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compromise has been reached in the contentious licensing bill, which will exempt small hotels from certain rules. City Council member Julie Menin agreed with the hotel union and operators to exclude hotels with fewer than 100 rooms from provisions requiring direct employment of core staff. The latest version of the measure is set for a vote next week.

    The deal was brokered after Menin reached an earlier compromise with the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and the Hotel Association of New York City, allowing hotels to subcontract work that requires highly technical skills. Following this agreement, the hotel association asked Menin and the union to further accommodate small "mom-and-pop" hotels.

    "We were able to negotiate a version of the final bill that addresses concerns of both large and small hotels," said Vijay Dandapani, President and CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City. The measure still requires hotels to meet safety and sanitation standards, including continuous staffing at front desks and panic buttons for core employees.

    The change was made after conversations with the hotel association and hearing from small hotel operators about the importance of seasonal hiring. However, not all parties are satisfied with the revised bill. The American Hotel & Lodging Association disapproved of the amended measure and submitted its own version, which was ignored.