Employment Services

Manchester Grand Hyatt Finds Hotel Staffing Solutions with PRIDE Industries

The Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel, located in sunny San Diego, is the largest hotel in Southern California. Boasting two towering high-rises with 1,628 guest rooms, a rooftop pool, multiple restaurants, bars, and a spa, it stands as a key player in the region’s hospitality industry. As a major employer in the area, the hotel relies on a skilled and dedicated workforce across all departments and requires reliable hotel staffing solutions. Today, the Manchester Grand Hyatt boasts a skilled and dedicated workforce that delivers top-notch customer service. But the hotel considered a number of hotel staffing solutions before choosing a winner.

The Problem: Hospitality Industry Labor Shortage

In a city where tourism is one of the top economic drivers, the Manchester Grand Hyatt plays a pivotal role in San Diego’s economy. However, as demand grew post-pandemic, the property faced a pressing need for hotel staffing solutions to fill vital roles and maintain its high service standards.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the hospitality industry faced unprecedented challenges. Like many others, the Manchester Grand Hyatt had to close its doors. Later, when restrictions lifted and the industry began to recover, the hotel was eager to bring back employees and expand its workforce. With demand surging and business picking up, reliable hotel staffing solutions became critical to maintaining exceptional service. However, in addition to the uncertainties of the post-pandemic landscape, the hotel was confronted with an industry-wide staffing shortage.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2024 there were 196,000 fewer workers in the hotel industry than in 2020, with positions unfilled despite higher wages and improved benefits.

The Solution: Hardworking Employees with Disabilities

In search of an answer to their growing demand for employees, the Manchester Grand Hyatt reinstated their partnership with PRIDE Industries. Having previously worked with employees from PRIDE Industries, Hyatt recognized that this partnership would not only help the hotel meet its demand for qualified employees but also provide meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. This collaboration became the ideal staffing solution, allowing the hotel to fill key positions efficiently while supporting a diverse workforce.

“The support we needed as our business reopened and grew was crucial, and we knew that the PRIDE Industries associates could deliver exceptional service and offer an extra level of support for the rest of our team,” said Matt Farnsworth, assistant director of food and beverage.

“When asked about renewing the partnership with PRIDE Industries, it was an immediate yes for us,” Farnsworth added. “Seeing the smiling faces of the Hyatt associates when they saw the PRIDE Industries employees return was incredible. They were so happy.”

This partnership aligns well with Hyatt’s commitment to empowering people. “We always make sure not to lose sight of what’s most important: the people. Partnering with organizations like PRIDE Industries, who do great work in the community, is truly rewarding and reflects our core values as a company,” Farnsworth emphasized.

Through PRIDE Industries work groups, the Manchester Grand Hyatt has successfully filled key food service roles, including stewards. In these work groups, three employees with disabilities are paired with a job coach who supports them directly, ensuring they succeed in their positions and meet the hotel’s expectations. PRIDE Industries serves as the employer of record, taking on the recruiting, hiring, training, payroll, supervision, and quality control work—eliminating management overhead for Hyatt.

“As a coach, my main responsibility is to make sure employees are safe and that I can watch out for them as they each meet certain goals,” said Employment Coach Tina Bowman. “Being at work with them, it makes me happy to see them as they grow in their work ethic. Employment means everything to them, not just financially, but mentally, physically, emotionally. I’m proud to be a part of making that happen for them.”

The Results: Reliable Hotel Staffing Solutions

The results of the partnership with PRIDE Industries have been clear and impactful for the Manchester Grand Hyatt. Employee retention has been exceptional, with some PRIDE Industries associates celebrating five and even ten-year anniversaries.

Eric, a steward at the hotel, is one such long-term employee. He’s been with the Grand Hyatt for over 13 years.

“Everyone in the building knows Eric, whether it’s housekeeping, the front desk, or our laundry team. Just seeing him interact with the team daily is very rewarding, and you can really feel the difference,” Farnsworth said.

