Boston - December 6, 2017 - To help health club owners and operators navigate a variety of legal issues, IHRSA, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, provides members with informational briefing papers they can use to make smart, informed business decisions.

“We know club operators don’t have the time or resources to monitor issues that could negatively impact operations and result in a potential lawsuit,” said Helen Durkin, IHRSA’s executive vice president of public policy. “So we’ve updated and improved our legal resources to help club operators avoid legal liability in the face of challenging issues and manage difficult situations now and in the future.”

IHRSA’s legal briefing papers cover a wide range of topics, including employment law, harassment, injury liability, hiring independent contractors, and overseeing kids in your club and are available exclusively for IHRSA members to download on the IHRSA website.

“We created these briefing papers by working with attorneys to break down complex legal issues into succinct Q&As on how to deal with common but hazardous legal questions, so that an IHRSA member can feel much more comfortable in hiring and firing situations, dealing with harassment issues, keeping kids safe in the club, and more,” said Meredith Poppler, IHRSA’s vice president of communication and engagement.

“I love both the [briefing paper] format and content! As a retired lawyer, I appreciate how you kept the answers straightforward, but yet still pointed out complexities. The format was super user-friendly,” said Katie Thatcher, director of talent acquisition & integration for Healthworks Fitness and Republic Fitness in Boston, MA.

IHRSA members can access these legal resources on the IHRSA website.

Topics currently available include:

It is important to note that the information contained within these documents should not be considered legal advice. Members with questions after reading should contact IHRSA public policy or share the briefing paper with an attorney that is qualified in their area of concern. Sharing this information with an attorney will save club operators a significant amount in research costs charged by legal professionals.

About IHRSA

The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) is a not-for-profit trade association representing health and fitness facilities, gyms, spas, sports clubs, and suppliers worldwide. IHRSA and its members are dedicated to making the world healthier through regular exercise and fitness promotion.

IHRSA’s mission is to grow, promote and protect the industry; and provide its members with benefits that will help them be more successful.

About IHRSA Advocacy and Legal Services

IHRSA Advocacy and Legal Services monitors and protects health clubs from the legislative and legal issues that could affect daily business operations.

IHRSA advocates on a number of legislative issues which include—but are not limited to—use or nonuse of an AED, rules and restrictions affecting membership contracts, personal trainer regulations, locker room privacy issues, and sales tax proposals that would increase the cost of health club services.

On the legal front, IHRSA provides its members with resources that provide an guidance on a number of issues such as employment law, harassment, injury liability, hiring independent contractors, and overseeing kids in your club. Please note that the information contained within these documents should not be considered legal advice. Members with questions after reading should contact IHRSA public policy or share the briefing paper with an attorney that is qualified in their area of concern.