Virginia Code 35.1-15.1: Required human trafficking training
A. As used in this section:
Terms Used In Virginia Code 35.1-15.1
- Department: means the State Department of Health. See Virginia Code 35.1-1
- Hotel: means any place offering to the public for compensation transitory lodging or sleeping accommodations, overnight or otherwise, including facilities known by varying nomenclatures or designations as hotels, motels, travel lodges, tourist homes, or hostels. See Virginia Code 35.1-1
- Person: means an individual, corporation, partnership, association, or any other legal entity. See Virginia Code 35.1-1
- Restaurant: means :
1. See Virginia Code 35.1-1
“Employee” means any person employed by a hotel that (i) has frequent or regular interactions with guests, such as front desk staff, hotel porters, hotel concierge, restaurant waiting and bartending staff, or room service staff; (ii) is in a management position; or (iii) has access to the guest’s room, including housekeeping staff.
“Hotel” does not include a short-term rental property as defined in § 58.1-3510.4.
B. Every hotel proprietor shall require its employees to complete a training course on recognizing and reporting instances of suspected human trafficking. Such training course shall be an online course provided by the Department of Criminal Justice Services at no cost to the hotel proprietor and its employees pursuant to § 9.1-102 or an alternative online or in-person training course approved by the Department of Criminal Justice Services. The Department of Criminal Justice Services shall approve or disapprove of the use of any alternative online or in-person training course within 60 days of the submission of such training course for approval.
C. Each hotel employee shall complete the required training course described in subsection B within six months of being employed by a hotel and thereafter at least once during each consecutive period of two calendar years commencing with the date on which he last completed the required training course, for as long as he is employed by a hotel.
2022, c. 751.