Tara Lattomus discusses legal ramifications of turning away minors at hotels (Hotel Business)
May 26, 2016
Member Tara L. Lattomus was quoted in the Hotel Business web exclusive “Renting Hotel Rooms to Minors: Know Your Liability.” The article explains it is illegal in some states to refuse to rent a hotel room to a minor. Lattomus said a particular hotel in California faced a discrimination lawsuit after telling a minor “We don’t rent to minors as a rule.” Now Lattomus and others in the Hospitality Group at Eckert Seamans are educating hotels on the appropriate way to handle similar situations. When helping clients navigate the issue, Lattomus looks at the local laws and explains what the business’ liability would be in the situation and then assists them in handling it internally, such as providing background information or explaining how it happened so the company can effectively communicate with their staff.
“Be sure to check your state laws about whether or not it is prohibited and also determine whether there is anything you can do to protect yourself, such as drafting parental statements,” Lattomus advised.
She also recommends that hoteliers avoid implementing a blanket policy that says they won’t accommodate minors. Instead, they should arm themselves with the proper documentation with the assistance of legal counsel as an added layer of protection and execute it consistently.
“For the hotel we worked with in California, we came up with a statement to be signed upon check-in by parents and unaccompanied minors to protect the hotels and provide peace of mind,” she said. “We have these acknowledgements and ask parents to sign them. As long as the hotels track the documents and follow the statute, there is no problem. If a parent refuses to sign, we can refuse service or if a child is a problem, we can remove them from the property.”
The full article is available on the Hotel Business website. (Access to content on third-party websites may require subscription.)