Today, New York City is implementing some of the strongest scheduling protections for retail workers in the country – an outright ban on on-call scheduling. “On-call” or “predictive scheduling” activists claim retail employers use scheduling practices that interfere with employees’ personal lives and ability to plan around their work hours. Only 33 days after these new laws go into effect the New York State FMLA law takes effect on January 1, 2018. Under the new ordinance, New York City created the Office of Labor Standards to oversee compliance with the new scheduling laws. The notices must be posted in both English and in any other language that at least 5% or more of the employees speak at a specific location. Written by Annemaria Duran. , both of whom have paid a high price in job loss and restaurant closures for such restrictive laws. San Francisco was the first to enact scheduling regulations with its Formula Retail Employee Rights Ordinance in 2014. In addition, New York City also has strict fines for violations of their minimum wage and, Only 33 days after these new laws go into effect the, Part 1 article on New York’s Restrictive scheduling Ordinances, 7 Strategies to Improve Employee Relations [Updated for 2020], Employers, conduct an FMLA Audit to Ensure Compliance. The regulations do not expressly discuss the impact of these state regulations on already-implemented laws also governing predictive scheduling such as the NYC Fair Workweek Law. Retail employers must post the notice, YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO A PREDICTABLE WORK SCHEDULE, where employees can easily see it at each NYC workplace. Lastly, employers are allowed to make schedule changes if the employee requests time off in writing or if two employees agree to trade shifts. Retail employers beware: New York City’s predictive scheduling law went into effect on November 26, 2017, and now New York State is now getting in the mix. Employers must provide employees a final schedule at least 72 hours before the schedule begins. New York City Issues Proposed Rules for Fast Food, Retail Workers Scheduling Law * NYC’s “Fair Workweek” Package Set to Cause Major Disruption and Headaches for Retail and Fast Food Employers * Fast-food and retail employers in New York City must comply with both the city's predictable-scheduling law and the state's wage and hour laws, according to a recent court ruling. Employees must be individually notified. Make no changes to the employee schedule with less than seven days notice; changes made past that … Fire, flood, or natural disasters also provide the employer an exception to schedule changes as does a declared state of emergency. How To Write And Update Your Employee Handbook For 2020, The Best Way to Process Payroll [Updated for 2020], Swipeclock Expands Integration with Apex HCM, 5 Ways to Improve Employee Relations for Remote Workers. As shown above, the restrictions for New York Fast Food and Retail employers are strict and expansive. This includes any time a shift is canceled because the employer receives threats to the employees or to their property. This means that defending an employer’s compliance with the laws can become costly for an employer. Unlike fast food employers, which are still allowed to schedule on-call shifts, retail employers are now restricted from scheduling any on-call shifts. Employers who violate these new ordinances face expensive penalties. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Lastly, retail employers cannot require employees to contact the employer to see if they are scheduled to work a regular shift with less than 72 hours notice before the shift starts. The Law is intended to reform scheduling practices for fast food and retail workers in the City. 6 Unpredictable Scheduling and Fair Workweek Laws in New York City More than six out of ten retail workers and nine out of ten restaurant workers (including fast food workers) report that they know their work schedules less than two weeks out.5,6 However, we cannot conclude from these figures that Fair These laws are aimed at giving retail and fast food employees more notice and predictability in their schedules, while compensating them with extra pay for last-minute schedule changes. New York City Employers. Records must be maintained for at least three years. [i] https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/state-and-local-updates/pages/new-scheduling-laws-for-new-york-city-fast-food-and-retail-employers.aspx?_ga=2.159635643.727342918.1511008822-1767537919.1462374782, [ii] https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/state-and-local-updates/pages/new-scheduling-laws-for-new-york-city-fast-food-and-retail-employers.aspx?