Morale has also seen a significant boost—across the entire workforce—since the PRIDE Industries employees returned to their jobs at the hotel. “Seeing the associates interact with the PRIDE Industries employees is incredible. They create a better working environment for everyone,” Farnsworth added.

Most importantly, the hotel has once again found a dependable and dedicated workforce. As Bowman put it, “PRIDE Industries employees want to work. They love to come in, always show up on time, and when it’s time to start, they’re ready. They are hardworking.” Of all the hotel staffing solutions available, this one has gone beyond providing a reliable workforce. It has also fostered a positive, supportive workplace culture that benefits everyone.

“Partnering with organizations like PRIDE Industries, who do great work in the community, is truly rewarding and reflects our core values as a company.”

—Matt Farnsworth, Assistant Director of Food and Beverage

Higher employee retention and lower absenteeism are two well-established benefits of hiring people with disabilities. But they’re not the only ones. Businesses that invest in an inclusive workforce are also eligible for tax credits. And while these incentives can vary from state to state, one tax credit is available no matter where in the U.S. a business is located—the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC).

What is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit?

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is a federal program that provides employers with tax credits for hiring individuals from certain target groups that have faced barriers to employment, including people with disabilities.

Created as a part of the 1996 Small Business Job Act, the WOTC began as a temporary tax credit designed to promote employment, empowering individuals to become members of the workforce and attain self-sufficiency while earning a steady income. Since its initial enactment, the WOTC has been extended several times—most recently through 2025—with legislation on the table to enhance it.

How Does the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Work?

In a nutshell, the WOTC is equal to 40 percent of an individual employee’s incurred wages, up to $6,000 for an individual who:

Is in their first year of employment.
Is certified as being a member of a target group.
Performs at least 400 hours of services for that employer.

Individuals working fewer than 400 hours but at least 120 hours for an employer are subject to a reduced credit (25 percent). Rehired employees are not eligible for the WOTC. Eligible employers can apply any unused WOTC from the current year to the previous year and carry it forward. The maximum tax credit is generally $2,400.

How Does an Employer Claim This Credit?

According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), employers must follow a three-step process to claim the WOTC.

1. Prescreening and Filing Certification Request

Within 28 days of a new hire, employers must apply for certification that the employee is a member of a target group. To do so, the employer and the newly hired employee must complete and submit the following pre-screening paperwork to the designated state agency:

IRS Form 8850, the Pre-Screening Notice and Certification Request for the Work Opportunity Credit.
DOL Form 9061, the Individual Characteristics Form.

2. Certification Approval

After the forms have been submitted to the state agency, the employer will receive a determination from the certifying agency. The determination will detail why an employee does or does not qualify. The WOTC certification will be included if the individual qualifies for it, or the agency may request additional information.

3. Claiming the Work Opportunity Tax Credit

After certification by the designated local agency, and after the employee has worked a minimum of 120 hours, employers can proceed to file the WOTC with the IRS. Taxable organizations will file IRS Form 5884, while tax-exempt organizations will file IRS Form 5884-C.

It’s crucial to complete and submit the required forms accurately. Refer to the IRS and U.S. Department of Labor websites for these forms and for detailed instructions.

Additional Tax Credits for Employers Who Hire People with Disabilities

In addition to the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, employers who hire people with disabilities may be eligible for additional tax incentives that relate to physical accessibility.

Disabled Access Credit

To encourage businesses to improve accessibility for both employees and customers with disabilities, the Disabled Access Credit provides tax incentives for making establishments more accessible. Small businesses that incur expenses for architectural adaptations, equipment purchases, or services aimed at facilitating accessibility may qualify for a tax credit of up to $5,000 per year. A business can claim a tax credit once annually for qualifying access expenditures.

Architectural Barrier Removal Tax Deduction

The Architectural Barrier Removal Tax Deduction is another incentive aimed at encouraging businesses to make their facilities more accessible. Specifically, it allows a deduction of up to $15,000 per year for qualified expenses related to removing physical barriers in the workplace.

State Tax Credits

Several states offer their own tax credits related to hiring people with disabilities and creating accessible workplaces. More information about these credits is available on state tax board websites.

