Retail chains like Target Corp. are under increased scrutiny in New York. On April 10, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sent letters to 13 retailers seeking information on their use of on-call shifts. Included in the letter was a warning that just-in-time scheduling practices may violate state employment law.
New York requires employers to pay hourly staff for at least four hours when they report for work. The Office of the Attorney General is examining retail scheduling practices and whether requiring an on-call worker to check shift status would trigger the pay requirement under New York law.
Letters were sent to Gap Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch, J. Crew Group Inc., L. Brands, Burlington Coat Factory, TJX Companies, Urban Outfitters, Target Corp., Sears Holding Corp., Williams-Sonoma Inc., Crocs, Ann Inc. and J.C. Penney Co. Inc.
Retail workers find just-in-time scheduling makes it difficult to arrange for child or elder care or to hold a second job. Across the country, retail workers have been coming together with the UFCW to advocate for fair scheduling policies and legislation.
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