title: Perceived workplace mistreatment: Case of Latina hotel housekeepers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Latina hotel housekeepers' social class, gender, race/ethnicity, nationality, and United States immigration status render them particularly vulnerable to workplace mistreatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to reveal the array of policy- and interpersonal-related mistreatment experienced by Latina hotel housekeepers in the southeastern United States employed at 75 local hotels which included 4-star, 3-star, 2-star, and 1-star properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  This ethnographic study involved 27 in-depth interviews with Latina hotel housekeepers. Using semi-structured in-depth interview guides, participants were interviewed until collected data reached saturation. Data were coded to explore themes and relationships for the housekeepers' work environments, and thick descriptions of these environments were developed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants ranged in work experience from 1 to 15 years, with all but one unable to reach full-time status, and were paid between $7.25 and $8.00 per hour. Policy-related phenomena, such as low pay, lack of paid sick leave or overtime, and absence of appropriate cleaning tools or protective equipment were all perceived as forms of mistreatment by Latina hotel housekeepers. Interpersonal mistreatment in the form of supervisor favoritism, unfair work assignments, biased allocation of cleaning supplies, disrespect, and verbal abuse due to ethnicity was also perceived.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Latina hotel housekeepers endure mistreatment that impacts their psychosocial and physical occupational health. We provide recommendations to minimize workplace mistreatment and improve well-being of Latina hotel housekeepers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, College of Applied Science and Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Yu-Chin Jerrie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Tourism, Events, and Attractions, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Sevil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sönmez
authors.affiliation: Complexity & Computational Population Health Group, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Yorghos
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Apostolopoulos
authors.affiliation: Complexity & Computational Population Health Group, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Michael Kenneth
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lemke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006796:Household Work / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012737:Sex Factors; D018582:Sick Leave; D012923:Social Class; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000208:ethnology; D017132:Workplace / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Immigrant workers; hospitality workers; occupational health; psychosocial health