The Benefits of Hiring People with Disabilities

In addition to the direct financial benefit of tax breaks like the WOTC, hiring people with disabilities offers several other proven benefits for businesses. Here are just a handful:

High Retention Rates reduce turnover and foster continuity, maximizing organizational stability and success.

Low Absenteeism fosters a healthy work environment, enhancing productivity and minimizing disruptions to workflow.

High Productivity translates into increased operational success and competitiveness in the market.

Boosted Workplace Morale encourages a positive workplace culture that enhances motivation and promotes collaboration.

Positive Social Impact appeals to socially conscious investors.

Increased Profits result from improved employee performance, reduced turnover costs, and heightened customer satisfaction.

How to Connect with a Stellar Workforce

State agencies, such as the California Department of Rehabilitation, and partnering organizations like PRIDE Industries, can put employers in touch with this stellar workforce so they can make use of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit in the coming year.

Partner with Us to Solve Your Labor Shortage

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recommends that businesses turn to experienced partners to tap the many benefits—including tax incentives—of employing people with disabilities. PRIDE Industries has enabled hundreds of companies to do just that, helping recruit, hire, train, and support this reliable talent pool—free of charge to employers.

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Liquidation Company Finds Staffing Solution for Warehouse Positions

RL Liquidators is one of the largest liquidation companies in the western United States, but still had trouble filling warehouse positions. The company processes thousands of overstocked and returned products from retailers every day, receiving over eight thousand truckloads of products annually across four national distribution centers, and selling the products through its own retail channels.

The Challenge: Filling Critical Warehouse Positions

In 2024, RL Liquidators was experiencing rapid growth, opening warehouses and retail outlets throughout California. But it had a hard time filling and retaining warehouse positions in the face of an industry-wide labor shortage.

A recent survey by logistics software provider Descartes found that 76% of supply chain and logistics leaders in North America and Europe are experiencing notable workforce shortages, with 37% characterizing the shortage as high to extreme.

“Warehouse positions can be hard to fill. I have many people that come in here and already don’t want to be here,” said Michael Pizarro, Vice President of Operations at RL Liquidators. “We would have employees show up late or already be looking for their next job, with no investment in the work.”

Pizzaro and his team felt the effects of high turnover and the impact on productivity.

“Turnover is expensive. Searching for that labor affects the bottom line and that is money we’ll never get back,” he said.

Turning to temp agencies and exploring other traditional hiring channels proved to be ineffective. Despite its efforts, the company had trouble finding employees who had the drive and motivation to fill open warehouse positions.

The Solution: Finding a Productive and Reliable Team in People with Disabilities

At the core of RL Liquidators’ business model lies a commitment to helping others, demonstrated by its mission to make essential goods affordable to those who need them most.

Recognizing an opportunity to align their staffing needs with their values, RL Liquidators saw potential in partnering with PRIDE Industries, an organization with the mission to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

“Our recruiter made the connection with PRIDE Industries, and we couldn’t have been more thrilled, because that’s always been what the company is built on—helping others,” said Pizarro.

PRIDE Industries offers a specialized workforce solution that proved to be a great fit for RL Liquidators: supported work groups. These groups, which are strategically placed within a business, are comprised of three employees with disabilities and an employment coach. As the employer of record, PRIDE Industries manages all critical employment functions—including recruitment, hiring, training, payroll, supervision, and quality control—which effectively reduces the administrative burden for partner companies like RL Liquidators.

At RL Liquidators, the PRIDE Industries work groups are responsible for sorting, inspecting, and organizing products to help maintain the integrity of the liquidation process. Employing people with disabilities in partnership with PRIDE Industries has strengthened RL Liquidators’ workforce and made many of these processes more efficient.

“Some of the most productive employees are people with disabilities,” says Vladimir Fonsi, a PRIDE Industries Employment Coach working at RL Liquidators. “They work hard. They go out of their way to show that they are productive and hardworking. They don’t have to prove it to us for long because their work ethic is clear from the start.”

The work groups have proven to be an ideal staffing solution, enabling RL Liquidators to fill its vacant warehouse positions with skilled, productive employees.