_ga=2.159635643.727342918.1511008822-1767537919.1462374782, Matthew Burr has over eleven years of experience working in the human resources field, starting his career as an Industrial Relations Intern at Kennedy Valve Manufacturing to most recently founding and managing a human resource consulting company; Burr Consulting, LLC. Last updated on September 18, 2017, v.20201016  Privacy Policy | Mobile Terms of Service, For specifics on the requirements for fast food employers, please see our, Lastly, employees cannot be scheduled for clopenings, which is the practice of closing the restaurant one day and then working the opening shift the next morning. The mayor’s office announced that the reasoning behind these ultra strict scheduling laws is to “end abusive scheduling practices in the fast food and retail industries” and to “ensure . The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) on November 27, 2017, announced in a press release that the Fair Workweek Law applicable to fast food and retail employers became effective on November 26. Employers must provide at least 11 hours of rest between shifts. In response to these concerns, several state and local governments have recently (between 2014 and … These significant changes impact; breaks between … The Fair Workplace Ordinance is a set of scheduling restrictions imposed on both fast food and retail businesses and carries with it a set of heavy penalties for employers. Below is a summary of the 5 legal changes to the NYC fast-food and retail industries: These significant legal changes are a result of the “fight for $15” movement, that we have seen in major cities across the United States.  The fight for $15 has a goal of raising minimum wage to $15 per hour and add legal protections for many low-wage earners.  If this impacts your organization, ensure you understand your obligations as an employer under the law.  Communicate and train supervisors and managers on these changes.  These are significant changes to the work relationship and will impact many organizations throughout New York City. He currently holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) and the Society of Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certifications. Additionally, with geo-timekeeping clocks, businesses can effortlessly track time worked in specific cities to ensure compliance. Lastly, employees cannot be scheduled for clopenings, which is the practice of closing the restaurant one day and then working the opening shift the next morning. Fines can include compensatory damages to the employee, penalties of $300, and a per violation fine that varies depending on the violation. ( Log Out /  Retail employers beware: New York City’s predictive scheduling law went into effect on November 26, 2017, and now New York State is now getting in the mix. ( Log Out /  Employers must post the schedule 72 … In addition, employees cannot be required to work with less than 72 hours notice before the new shift unless the employee consents in writing. Change ), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Mathew W. Burr, MBA, MHRIR, GPHR, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CPHR, https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/state-and-local-updates/pages/new-scheduling-laws-for-new-york-city-fast-food-and-retail-employers.aspx?_ga=2.159635643.727342918.1511008822-1767537919.1462374782, View all posts by Mathew W. Burr, MBA, MHRIR, GPHR, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CPHR, 6 Suggestions on a Successful Holiday Party, 5 Thoughts on Sexual Harassment Investigations. On the eve of the November 26, 2017 effective date of New York City’s own predictive scheduling regulations that affect retail and fast food employers,1 the New York State Department of Labor has issued proposed predictive scheduling regulations for certain industries. ).” Main sections of the law include: • Advance Scheduling and Schedule Change Premiums: This section requires fast food employers Matthew has publications at the Cornell HR Review, Business Insider, New York State Bar Association, Expert 360 (in Australia). New York City has enacted a law banning “on-call scheduling” for retail employees. Following a series of public hearings in late 2017, the Department of Labor issued proposed regulations to address what is commonly identified as "just-in-time," "call-in" or "on-call" scheduling. Records are effortlessly kept for years and accrual is automatically tracked and reported to employees according to the state and city laws. In New York City, the premium is $200 for fast food employers and $300 for retailers for each failure to provide work schedules in compliance with the law. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently signed new laws city officials say will improve the working conditions of the city’s retail and fast food employees, but will limit employers' scheduling flexibility and potentially force them to pay significantly more. SwipeClock provides a comprehensive array of workforce management and time tracking tools that can help businesses to more easily stay in compliance with local and national laws. ( Log Out /  The laws impact “retail” and “fast food” employers throughout the city. . He also acts as an On-Call Mediator and Fact-Finder through the Public Employment Relations Board in New York State, working with public sector employers and labor unions. There is growing recognition that unpredictable, unstable, and often insufficient work hours are a key problem facing many U.S. workers, particularly those in low-wage industries. Fast Food businesses must provide all new employees with good faith estimates of the estimated schedules and hours to be worked. And the bills could lead to similar legislation in other parts of the country, including Illinois. Further employees must be given notice of 14 days advanced notice for new schedules and any changes made after in less than 14 days notice requires that the employer pay a premium rate to the affected employee. View all posts by Mathew W. Burr, MBA, MHRIR, GPHR, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CPHR. NYC’s