New Jersey mandates panic buttons for hotel room cleaners

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New Jersey mandates panic buttons for hotel room cleaners

Associated Press | Tuesday, June 11, 2019 10:22 a.m.

In this Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018, photo guests stand at the front desk at the Embassy Suites by Hilton hotel in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood in Seattle. Housekeeping workers at the hotel use devices that let them push a button and summon help if they are in a threatening situation while working.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a law requiring most of the state’s hotels to provide their workers with wearable panic buttons they can press to quickly summon help in an emergency.

The Democratic governor signed the bill Tuesday. He and several nationwide unions say New Jersey is the first state to mandate the devices, although at least two others are considering similar measures.

The law takes effect in January and applies to hotels with 100 or more rooms. That includes all nine Atlantic City casinos.

Iris Sanchez, a room cleaner at Caesars, says she’s relieved to know she’ll be going home safely each night after working.

In 2018, a room cleaner at Bally’s casino was pushed into a room by a man who then sexually assaulted her.

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