Seattle weighs new rules for businesses with hourly workers

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Seattle weighs new rules for businesses witah hourly workers
Sep 19, 9:17 PM EDT
By PHUONG LE
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) -- Seattle leaders have proposed new rules for retail and food-service businesses with hourly employees, including requiring them to schedule shifts two weeks in advance and compensate workers for some last-minute changes.

It's the latest push by a city that has led the nation in mandating worker benefits.

Seattle was among the first to phase in a $15 hourly minimum wage, mandate sick leave for many companies and offer paid parental leave for city workers.

Now, the mayor, city officials and labor-backed groups are targeting erratic schedules and fluctuating hours they say make it difficult for people to juggle child care, school or other jobs, to count on stable income or to plan for the future.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SEATTLE_HOURLY_WORKERS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-09-19-21-17-50

[cstanleytech]

1. This should be done at the federal level as well IMO. nt

[mrmpa]

2. I have a niece in her last year of college.........

she's a commuter & works part time at Abercrombie & Fitch. She is on call 24 hours a day. They can call her & sometimes it's only for a 2 hour block. If she declines a certain amount of times they will terminate her.

I hate this, she can't schedule even going to the movies. At least her boss knows her class schedule & doesn't call her during those times. So most of her calls are in the evening & week ends. She has a few hours scheduled a week any other time is her on call hours.

Kudos to Seattle

[pnwmom]

3. I know a young woman in the same situation, trying to go to school and work

at a department store with hours that change every week. What a nightmare.

[TexasBushwhacker]

6. Are all hourly jobs at A&F like this?

I got my start in retail as a teen by working as an XOC, which stood for Extra On Call. You moved up the list to be called with the number of hours you had worked. I had a friend who had been doing it so long (she liked the variety) that she was the first to be called when there was a need. I didn't get much work at first, but I worked a few times I started getting called more often.

[Chakaconcarne]

4. I suspect the only businesses doing this are big corporate chains...

If they just treated their employees right from the get go, the city wouldn't be all up in their business.

You don't really hear too much about this, but the $15 min wage is a savior for a lot of small businesses. Low paying service jobs and high rents push these workers well out of the area (1-2 hour commutes) so workers are getting very hard to find. On Snow days, some businesses can barely operate.. No one is local anymore. It's a big deal.

[Massacure]

5. I think 14 day is a little overkill

When I was in college I worked retail, and the schedule was posted every Monday for the following week. I think that was an appropriate way to schedule.

I really like the 10 hour rest rule they are proposing though. Closing up shop at 10:00 and having to be back at 5:45 the next morning royally sucked.

[TexasBushwhacker]

7. I think 14 day is overkill too. Worked retail 13 years. n/t