American Hotel and Lodging Association Highlights Hotel Job Expansion with 1,200 New Hires in April

In April, U.S. hotels added 1,200 jobs, according to recent government statistics, yet the industry’s employment levels remain well below those before the pandemic. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are currently about 1.92 million people employed in hotels, which is 193,600 fewer than in February 2020.

To combat a national workforce shortage, hotels have been enhancing wages, benefits, and workplace flexibility. Since the pandemic, hotel wages have risen by 26.7%, outpacing the general economy’s wage increase of 21.5%. Despite these efforts, there are still tens of thousands of hotel vacancies across the U.S., as per data from Indeed.

“Hotels are doing all they can to attract and retain workers, but the nationwide workforce shortage is preventing our industry from reaching its full potential,” said AHLA Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey. “AHLA members need help filling open jobs so they can maintain and expand operations. The Department of Homeland Security can provide vital assistance by making available nearly 65,000 additional H-2B visas. Meanwhile, we are urging Congress to pass three important bills to help grow our nation’s workforce: the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act, the H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act, and the Closing the Workforce Gap Act.”

Overall, the U.S. workforce shows a gap with 8.5 million job openings as of March, but only 6.4 million unemployed individuals available to fill these roles, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) is advocating for policy changes to address these shortages. They are requesting the Department of Homeland Security to issue nearly 65,000 additional H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas under the authority granted by Congress in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act.

Additionally, AHLA supports several legislative measures to augment the workforce:

• The Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act (S.255/H.R.1325) would allow asylum seekers at ports of entry to obtain work authorization 30 days after application, provided their applications are credible and they meet certain criteria. This would significantly shorten the current six-month waiting period, aiding hotels in filling urgent staffing gaps.
• The H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act (H.R. 4708) proposes extending the H-2A/H-2B labor certification period to three years and making permanent the waiver for in-person interviews for returning workers, easing the recruitment process for the hotel industry.
• The Closing the Workforce Gap Act of 2024 (H.R. 7574) seeks to replace the fixed annual cap of 66,000 H-2B guestworker visas with a needs-based system, allowing for a more flexible response to labor demands.

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