Fair Workweek laws are regulations that aim to make employee scheduling more stable, fair and transparent. They seek to help hourly, part-time, and shift workers better manage their personal lives outside of work. They are also called Predictive Scheduling and Advance Scheduling laws.
Businesses with fluctuating staffing demands often use ‘just-in-time’ employee scheduling. The instability wreaks havoc on the lives of the lowest paid employees in the workforce. These are the people most likely to be living paycheck to paycheck while juggling two or more part-time jobs. The practices are unethical and prohibit upward mobility for the least advantaged.
The idea is that, unlike on-call scheduling, predictable schedules make it easier for workers, especially part-time retail and restaurant workers, to meet their needs, such as working another job, attending school, or arranging childcare. National Law Review
Oregon is the only state with a Fair Workweek law. Seattle, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Emeryville (California), San Jose, and Chicago also have laws that prohibit many employee scheduling practices.
So far, most of these provisions apply to retail and/or food service employers. Some include the hospitality industry. Many of the measures have minimum employee requirements which exclude the smallest businesses.
Employee scheduling software helps employers comply with Fair Workweek regulations. Managers can create complicated team schedules in minutes regardless of the scheduling logistics: shifts of varying lengths, seasonal staffing fluctuations, and multiple locations.
Employee scheduling software has the following features:
Human Resources Management Systems (HRMS) include employee scheduling platforms. When scheduling is integrated with timekeeping, PTO tracking, and payroll, employers can not only comply with Fair Workweek laws, they can improve efficiency and productivity across the organization.