Employers must post workers' schedules 14 days in advance under new Seattle law

Clocking system at work (stock photo).

Credit: EyeOfPaul

Credit: EyeOfPaul

Clocking system at work (stock photo).

Does your boss always post your work schedule at the last minute? A new Seattle law aims to put a stop to that.

The city's Secure Scheduling Ordinance, which applies to retailers and food-service establishments with at least 500 employees worldwide and "full service restaurants" with more than 40 locations globally, requires employers to post workers' schedules a minimum of 14 calendar days ahead of time.

If an employer adds to a worker's scheduled hours after the 14-day notice period, the employee will get an extra hour of pay, the ordinance says. If hours are cut, the employer must pay the worker for half of the subtracted hours.

The law also requires employers to give workers at least 10 hours off between shifts "unless the employee requests or consents to work such hours." Employees must be paid time-and-a-half "for the hours worked that are less than 10 hours apart," the law says.

The ordinance took effect Saturday.

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