There are millions of people with disabilities in the USA that is why their needs should be met and satisfied as well as the needs of any other persons. The hotel industry develops according to the definite laws and principles, and the management of hotels follows the concepts presented in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
According to this act, the needs of people with disabilities should be satisfied in relation to the fixed rules in order to provide the necessary conditions for these persons and follow the principle of the equal access to all the services and accommodations provided by the hotel.
The necessity to accommodate people with disabilities along with the other guests should not be discussed as challengeable because there are definite rules and principles following which hotels provide the successful accommodation for all the guests. To meet the expectations of the deaf persons, hotels should have certain resources and facilities available.
Thus, in the situation when a deaf woman needs to speak with a concierge, it is possible to use the note-taking practice, and the written materials should be provided. The exchange of the written notes is possible when the conversation is simple and relates to the questions of accommodation or providing some service. In this case, the presence of the person speaking ASL is not necessary.
Moreover, to respond to the requirements of the deaf person, it is necessary to provide the possibilities for the telephone communications with the help of teletypewriters which have the keyboard and display. This device helps the service staff take calls from the guests’ rooms. The guests with disabilities feel more comfortable when their rooms are furnished with such telephones and teletypewriters, TV decoders, and special visual safety equipment. These facilities are appropriate for using by deaf guests.
However, it is also necessary to meet the needs of the persons who use the motorized wheelchairs or have the service dog. If the special rooms are furnished effectively to satisfy the needs of people with disabilities, these persons can experience difficulties while eating in the hotels’ restaurants or cafés.
For instance, Violet uses the motorized wheelchair and has the service dog. To provide the woman with the high-quality service in the restaurant where there are no free non-booth tables, it is necessary to allow the wheelchair’s moving among the tables, ask politely a person or a pair who sit near the entrance help and occupy any free booth table if it is possible for them.
It would be easier for Violet to occupy the table near the entrance in order to regulate the movement of the wheelchair. The chairs which prevent the movement of the wheelchair can be moved to free the space.
It is stated in the ADA that people with disabilities should be permitted to use service animals that is why the presence of Violet’s service dog in the restaurant is necessary. Other visitors should be informed about such possibilities with the help of the information boards where the ADA’s requirements are presented. The manager’s task is to regulate the situation with the people who are against the presence of animals in the restaurant and draw their attention to the ADA’s requirements (ADA, n.d.).
Nevertheless, if the problematic situations related to the issue of accommodating the people with disabilities and their rights can be solved with the help of the effective management and the service staff’s efforts, the issue of hiring the employee with definite disabilities requires the other approaches to solving the question effectively.
For instance, Enrique cannot work at night because of suffering from the bipolar disorder, and he asks to change his night shifts. It is important to note that according to definite regulations, people with bipolar disorder should be allowed to have the flexible schedule, longer breaks, and possibilities for the part-time work.
That is why, Enrique can be proposed to develop the part-time work schedule or change with the other employees during their day shifts. The part-time work schedule of Enrique will not influence the schedules of the other employees significantly. However, the changes in shift schedule can affect the employees’ personal schedules.
From this point, it is important to create the positive atmosphere of cooperation among the employees and draw their attention to the fact Enrique can change with the other employees during the day shifts according to their needs. People with bipolar disorders provide the best performance during their hours of productivity, and the flexible schedule is advantageous not only for them but also for the organization.
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, all the people with disabilities should be provided with the equal opportunity to access the necessary services and facilities. In the case of the hotel industry, to accommodate people with disabilities successfully, it is important to have all the necessary aids and devices to meet their needs. The flexibility of the service staff in making the decision about the possibilities of accommodating the persons with disabilities depends on the general provision of all the necessary aids.
Reference
ADA: U.S. Department of Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act. (n.d.). Web.