Fair Workweek Law requires retail and fast food employers in NYC to give workers predictable work schedules and requires fast food employers to give existing workers the opportunity to work open shifts before hiring new workers. If the employer doesn’t keep adequate records, then a presumption of guilt is assumed in any alleges of violations. Yet, it might be wise for New York City to learn a lesson from Seattle and San Francisco, both of whom have paid a high price in job loss and restaurant closures for such restrictive laws. It also includes any time public utilities fail or there is a failure of public transportation. New York City’s law will take effect November 2017.San Francisco employers must: 1. The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) has issued proposed rules for the implementation of the Fair Workweek Law in an attempt to clarify and assist employers with compliance. If the employers have missing records or fails to provide the notices required under the law to employees, the employer could be responsible for tens of thousands of dollars in fines. New York City has joined San Francisco, Emeryville, Seattle and the State of Oregon in passing predictive scheduling laws, which require certain employers to give employees a minimum amount of advance notice of their work schedule. In July 2017, Matthew started as an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Elmira College and was promoted into the Continuing Education & Business Administration Department Liaison role in July 2018. ( Log Out /  It is almost impossible for employers to comply with these many labor laws without an intelligent workforce management software. Under the new law, retail employers can't cancel, change or add shifts within 72 hours of a shift's start time—except in certain emergency situations. Employers must provide at least 11 hours of rest between shifts. Chicago’s new predictable scheduling law, effective July 1, 2020, requires employers to notify low-income workers of changes to their schedules and applies to a wide variety of industries. Seattle’s Secure Scheduling Ordinance and Emeryville and California’s Fair Workweek Ordinances took effect July of this year. Seattle, New York City, and Oregon have since enacted similar legislation, and other legislative bodies nationwide are considering predictive scheduling laws for retail, hospitality, and food service companies. Moreover, in some instances, there are conflicting terms. There are some exceptions and other specifics to these rules listed in part one of this article. Matthew has been featured on CNN Money, Fast Company, Fits Small Business, Magnify Money, My Twin Tiers, Namely, Student Loan Hero, Smart Sheet and CEO Blog Nation. Employee Scheduling Regulations. The Fair Workplace Ordinance is a set of scheduling restrictions imposed on both fast food and retail businesses and carries with it a set of heavy penalties for employers. Volatile hours not only mean volatile incomes, but add to the strain working families face as they try to plan ahead for child care or juggle schedules in order to take classes, hold down a second job, or pursue other career opportunities. Slightly different, retail employers in New York City must provide more than 3 days of advance notice of employees’ work schedule. Enforcement of then new rules will be under the jurisdiction of the Office of Labor Policy and Standards (OLPS), which is housed under the City’s Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). * Retail Employees Covered by the Law Retail Employees NOT Covered by the Law All employees who work at a retail business that Employers who violate these new ordinances face expensive penalties. There are some exceptions and other specifics to these rules listed in, No canceling shifts within 72 hours of the scheduled shift, No requiring additional shifts without at least 72 hours notice. New York also requires retail employers to pay $500 or damages (whichever is greater) for on-call shifts or … Retailers must post this notice where employees can easily see it at each NYC workplace. The law is meant to provide retail and fast food employees with more predictability around scheduling by requiring employers to provide schedules a certain amount of time in advance, and prohibiting on-call shifts, among other provisions. Provide employee schedules at least 2 weeks in advance; 2. The new ordinances require advanced notice for all hours that are scheduled. Starting today, workers will now be able to gain more control over their own lives and their ability to earn a living; they can plan childcare, plan their classes, get a needed second job, and help their elderly parents. Employees must be individually notified. Matthew is also the SHRM Certification Exam Instructor at the college, his students currently have an 80% pass rate on the SHRM-SCP and 92.3% pass rate on the SHRM-CP. In addition, the NYC corporation counsel can bring lawsuits against employers for violations of the laws. The director is responsible to publish notices that employers must post in the workplace in a conspicuous location. This means that defending an employer’s compliance with the laws can become costly for an employer. Employers can use a system like SwipeClock’s Employee Self Service Portal to notify employees electronically of the changes. