Retail Workers Gain Additional Employment Protection in Los Angeles

As part of expanding protection, the City of L.A. approved a new ordinance that will provide additional employment protection to many of the city’s retail workers. The ordinance is called the Fair Work Week Ordinance, and it targets employers with more than 300 employees on a global basis. Many are wondering what the benefits of The Fair Work Week Ordinance are and if the changes are worth it.

In short, here are the benefits that the L.A. City Council voted on:

1. Advanced Notice of Work Schedule Changes

The Fair Work Week Ordinance forces employers to provide retail workers with at least a fourteen-day notice for each and every schedule change. Failure to do so requires the employee to be compensated.

2. Predictable Pay

Retail can be an inconsistent industry, but employees will be given predictable pay rights under the Fair Work Week Ordinance. Part of that process means that employers can no longer change the employee’s schedule and assign other workers to shifts that were once the employee’s to save money on payroll expenses or other factors.

Employees are hired with a set number of hours and employers will be forced to meet those hourly agreements or compensate the employee for lost income. The move helps to stabilize around 70,000 retail workers by helping them meet their basic hour expectations for pay.

3. Refusal of Overtime or Extra Shifts

Under the Fair Work Week Ordinance, employees can refuse to accept last-minute schedule changes or the burden of taking on extra shifts for fear of retaliation by their employer. Any last-minute changes to the schedule will result in compensation to the employee that includes partial pay for a reduction in work hours and an increase in pay for shifts added to their schedule without a 14-day notice.

4. Good Faith Estimations of Employment Hours At Hiring

Under Fair Work Week Ordinance rules, employers will provide each employee with a “Good Faith” estimation of the number of hours the employee will work per week. The ordinance stops empty promises by employers who want to hire a part-time employee by dangling more hours under their noses.

Employers will be obligated to meet the “good faith” estimate of weekly hours or face fines. Employers will no longer be allowed to tell an applicant that they “should” have 30 hours of work per week and then only offer them twelve hours and the obligation to take on extra shifts on short notice.

Now passed, the full power of the Fair Work Week Ordinance will become law within the City of Los Angeles in the Spring of 2023. Employees in retail trades are encouraged to learn more about what the new ordinance may mean to them by reaching out to an employment lawyer.

Contact D Law to Learn More About Your Employee Rights

Davtyan Law Firm serves employees who work in L.A. and throughout California. Find out more about your rights and legal options if you feel you are being discriminated against, were unfairly fired, or harassed by your employer. Call DLaw today at (818) 275-5799 to schedule a free consultation.