In an expansion of the Fair Workweek Law, the New York City Council has passed legislation permitting quick-service restaurant employers to terminate employees only for just cause or a bona fide economic reason. These heightened requirements effectively eliminate the at-will status of industry employees and create a discipline structure similar to that bargained for by unionized workforces. With the new protections set to take effect in July, employers should begin drafting and implementing policies to comply with the new laws as soon as practicable.
Tag: Fair Workweek
Landmark Chicago “Fair Workweek” Ordinance Entitles Employees to Pay for Schedule Changes and Lost Work Hours
On July 23, 2019, the Chicago City Council passed the controversial Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance (the Ordinance). Once Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a vocal proponent of the Ordinance, signs it into law, the Ordinance is scheduled to take effect for the majority of covered employers on July 1, 2020.
The Chicago Ordinance covers:
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Philadelphia Enacts a Fair Workweek Law
On December 6, 2018, the Philadelphia Council voted 14-3 to pass a Fair Workweek bill, which Mayor Kenney is expected to sign. Once signed, the ordinance would take effect on January 1, 2020, and is expected to impact roughly 130,000 workers. The Fair Workweek ordinance will apply to employers with more than 250 employees and over 30 locations (including Philadelphia) worldwide. It will require employers in the retail, fast-food, and hospitality industries to provide advance written notice of work schedules and predictability pay to their service workers. Other cities that enacted similar Fair Workweek laws include New York, San Francisco, San Jose, Emeryville and Seattle.
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