Schedules That Work Act

Summary#

This bill, the Schedules That Work Act, gives many workers new rights about when and how they work. It covers employers with 15 or more employees and focuses on certain jobs, such as retail, food service, cleaning, hospitality, and warehouse work. The bill lets employees ask for changes to hours, shift times, locations, notice of schedules, and more stable hours. Employers must talk with employees in a timely, good-faith process and either grant or deny requests. Requests tied to a serious health condition, caregiving, career education or another job must be granted unless the employer has a bona fide business reason to deny them.

For workers in the covered sectors, employers must post schedules at least 14 days before they start (or give a new worker their schedule on the first day). If an employer fails to provide required advance notice, the bill requires $75 per day compensation to affected employees. If a schedule is changed less than 14 days before it takes effect, employers generally must pay "predictability pay": either an extra hour at the employee's regular rate when hours are added or a shift is moved without losing hours, or at least half the regular rate for scheduled hours that are cut or canceled. Split shifts require one extra hour at the regular rate per day. The bill also requires pay-stub transparency naming additional pay.

The bill gives employees the right to decline shifts that start less than 11 hours after their prior shift without penalty. If an employee does work such a short-rest shift, the employer must pay 1.5 times the scheduled rate for those hours. The bill bans retaliation and interference with these rights.

Enforcement is by the Secretary of Labor (or other agency for certain federal employees). The Department may investigate, and employees may sue employers for damages, interest, and equitable relief. Civil penalties for willful and repeated violations are specified ($500–$1,000 per violation for scheduling provisions, $1,100–$5,000 per violation for certain retaliation or interference). The bill allows exemptions for employees covered and expressly waived by a valid collective bargaining agreement. The Secretary must issue regulations and may add other occupations for coverage based on criteria.

What it means for you#

• If you work in retail, food service, cleaning, hospitality, or a warehouse for an employer with 15+ employees, you can request schedule changes and have more notice of your schedule.
• You can ask for schedule changes for many reasons, including caregiving, health, education, or another job; those reasons must be granted unless the employer shows a bona fide business reason.
• If your employer gives less than 14 days' notice of a schedule or changes your schedule with less notice, you may be entitled to specific extra pay or compensation.
• You may decline shifts that give you less than 11 hours between shifts without penalty.
• If your employer fires or punishes you for using these rights, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor or sue in court.

Expenses#

• The bill requires employers to pay specified amounts to employees in some situations:
  • $75 per day if the employer fails to provide the required 14-day advance schedule notice.
  • Predictability pay for short-notice schedule changes (extra hour at regular pay for added hours or changed shifts with no loss of hours; at least 1/2 the regular rate for canceled or reduced scheduled hours).
  • One extra hour at the regular rate for each day an employee works a split shift.
  • Time-and-a-half (1.5x) pay when an employee works with less than 11 hours rest between shifts.
  • Civil penalties for employers that willfully and repeatedly violate the law ($500–$1,000 per violation for scheduling rules; $1,100–$5,000 per violation for some retaliation or interference violations).
• The bill requires employers to keep records and may impose administrative costs for compliance and for agencies that enforce the law.
• No publicly available information on overall federal budget costs or estimates of aggregate business compliance costs is included in the bill text or metadata provided.

Proponents' View#

The bill's findings say unpredictable and unstable schedules make it hard for families to organize child care, health care, training, transportation, and public benefits. The sponsors point to research and local laws showing that more predictable schedules improve workers' well-being, reduce turnover, and can benefit employers. The bill frames these rules as a first step to give workers more voice over hours and more stable schedules.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.