Predictable Scheduling Laws: The Next Trend in Workplace Regulations

The article, “Predictable Scheduling Laws: The Next Trend in Workplace Regulations,” featured in SHRM, discussed how Seattle will likely be the next city to limit employers’ use of on-call scheduling.

Catharine Morisset provided commentary on what the "Secure Scheduling Ordinance" entails.

The ordinance would apply to large retail and food service establishments with 500 or more employees worldwide, explained Catharine.

"This includes any employer within a franchise network that employs over 500 people, as well as full-service restaurants with 500 or more employees and more than 40 locations worldwide," she said.

Catharine noted that only employees who physically work at least 50 percent of the time within the city of Seattle are covered.

"While touted as a secure scheduling law, it does much more than prohibit last-minute changes in employee schedules," she added.

Among other things, the ordinance would:

• Allow employees to request their preferred schedule and location.
• Require employers to engage in an interactive process with employees to discuss schedule requests, which must be granted in certain situations unless there is a "bona fide business reason" not to grant the request.
• Prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who decline a shift that is added to their schedules with less than two weeks of notice.
• Require employers to offer shifts to existing staff before hiring additional workers.

Seattle employers should get input from managers now about changes that will need to be made to scheduling practices, Catharine suggested. "Starting to educate front-line managers about their affirmative obligations and what will constitute a violation will only help with smooth implementation of any new processes and mitigate against risk of noncompliance."

To read the full article, please visit SHRM.