Izzy Yiznitsky, another PRIDE Industries Employment Coach at the site, has witnessed the impact.

“I have seen how my team alone has increased productivity, and I know that’s what many companies like RL Liquidators are looking for,” she said.

The Results: Inclusive Hiring Eases Warehouse Labor Shortage

RL Liquidators has experienced the positive impact of inclusive employment practices. By offering employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities, it has built a reliable team, increased productivity, and decreased turnover.

“I love how particular PRIDE Industries employees are. They care about everything, and they want it done correctly,” said Pizarro. “It’s exciting for us to see these teams of people with disabilities who want to be here, work hard, and do great at their jobs.”

As its operations have grown, RL Liquidators has expanded its partnership with PRIDE Industries to keep up. Today, a collaboration that began with a single work group has expanded to include four work groups, with a total of 12 employees and four dedicated coaches. Having this reliable labor solution has enhanced the company’s operational capacity and enabled its growth.

Services Provided

Receiving merchandise
Sorting products
Palletizing for distribution

“I love how particular PRIDE Industries employees are. They care about everything, and they want it done correctly. It’s exciting for us to see these teams of people with disabilities who want to be here, work hard, and do great at their jobs.”

— Michael Pizarro, Vice President of Operations at RL Liquidators

Can a person who is deaf and blind excel as a cleaning professional?

Yes.

“We need 10 Beths!”

That’s what Trent Thomas, a custodial supervisor for the Little Rock Arkansas Federal Building, said when asked about the work of his top employee, Elizabeth “Beth” Cole-Pope.

Cole-Pope is both deaf and blind.

“I was born deaf and was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome when I was 15 and started losing my vision at age 25,” she said. Throughout her life, Cole-Pope has been determined to be independent. She earned a college degree and set out to join the workforce.

But Beth quickly discovered a hard employment reality faced by many individuals who are both deaf and blind. According to the National Deaf Center, only 38% of deafblind people are employed. Stigmas, biases, and other barriers often stand in the way of qualified job candidates who happen to have a disability.

“I searched and searched for a job for a very long time,” Cole-Pope said. “After I got a college degree, I still searched for the right job, but I couldn’t find it,” she said.

Ashley Beatty, Cole-Pope’s employment specialist and interpreter, witnessed these obstacles firsthand.

“I watched the barriers that we would face,” she said. “As the employment specialist, I would go everywhere and ask if they would even just interview her. It was so hard to convince people to let us even come in, because when you start using the words ‘deaf’ and ‘blind,’ people get super scared.

Navigating the Path to Meaningful Employment While Deaf and Blind

Fortunately, change was on the horizon for Cole-Pope. After relocating to Arkansas, a vocational rehabilitation counselor connected her with PRIDE Industries. PRIDE Industries was awarded a contract to clean the Little Rock Federal Building through SourceAmerica and the AbilityOne® Program, organizations dedicated to delivering high-quality products and services to federal agencies while supporting quality employment for people with disabilities.

PRIDE Industries hired Cole-Pope as a janitor on the contract.

To ease her transition into the new role, Cole-Pope worked with an employment coach who specialized in American Sign Language (ASL). The coach helped her navigate the workspace, meet employer expectations, and communicate with colleagues, most of whom did not know ASL.

As Cole-Pope pointed out, resources like coaches give people with disabilities the tools they need to find and thrive in employment.

“The job coach also knows sign language and so that’s very helpful and they can help me do my job better and I can be more familiar with the area and work with my team better,” she said.

Beth Cole-Pope tells her employment story

Inclusive Hiring Leads to Innovation

Since Cole-Pope is both deaf and blind, many conventional cleaning methods do not work for her. Cole-Pope has learned to adapt her own method of cleaning that relies entirely on touch, feeling her way around the rooms and surfaces she needs to clean.

“I watch her work, and her method is amazing,” Trent Thomas said. “We’ve actually started using her methods to train other people on the way she cleans everything she touches.”

