cards and Gift Certificates

September, 10 2017

Texas Hotel & Lodging Association Be sure you are familiar with the laws on selling and redeeming gift certificates.  Texas and the federal government have several laws on point with… Read more »

A Message from TABC

September, 4 2017

  A Message from TABC Legal Experts Martin Frost & Hill   Effective immediately, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has stopped mailing out paper renewal application forms. Instead, the TABC is… Read more »

Can a Hotel Refuse to Accept Cash?

September, 1 2017

Is it lawful for a hotel to go to a “credit cards-only” policy for payment?

2017 Special Session Outcome

August, 30 2017

August 16, 2017 The Texas Legislature adjourned the special legislative session “sine die,” which means the first called legislative session of 2017 is officially over. Importantly, the special session ended… Read more »

2017 Special Sessions Bills to the House

July, 31 2017

  Lt. Governor Dan Patrick continues to move legislation through the Senate, having now sent over ten of Governor Abbott's twenty special session items to the House.   To do… Read more »

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) “Drive-By” Lawsuits July 2017

July, 31 2017

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) “Drive-By” Lawsuits Update Changes to Texas laws for actions filed in state court, July 2017 Drive-by ADA lawsuits are a recurring problem for businesses across… Read more »

Special Session at the Texas Capitol 2017

July, 30 2017

THLA Legislative Update The Texas Legislature convened on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 for a special session called by Governor Greg Abbott. As set by Governor Abbott’s “call,” the 30-day legislative… Read more »

Frisco Texas, Progress in Motion

July, 28 2017

This month’s feature city lives up to its motto! Frisco, Texas got its start from hardy pioneers who came to the north Texas prairie following the Preston Trail (today’s Preston… Read more »

2017 Legislative Report – End of Regular Session

June, 16 2017

2017 Regular Legislative Session:   Texas Hotel & Lodging Association End of Session Report   June 2017 Contents: Overview Summer Special Session Short-term Rental (STR) Preemption Transgender “Bathroom” Bills Full Funding… Read more »

Seguin – “It’s Real”

May, 30 2017

When you think of the word “real” often times the synonym “authentic” comes to mind. This holds true for our feature city Seguin. Seguin is one of the oldest towns… Read more »

Legislative Action Summit 2017

May, 30 2017

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) joined forces on May 17-18 as nearly 500 hoteliers from across the country come to… Read more »

Child Labor Laws – 2023

May, 30 2017

With the Texas summer season comes increased interest in hiring high school aged employees to work in hotel properties.  If you are seeking to hire any employees under the age of 18, this brief guide will assist in legal consideration you should take into account.

2017 Hotel Administration Bills

April, 26 2017

2017 Legislative Session:  Hotel Administration Bills April Update   Below is a summary of filled bills THLA is tracking that affect various aspects of general hotel operations.   ADA related… Read more »