Summary: As the recognized COVID-19 infection rate began to gain strength in the U.S. in mid-March, lodging industry analysts said they expected at least half of the nation’s 4 million hotel employees would be laid off.<br> It’s a startling number when you consider that six weeks ago, most hospitality jobs were firmly intact.<br> In fact, in the beginning of 2020, the hospitality industry was grappling with a problem indicative of a healthy economy – a shallow labor pool. Competition from employers in and outside the industry forced hotel owners and operators to increase wages and figure out ways to retain staff, especially hourly workers.<br> What a difference a health pandemic can make.<br> April’s unemployment figures are expected to be unnerving. Twenty-two million people filed jobless claims from mid-March to mid-April.<br> Meantime, the Trump administration and some states are hatching plans to re-open communities and businesses beginning next month. In those cases, hoteliers will face some unique challenges in bringing back furloughed workers who are either comfortable on unemployment, uncomfortable with public-facing jobs or have found work elsewhere.<br> In <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/lodgingleaders/LL266-Return_Policies-Hotel_industry_works_out_rehiring_plans_v2.m4a" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">this episode</a> of Lodging Leaders, we talk to people involved in recruiting and training hospitality employees to find out what they’re seeing as the coronavirus pandemic has forced hotels to reduce their workforces.<br> Resources and Links<br> <br> * <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelcarver/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Joel Carver</a> of <a href="https://thecarvercompanies.com/carver-hotel-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Carver Companies</a><br> * <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mynameisdesmond/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Desmond Lim</a> of <a href="https://www.workstream.us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WorkStream</a><br> * <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosanna-maietta-669a9151/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rosanna Maietta</a> of <a href="https://www.ahlafoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">American Hotel & Lodging Foundation</a><br> * <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronaldmitchell24/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ron Mitchell</a> of <a href="https://www.hcareers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hcareers</a><br> <br>
