I've done a bit of research on "forced gratuity" and I still can't get a clear answer. Seems as though establishments have a right to charge it as long as it's posted somewhere where the guest should come across it. Doesn't mean you can't fight it afterward. Sounds like it was not expressed to you before it was billed to you, also sounds like an awful lot of money for your length of stay.
Also sounds like, that money isn't neccesarily "gratuity" paid to the room-keepers. Most guests are probably leaving tips in the room that the maids are keeping, and the business may be using that charged money to actually pay some of their wages. Lousy. But what other explanation is there? I am not buying that the business is paying them a $7-$8 per hour wage, letting them keep their tips, and paying them out the gratuity as well? If so, are they hiring?
I'm not a big fan of forced gratuity for many reasons....