A Breakdown of California Panic Button Legislations

Currently California doesn’t have any statewide laws that mandate the use of panic buttons for the Hospitality Industry, but several cities within the state have passed hotel panic button legislation.  Hotels must pay close attention, as each city has a different timeframe and differing requirements that hotels must adhere to in order to meet employee safety devices/panic button laws.

Glendale, CA

Date of Compliance
Effective July 27, 2022

The City of Glendale passed new measures to amend the “Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance,” hotel employers are required to protect employees from violent or threatening conduct and are required to provide them with a personal security device/panic button.  In addition, employees must be provided with panic buttons and training on its use at no cost.  Hotel employees are also guaranteed paid time off to report a serious incident or to attend counseling.

Glendale Panic Button Requirements
Employees should be provided with a portable emergency contact device, including but not limited to a panic button.  Devices must be designed to be quickly and easily activated by employees and must directly contact a hotel security officer, manager, or supervisory hotel staff member designated by a hotel employer to respond to violent or threatening conduct and promptly summon them to the hotel employee’s location.

Long Beach, CA

Date of Compliance
Effective November 13, 2018

Any hotel containing 50 or more guestrooms must become compliant no later than 6 months following the effective date of November 13, 2018.  All other hotels containing less than 50 guest rooms are required to become compliant no later than 1 year following the effective date of November 13, 2018.
Hotels must provide employees who work in guest rooms with panic buttons to report threatening behavior by hotel guests and other emergencies.  Hotels are required to post a notice on doors of each guestroom, that displays the heading “The Law Protects Hotel Housekeepers and Hotel Employees From Threatening Behavior,” and a notice that the hotel is providing panic buttons to specific employees.

Long Beach Panic Button Requirements
An emergency electronic contact device that can be carried by employees that allows them to summon immediate on-scene assistance from a security guard or a designated hotel personnel.

Los Angeles, CA

Date of Compliance
Effective August 12, 2022

Los Angeles’s Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance became effective on August 12, 2022 and require hotels to provide panic button devices to hotel employees who work in guestrooms or employees who work alone in restrooms.  Hotels with more than 60 guestrooms are required to assign a dedicated security personnel to receive and immediately respond to panic button alerts.  Hotels with less than 60 guestrooms may assign a supervisor or a manager to respond to panic button alerts.  Hotels are required to post signs on the inside of guestroom doors notifying guests that panic buttons are in use by hotel employees.  Mandatory annual training is also required on the use and maintenance of panic button devices and the proper protocols to respond to panic button alerts.

Hotels with less than 60 guestrooms require a minimum of three hours of training regarding the use and maintenance of panic button devices.  The ordinance also limits the workload for guestroom attendants, by basing workload on the square feet of floor space within an eight-hour workday.  Hotels must also receive written consent from employees who wish to work more than 10 hours within a workday.

Los Angeles hotel panic button requirements
Los Angeles hotels require that hotel panic button devices be portable, devices must provide the precise location of the employee in distress and must alert the designated security personnel or manager who will provide immediate assistance.

Oakland, CA

Date of Compliance
Effective on July 1, 2022.

Hotels with 50 or more guestrooms must provide panic buttons to all hotel employees assigned to work in a guestroom or restroom without other employees present.  Hotels are also prohibited from taking disciplinary actions against employees for the use of panic buttons, unless it is “clear and convincing” that employees knowingly made a false report of an emergency.  Hotels are also required to post a notice on doors of each guestroom, that displays the heading “The Law Protects Hotel Housekeepers and Hotel Employees From Threatening Behavior,” and a notice that the hotel is providing panic buttons to its employees.

Oakland Panic Button Requirements
A portable emergency contact device, including but not limited to a panic button that is designed so that a hotel worker can quickly and easily activate such device to summon prompt assistance by a hotel security officer, manager, or supervisory hotel staff member to the hotel worker’s location.

Sacramento, CA

Date of Compliance
Effective on March 29, 2018

The ordinance became effective on March 29, 2018.  The county will provide a 60-day grace period for businesses to comply with the ordinance after it takes effect.  This bill applies to hotels and motels with 25 or more rooms that are located in the unincorporated area of Sacramento County.  It requires every hotel owner to provide each employee with a panic button or notification device.  Hotels are also required to develop, maintain, and comply with a written sexual harassment policy to protect employees against sexual assault and sexual harassment by guests.  The policy must describe the procedures that the complaining employee and the hotel should follow in instances of alleged sexual assault or sexual harassment by guests.

Sacramento Panic Button Requirements
A portable emergency contact device, including but not limited to a panic button that is designed so that a hotel worker can quickly and easily activate such device to summon prompt assistance by a hotel security officer, manager, or supervisory hotel staff member to the hotel worker’s location.

Santa Monica, CA

Date of Compliance
Effective on January 1, 2020.

Hotels must provide employees assigned to work in guestrooms or rest rooms where no other employee is present with safety devices to prevent sexual violence or threatening behavior.  Safety device shall be provided at no cost to the hotel employees and employees should have the ability to report criminal and threatening behavior without fear of retaliation.  The ordinance also requires hotels to use a certified Public Housekeeping Training Organization, in order to provide regular training for employees.

Santa Monica’s Panic Button Requirements
A portable emergency contact device, including but not limited to a panic button that is designed so that a hotel worker can quickly and easily activate such device to summon prompt assistance by a hotel security officer, manager, or supervisory hotel staff member to the hotel worker’s location.

West Hollywood, CA

Date of Compliance

Effective on January 1, 2022

The Chapter 5.128 Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance became effective on January 1, 2022.  Hotel employers must provide a personal security device to each hotel worker assigned to work alone in a guest room or restrooms.  Employees may activate a personal security device should they reasonably believe that a violent or threatening conduct or an emergency is occurring in their presence.  Immediately prior to or upon activating the device, the employee may stop working and leave the immediate area of danger to await assistance.  The personal security device should be provided at no cost to the hotel employee.

No hotel employee shall be subjected to an adverse employment action for activating a personal security device or for stopping work to await assistance, absent clear and convincing evidence that the employee knowingly and intentionally made a false claim of emergency. Hotel employers must assign a security guard, manager, or supervisory hotel staff member to provide immediate assistance in the event that a personal security device is activated.

West Hollywood Panic Button Requirements
A portable emergency contact device, including but not limited to a panic button that is designed so that a hotel worker can quickly and easily activate such device to summon prompt assistance by a hotel security officer, manager, or supervisory hotel staff member to the hotel worker’s location.