What Are Fair Scheduling Practices and Should I Care?

Let’s start with the latter question. The answer is yes, you should. While the idea of having to provide your employees with certain guarantees sounds onerous and unnecessary, fair scheduling practices are one of those things that are good for everyone in the long run.

In a nutshell, fair scheduling practices refer to the practice prioritizing transparency, predictability, and fairness for employees. These practices aim to provide employees with more control over their work schedules, improve work-life balance, and reduce stress. So how does that help you?

Well, fair scheduling practices yield significant advantages for employers. By providing employees with predictable and stable schedules, employers can improve employee retention which, in most businesses, translates into profitability. Happier and more experienced employees are more productive, have better morale and job satisfaction, and provide better customer service – all leading to improved overall business performance. Additionally, employers who adopt fair scheduling practices can enhance their reputation as a responsible and caring employer, improving their competitiveness in the labor market. By investing in fair scheduling, employers create a win-win situation that benefits both their employees and their bottom line.

Key principles

1. Advance Notice: Providing employees with their schedules well in advance (usually 2-4 weeks).
2. Predictable Schedules: Creating schedules that are consistent and predictable, allowing employees to plan their personal lives.
3. No On-Call Shifts: Eliminating on-call shifts, which require employees to be available to work with little or no notice.
4. Right to Rest: Ensuring employees have adequate rest time between shifts and are not required to work excessive overtime.
5. Input and Feedback: Allowing employees to provide input on their schedules and respond to their concerns.
6. No Clopening Shifts: Avoiding scheduling employees to work closing shifts one day and opening shifts the next day.
7. Fair Compensation: Providing fair compensation for employees who work irregular or unpredictable schedules.

Fair scheduling practices have been implemented successfully in various cities and states. San Francisco, Seattle, and New York City have enacted laws that require employers to provide employees with fair scheduling practices, such as advance notice of schedules and compensation for last-minute changes. States like California, Oregon, and New Jersey have also implemented fair scheduling laws. Additionally, companies like Starbucks, Gap Inc., and Walmart have voluntarily adopted fair scheduling practices, demonstrating that these practices can be beneficial for both employees and employers.

Examples of Fair Scheduling Practices

• San Francisco’s Retail Workers Bill of Rights: Requires retailers to provide employees with two weeks’ notice of their schedules and to pay employees for last-minute schedule changes.
• New York’s Fair Scheduling Law: Requires employers to provide employees with 72 hours’ notice of their schedules and to pay employees for schedule changes made with less than 72 hours’ notice.

By implementing fair scheduling practices – preferably using a scheduling software like the one offered by Timesheets.com, employers can improve employee well-being while reducing turnover, and increasing productivity.