Diverse hiring practices have long proven to lead to innovations in the workplace. It’s something that Beatty has seen play out in her role as an interpreter. “The only thing that I’ve ever heard from people who have hired blind individuals, deaf individuals, or deafblind individuals is that they wish there were more employees just like them.”

Breaking Down Barriers

Despite facing challenges in her job search, Cole-Pope was able to find a career that brings her pride and a sense of purpose. Her story demonstrates the potential of employees with disabilities.

“I know that there are many deafblind people out in the world, and I don’t know if they’re happy with their lives or happy at their jobs,” Cole-Pope said. “But I know that I’m deaf and blind, and I’m so happy working here.”

Through PRIDE Industries, she has found the independence she was looking for. And by modeling new cleaning techniques, she has made a positive impact in her workplace. That impact was recognized by the state when Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS) honored her during their National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2024 kick-off celebration in October.

“I want people to know that people who are deaf and blind can do things,” she said. “Just break those barriers down and just let us in. Let us work.”

Casino Resort Finds Hospitality Staffing Solution

Red Hawk Resort + Casino has seen significant growth since its launch in December 2008, offering a rich mix of world-class entertainment, gaming, and dining experiences. The casino has boosted tourism and economic growth in the region and created over 1,000 jobs in El Dorado County with additions like the Apex entertainment complex and a 156-room hotel, but has the same hospitality staffing challenges faced by hotels nationwide.

The Challenge: Hospitality Staffing Shortage

With more than 10,000 guests visiting daily and nearly 200,000 square feet of facilities, it is crucial for Red Hawk to hire talented, dedicated staff to ensure the best possible guest experience—an ongoing challenge throughout the hospitality industry. According to a report from the American Hotel and Lodging Association, 67% of hotel operators are short-staffed, and 12% said they are “severely understaffed,” impacting their ability to operate effectively.

“Hiring can be difficult,” said Matt Montano, HR Manager at Red Hawk. “We require more background checks in the gaming industry, so finding people that can work can be difficult. Then finding people to do some of the tougher jobs, like our janitorial and custodial positions add to the challenge.”

Montano and his team tried various recruiting methods, including popular online job platforms, job fairs, and local contract firms, but shortages persisted. Then he learned about PRIDE Industries through a software partner that worked with both firms.

The Solution: Work Groups with People with Disabilities

Red Hawk partnered with PRIDE Industries to implement an innovative hospitality staffing solution: supported work groups. Within a matter of weeks, PRIDE Industries had created a dedicated workforce comprised of several teams of three-four employees, each with its own dedicated employment coach. PRIDE Industries even handled employee transportation.

The work groups, all hired and on-boarded by PRIDE Industries, were assigned to custodial roles throughout the casino. The teams excel at essential custodial tasks, including cleaning the gaming floor, restrooms, and other guest occupied spaces.

Red Hawk has experienced firsthand all the advantages of an inclusive workforce, including low employee turnover, high morale, reliability, and enhanced customer satisfaction. These benefits have made a positive difference for Red Hawk’s guests and staff.

Julia Yah a PRIDE Industries employment coach at Red Hawk, noted the positive impact: “With one of our employees, any time she laughs, everybody laughs with her. She’s always checking in with everybody, saying hello, everyone saying good morning, and it brings brightness and smiles to the entire team.”

Beyond the increase in both guest and employee satisfaction, Red Hawk’s hiring team is also working more efficiently.

“The cost of hiring an employee can be expensive, but with this partnership, PRIDE Industries is the employer,” said Montana. “We just need to do the training on our systems, which saves us time. Plus, with PRIDE Industries providing the on-site coaching and transportation, it’s easy.”

The Results: Hospitality Staffing Made Easy

Including people with disabilities has improved Red Hawk’s workforce, allowing the company to maintain consistent staffing even in the busiest of times.

Red Hawk is not the only company to experience the benefits of an inclusive workforce. The business advantages of hiring people with disabilities are proven, if not well known. A 2023 study from Accenture found that companies that actively employ and support people with disabilities achieve 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income, and twice the economic profit.

