Over the past three years, the state of Oregon and a number of cities including Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York City have passed “fair workweek” legislation that aims to make employees’ schedules more predictable (or compensate employees when their schedules are unpredictable).
Other states, including Washington, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, are considering statewide legislation. The laws require that certain companies—most often retail and foodservice companies employing several hundred people or more—take steps such as posting schedules two weeks in advance, compensating workers if there are last-minute scheduling changes, and allowing sufficient rest time between shifts.
On November 5, Representative Rosa DeLauro announced that she and Senator Elizabeth Warren were reintroducing the federal Schedules That Work Act legislation, which calls for protections such as two weeks’ notice of schedules and compensation for schedule changes for employees in food service, cleaning, hospitality, warehouse, and retail occupations.
The Schedules That Work Act introduced in 2015 had similar rules, including a requirement to provide schedules two weeks in advance, with compensation if shifts were changed last minute, for employees of retail, cleaning, and foodservice companies.
How does this impact you as a business owner?
Unpredictable scheduling can be extremely stressful for workers and their families. State and federal legislation aiming to assist employees in planning ahead and balancing family and work will be important to many businesses in 2020 and beyond. By requiring advance notice and compensation for last-minute changes, fair workweek scheduling may significantly raise the quality of life for millions of people, but it may also require substantial changes in the way businesses schedule and compensate their workforce.
At Marvel Law, we can advise you on how to be 100% compliant with the emerging law changes. If you are not in compliance, you open you and your business to potential lawsuits and state/federal fines that can sometimes come close to bankrupting a business (depending on the size of the business and the size of the lawsuit and/or fines). Click here to email us or call us at 309-807-2885 for your FREE 15-minute consultation.
