The September/October edition of ISSA Today—now available in digital formats that can be viewed on your desktop, smartphone, or tablet―has all the info you need for attending ISSA Show North America 2022. The event, considered to be the industry’s biggest, will take place October 10–13 in Chicago.

The September/October issue also includes:

• Protect Your Team with a PPE Program—An effective PPE program can keep your workers safe.
• The Law of Gravity—Take a deeper dive into best practices for disinfection.
• Cleaning Up the Innovation Process—Implement ideas testing and validation.
• Robotic Deployment—Solve the mystery of how automation can work in your facility.
• And much more!

Why not check it out for yourself? View the edition’s table of contents to get started.

ISSA Show North America 2022 will be taking place from October 10–13 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center. The event is considered the cleaning industry’s biggest and is truly the place to be for cleaning professionals. But once you get there, what can you expect to see, do, and experience?

Ample Opportunities to Learn and Connect

Every year, ISSA Show North America is designed to be the leading resource for information, education, innovation, networking, and commercial opportunities for firms within the worldwide cleaning industry. This year is no exception. Over its four-day period, the show will have plenty of options for attendees, including exhibits, meeting hubs, pavilions, theaters, and the ISSA Resource Center.

Here are just a few things to expect from ISSA Show North American 2022:

• More than 600 exhibitors from 20 countries, spanning 250,000 square feet of exhibit space
• Eight specialized show floor pavilions
• On-floor education in the Solve for X and Facility Solutions Theater
• ISSA Sports Bar, sponsored by Spartan Chemical Co., Inc.

All-Access Pass Provides Even More

If you register for the highly recommended All-Access Pass, you open yourself up to its exclusive features, including:

• Four-day Education Pass—choose from more than 70 educational opportunities
• Lunch-and-Learn session
• Innovation Happy Hour
• ISSA Welcome Reception
• Spotlight Speakers
• Expo Hall networking events
• Cocktails and Conversation Roundtable Event

The ISSA Show is an industry event that’s not to be missed. To ensure that you receive your pass, register NOW!

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recently reported recovering US$6,333 in back pay and levied $10,000 in punitive damages after finding a Portland, Maine, hotel operator unlawfully terminated a housekeeper two days after the worker contacted the division regarding the operator’s pay practices.

Termination a FLSA Violation

When investigators reviewed the housekeeper’s employment record, they found no evidence of prior employment disciplinary actions by Giri Portland Inc. (operating as Hilton Garden Inn Portland Airport). While finding no Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) violation after reviewing the employee’s allegation, the division did find the termination violated the FLSA’s provisions for prohibited retaliatory behavior. 

“Federal law protects workers from retaliation or intimidation because they assert their rights or contact the U.S. Department of Labor,” explained Steven McKinney, wage and hour district director in Manchester, New Hampshire. “Terminating or disciplining an employee for exercising their right to speak with the department, file a complaint under the Fair Labor Standards Act, or testify or agree to testify related to an investigation is illegal. The Wage and Hour Division will take firm action when these kinds of illegal behaviors occur.”

Significance of Fair Treatment During Labor Shortage

In 2021, the division recovered $2,445,609 for more than 3,099 hotel and motel workers in 602 investigations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 1,696,000 job openings for leisure and hospitality workers in July 2022, as about 1,172,000 workers in the field left their jobs.

“As employers struggle to find the people they need to fill the positions to operate their business, those who disrespect workers and violate their legal rights will likely discover that retaining and recruiting workers is much more difficult,” McKinney said.