Seattle City Council Passes Secure Scheduling Law

In keeping with its goal of pioneering workers' rights, Seattle's City Council passed its controversial Secure Scheduling Ordinance on September 19, 2016, which will require certain retail and food establishments to provide both a "livable wage" and a "livable schedule" to their employees. Their employees also gain the right to request, and in some situations obtain, the preferred schedule of their choice.

The ordinance will go into effect July 1, 2017. The city will likely issue regulatory rules further refining compliance requirements before next year's effective date. However, you will want to review the proposed ordinance's requirements now; once effective, it will bring significant changes to your scheduling practices along with significant risks for failing to meet its requirements.