Right now, the United States is having a difficult time getting workers to stay in their current jobs. There are a number of reasons why employees are leaving, but one of the biggest concerns is that workers are being subjected to unpredictable, unrealistic, and border-line abusive scheduling practices. This makes it difficult for them to spend time with their family, friends, and decompress from the workplace stress.
A few examples of abusive scheduling practices include:
- Being asked to come in for a last-minute shift
- Having hours canceled at the last minute and not being paid for them
- Working long shifts causing work fatigue
- Being on call for multiple days or weeks in a row without a break
Workers deserve to have a bit more transparency and control related to their schedules, especially those in 24/7 working environments where their shift may drag on much longer than planned. That is where The Schedules That Work Act would address a lot of these concerns. What do employers and employees need to know about this proposal?
1. The Right to Request a Schedule Change Without Fear of Retaliation
One of the biggest components of the bill is that employees would have the right to request a schedule change without fear of retaliation. In many situations, employees have an emergency that they are forced to kick down the road because they do not want to request a schedule change. They might worry that they could get fired or have their hours cut if they ask for a scheduling change. This type of retaliation is unethical, and employees should at least be allowed to ask for a schedule change if they need it without having to worry about losing their jobs.
2. Require Granting Requests Without a Bona Fide Business Reason to Do So
Furthermore, employers would be required to grant all reasonable requests. For example, some employees might request a schedule change because they need to take care of a loved one. Other employees might request a schedule change because they need to take care of their children. Caregiving is often an unexpected and very personal reason to be absent, which would be automatically approved under the Schedules That Work Act.
Unless there is a valid reason for opposing such a request, employers will be required to grant it. Valid business reasons can vary from industry to industry, and it is important for companies to make sure they comply with all the best practices in the field.
3. Schedule Transparency
Another major step in this bill is that employees will be given a bit more schedule transparency. The bill will require all employers to provide employees with access to their schedules at least two weeks in advance. This will make it easier for employees to plan accordingly. Sometimes, employees cannot make childcare arrangements because they do not know when they will have to work. This bill will provide employees with more notice, giving them more time to make other arrangements. This could also reduce last-minute changes that employees need to make.
4. Additional Pay If Schedules Change Without Notice
There are some situations where employers may need to ask employees to change their schedules; however, employers will be required to give their employees adequate notice of any scheduling changes. If employers do not give their employees enough notice, they will be subjected to additional compensation. Furthermore, employers will also be required to give their employees additional compensation if they have to work call-in shifts or split shifts. These protections will extend to those in the janitorial, retail, food service, hospitality, and warehouse industries. Other industries, such as the medical field, often provide additional compensation for employees who are called in already.
5. Guaranteed Rest Time Between Shifts
Finally, this bill will also require employers to give employees adequate rest between shifts. Right now, there are some employees who are forced to work the closing shift one day before having to come in for the opening shift the next day. This does not give employees enough time to go home and rest, let alone handle their personal obligations for an appropriate work-life balance. Therefore, this bill will require employers to give their employees more break time between shifts. If employees voluntarily decide to work shifts back to back, employers will be required to give their employees additional compensation.
Keeping Up With The Schedules That Work Act
It is important for companies to keep up with changes in employee rules and regulations. Even though it can be challenging to do so, it is easier to handle shift scheduling, shift swapping, and shift management with workforce management software from Indeavor.
The automated scheduling system makes it easier for employers and employees to handle their scheduling needs. By giving employees the power to swap shifts within parameters that are acceptable to the company, it is possible to make labor forces more efficient.
Use the Automated Employee Scheduling System from Indeavor
Indeavor’s mobile workforce scheduling application is easy to use, complete with touch-free processes that keep employees safe. Employers will also have access to real-time data that they can use to optimize their workforces. With qualification matching, employees can fill immediate vacancies by shifting scheduled workers to new assignments, making work for scheduling a breeze. Take advantage of the automated scheduling software from Indeavor by contacting us for a demo today.
