For Immediate Release
Contact: Cynthia Santana/Communications Manager
206-256-5219
cynthia.santana@seattle.gov
Seattle Office of Labor Standards Reaches $182,000 Settlement with Two Hyatt Hotels
Seattle – (October 15, 2019) The Office of Labor Standards (OLS) announces a settlement totaling $182,352.73 with two related Hyatt Hotels located in downtown Seattle, Hyatt House and Hyatt Place. The hotels are operated by HH Seattle LLC dba Hyatt House Seattle/Downtown, 6th and Denny LLC dba Hyatt Place Seattle, and HP Hotel LLC. The businesses settled allegations under the Minimum Wage and Wage Theft ordinances and impacts 234 employees. OLS alleged that the hotels paid its workers at the small employer wage rate, rather than large employer rate despite being part of a franchise network with more than 501 employees worldwide.
“Fighting for the bare legal minimum wage is the least we can do for ourselves,” said a Hyatt employee.
“The hotel industry is filled with franchises that present themselves as separate companies,” said Stefan Moritz, Secretary Treasurer at the hotel workers’ union Unite Here Local 8. “Thankfully, under Seattle’s Minimum Wage law, we treat franchises as a single employer that is required to pay a minimum wage that is appropriate to their actual size.”
For more information on Seattle’s Minimum Wage and Wage Theft please visit our website: http://www.seattle.gov/laborstandards.
To file a complaint or for questions, workers can contact OLS anonymously at workers.laborstandards@seattle.gov or call 206-256-5297. Employers seeking assistance or in need of information about how to comply can contact OLS at 206-256-5297 or email us at business.laborstandards@seattle.gov. OLS is here to help!
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