Red Hawk’s Environmental Services Manager Roxanna Carlson has seen these benefits firsthand. “Our experience hiring people with disabilities has been great,” she said. “They are some of our most productive employees. We have had very good attendance and retention. They have been incredibly dependable.”

Services Provided

Custodial
Employment coaching
Transportation

“The cost of hiring an employee can be expensive, but with this partnership, PRIDE Industries is the employer. We just need to do the training on our systems, which saves us time.”

—Matt Montano, HR Manager at Red Hawk

High performing employee is a “curve-breaker.”

That’s what Darren Rysedorph, founder and CEO of IT service provider Sage IT, said of his high performing employee, who has autism. Kristin started working at Sage IT as a paid intern and is now a full-time office assistant.

“We have a scoreboard to track work, and Kristin is always at 100 percent,” Rysedorph said. “I’ve never seen her not be at 100 percent.”

Rysedorph pointed out that none of his other employees, with or without a disability, can match Kristin’s track record.

That’s the curve she broke.

Like many employees with disabilities, Kristin is a high performing employee, upending employers’ expectations.

“People think that people like me who have autism may not be smart or able to do work,” Kristin said. “But I have great long-term memory, and if you show me how to do a task once, I can memorize it.”

Part of Kristin’s job is to keep inventory up to date and make sure the technical team’s backpacks are always ready for a trip to customer sites. That’s no small feat because one of Sage IT’s differentiators is the speed with which it responds to customers.

“We are paid to be the IT department by companies that aren’t big enough to have their own IT department,” Rysedorph said. “One of the things that separates us from our competition is our speed. When one of our clients clicks on chat support, we respond within 10 seconds, which is unheard of.”

That kind of speed requires efficiency.

“For the response times to be that quick, a lot of other things need to be taken care of,” he said. “Inventory needs to be maintained; backpacks need to be checked every night. We have trunk kits in our cars. Cars need to be gassed and ready. We sometimes detect outages before the client does and send a car right away.”

The tech team was spending too much time doing that organizational work, and it was taking time away from service clients with the kind of response times Sage IT promises. “Our technicians need to be spending their time helping our clients, not checking and replenishing inventory,” Rysedorph said. “And they need to know that when they go out in the field, they have everything they need.

That’s where Kristin comes in.

“I check inventory and make sure we have enough cables and adaptors and if we are low on anything I order it,” she says. The backpacks are replenished every night.

In addition to managing inventory, Kristin communicates with the techs via the company’s Slack channel, which allows her to reach the in the field or in the office to make sure they get what they need where and when they need it.”

“Kristin’s been critical in keeping the back end running for us and keeping our techs in the game,” Rysedorph said. “She’s been super consistent throughout her time here and we’re happy to have her.”

Sage IT partnered with PRIDE Industries to find the right person for the position. Judi Adams, Director of Sales and Client Success for Sage, is also a member of The Michael Ziegler PRIDE Industries Foundation Advisory Board and familiar with the benefits that people with disabilities bring to the organizations they work for.

“I’ve been involved with PRIDE Industries since 2004,” she said. “So, I knew that hiring people with disabilities is no different from hiring anyone else. Everyone has abilities. You find out what people excel in, and that’s what they bring to a company—what they do in their roles.”

“I saw we had an amazing opportunity to bring someone in who can do things that the technicians don’t have time to do, so they can spend more time servicing clients in the field,” Adams said. “I knew we could count on PRIDE Industries to help us find a high performing employee.”

They found that high performing employee in Kristin Johnson.

“Every week we go over the scoreboards for the team, and like Darren said Kristin is always at 100 percent,” said Adams. “And she’s so excited to be part of the team. One of the things I love most is seeing her get off the bus and come over here with such enthusiasm.”

And Kristin is confident in the value she brings. “My job makes the whole business run more smoothly,” she said. She would like to see more companies take a chance on hiring people with disabilities. “They should,” she said. “We are capable, and we want to work.”

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PRIDE Industries builds inclusive, diverse work environments where high performing employees with disabilities can thrive. Is your company seeking well-trained, reliable employees? Learn about our paid internship program.

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