JW Marriot Hotel's HIV Intervention Case Example

Private sector intervention case exampleCompany: JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok Industry: Travel & Tourism Location: Thailand Programme: HIV/AIDSPolicyPreventionandAwarenessProgramme descriptionMarriott International has a global policy for associates living with lifethreatening illnesses, including HIV/AIDS. The policy was last revised in June2000 and is available on the company intranet.• Non-discrimination: (1) employees will not be dismissed on the ground of theirHIV status; and (2) hiring decisions will not utilize an HIV assessment.• Confidentially and disclosure: (1) employee is not required to disclose status;and (2) if status is disclosed, it cannot be disclosed to others without writtenconsent.• Benefits: (1) benefits are provided for employees; and (2) benefit packages donot discriminate by HIV status.• Ill-health retirement: (1) if an employee is too ill to perform his or her regularduties, the hotel will first look to reassign the employee to a job in the backoffice; (2) if the employee still unable to perform his or her job, the employee isencouraged to use up his/her annual vacation and sick leave; and (3) if theemployee is still medically unable to work, the hotel will consider, on a case bycase basis, keeping the employee on the payroll without pay to maintaineligibility for social security and company provided medical and life insurance;and (4) this policy is similar to how the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok handles allchronic illnesses.• Temporary workers: The hotel does not have an explicit contractor policy, butthey are welcome to attend any workplace health promotion activities.The JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok launched its workplace prevention programmein 2001, which focused on integrating HIV/AIDS awareness and preventionmessages into its health promotion programme.• Starting in 2001, the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok started offering annualvoluntary HIV/AIDS awareness training sessions. Each interactive three hourclass is offered during normal working hours and includes between 30 and 40people. The hotel estimates that approximately 15% of its staff has gonethrough HIV-specific training since 2001. These training courses are part of abroader health promotion series which focuses on a different topic each quarterthat affects employee health and productivity. Some recent topics include:cholesterol and a well balanced diet and Hepatitis B.• HIV/AIDS-related staff training has been conducted by external groups includingthe Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS (TBCA) and the Wednesday Club ofthe Thai Red Cross. These courses covered the following topics: (1) statisticaloverview of HIV/AIDS; (2) HIV transmission exercise; (3) HIV/AIDS basic facts;(4) behaviour risk-exercise; (5) care and support for people living withHIV/AIDS; (6) dialogue with an HIV-positive person; (7) condom use; and (8)where to get additional information.• In 2003, the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok organized activities and donations tosupport HIV-positive children at Prabat-nam-phu, Lopburi province. Allassociates were invited to donate money or used belongings. On Valentinesday approximately 30 staff visited them, held a number of activities, and joinedthem for lunch.