The City of Chicago has enacted a so-called predictable scheduling ordinance that arguably is the most expansive measure approved by any U.S. jurisdiction to date. The Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance was passed unanimously by the City Council and signed into law by Mayor Lori Lightfoot on July 24, 2019. The ordinance is scheduled to go into effect beginning on July 1, 2020.
The ordinance will essentially require covered employers in seven identified industries – building services, health care, hotel, manufacturing, restaurant, retail, and warehouse – to post work schedules for covered regular and on-call employees 10 days in advance of the workweek. Under the ordinance, covered employees will have the right to decline schedules in certain circumstances, and covered employers will be required to pay premiums for alterations to the schedule that are made after the posting deadline.
According to published reports, the final ordinance represents a compromise between its supporters and representatives of the Chicago business community, which was successful in adding some limitations designed to minimize the ordinance’s potential disruptive impacts. As a result, most local business groups did not oppose the final version.
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC) can read more here.