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate level business courses at Elmira College. In early 2017, he published his first book, “$74,000 in 24 Months: How I killed my student loans (and you can too! Intro 1387, signed into law today by Mayor de Blasio, and passed by the New York City Council and the Speaker last week, puts an end to on-call scheduling in our city - Mayor de Blasio, the law you are signing today will create some of the strongest protections for … Employers are also restricted from canceling employee shifts within 72 hours of when the affected shift should start. On Sunday, November 26, 2017, employers in New York City were required to be compliant with the new employee-scheduling laws. Stuart Appelbaum, President, RWDSU said, "On-call scheduling is devastating for retail workers. On Sunday, November 26, 2017, employers in New York City were required to be compliant with the new employee-scheduling laws.  The laws impact “retail” and “fast food” employers throughout the city.  These significant changes impact; breaks between shifts, predictable hours and on-call scheduling.  These laws do not impact employers in Upstate New York, however, we should be aware of any changes impacting entire industries. Several other cities are considering Secure Scheduling laws, including Albuquerque, New York City and Washington DC. The DCA also issued the related required employee notices, overviews, Matthew has a generalist background in HR and provides strategic HR services to his clients, focusing on small and medium sized organizations. Retail employers beware: New York City’s predictive scheduling law went into effect on November 26, 2017, and now New York State is now getting in the mix. Prior to founding the consulting firm, the majority of his career was spent in manufacturing and healthcare. The New York City Council on Tuesday introduced a packageof billsthat would ban on-call scheduling and other inflexible, unpredictable scheduling practices deemed unfair by retail … On May 30, 2017, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed, into law, “Fair Workweek” legislation (collectively, the “new Laws,” the “New York City Fair Workweek Laws,” the “Fair Workweek Laws,” or the “NYCFWWLs”) which, effective November 26, 2017, substantially limits retail employers’ and fast food establishments’ discretion in scheduling work shifts for their employees. Note: Employers must also post the notice in any language that is the primary language of at least 5 percent of the workers at the workplace if … Employers can use a system like SwipeClock’s. In addition, employers must be able to provide the current work schedule for all the employees at that location. The New York City predictive scheduling law went into effect on November 26, 2017. On May 30, 2017, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed a suite of legislation dubbed the “Fair Workweek” bills into effect, which will limit the scheduling practices and flexibility of certain employers. predictable schedules and predictable paychecks for fast food and retail workers.”. Seattle is the second municipality in the nation to adopt Secure Scheduling regulations, after San Francisco. If you are a part-time worker, the uncertainty of your schedule means you can't arrange for a … On November 26, 2017, a series of laws named the Fair Workplace Ordinance takes effect. If the employers have missing records or fails to provide the notices required under the law to employees, the employer could be responsible for, Yet, it might be wise for New York City to learn a lesson from. FMLA Compliance:Recordkeeping Requirements You Don’t Want to Miss! Laws dictating how retailers schedule workers have been passed in New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and the state of Oregon among other locations. Violations can be $500 per violation for the first violation and $1,000 for willful violations. For specifics on the requirements for fast food employers, please see our Part 1 article on New York’s Restrictive scheduling Ordinances. A state of emergency must be declared by the governor of New York State, the Mayor of New York City, or the President of the United States. to notify employees electronically of the changes. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Retail employers are allowed a few exceptions to the scheduling restrictions imposed by the new ordinances. Lastly, the ordinance gives employees the right to sue in civil court for violations. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. He specializes in labor and employment law, conflict resolution, performance management, labor and employment relations. New York City Passes Fair Workplace Ordinance on Fast Food and Retail Business On November 26, 2017, a series of laws named the Fair Workplace Ordinance takes effect. Matthew has an associate's degree in business administration from Tompkins Cortland Community College, a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from Elmira College, a master's degree from the University of Illinois School of Labor and Employment Relations in Human Resources & Industrial Relations and a Master’s in Business Administration specializing in entrepreneurship from Syracuse University. The employer must retain employee schedules for at least three years and must be able to provide the employee their schedule for the previous three years in writing upon request. 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