Office of Labor Standards Announces
Seventh Anniversary of Seattle’s Secure Scheduling Ordinance
Nearly $9.8 Million Dollars Recovered
for Over 10,000 Seattle Workers since July 1, 2017
Today the Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS)
announces the seventh anniversary of the Secure Scheduling Ordinance.
The ordinance, which provides for the right to advanced notice for
scheduling, was intended to enable thousands of Seattle retail and food
service workers to better address the competing demands of work and
home lives. Since implementation on July 1, 2017, through July 1, 2024,
OLS settled or otherwise resolved 56 investigations against 44 employers who
agreed to pay $9.7
million in total remedies to 10,036 workers.
Thus far in 2024, the department has settled 11 Secure
Scheduling Ordinance investigations with remedies totaling $3,754,989 returned
to 3,495 workers.
“Seattle was one of the first jurisdictions to provide
scheduling protections for retail and food service workers. Over the
past 7 years, OLS has been helping businesses understand their
obligations under the Secure Scheduling Ordinance while ensuring worker
concerns result in meaningful enforcement. The millions of dollars in
remedies returned to workers over this time demonstrate both the
importance of these protections for workers and the continuing need to
assist retail and food service businesses with compliance. Along with
our community partners, OLS staff will continue to provide meaningful
outreach, education, and enforcement of this labor standard. We are
committed to empowering workers and businesses with knowledge of their
rights and responsibilities to continue fulfilling the goals behind
this important labor standard,” said OLS Director Steven Marchese.
In a recent matter, OLS settled with Sandwich SC LLC dba Jimmy John's
on June 10, 2024, for alleged violations of the Secure
Scheduling, Minimum Wage, and Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinances. Jimmy
John’s has more than 500 employees and 500 locations worldwide.
Under the Secure Scheduling Ordinance
OLS alleged the restaurant failed to:
- Pay employees for employer-initiated schedule
changes; and
- Consistently provide work schedules 14 days in
advance.
Jimmy John’s settled the allegations under all three
ordinances and agreed to pay a total financial remedy of $624,849.20 to
853 employees and $150.80 to the City of Seattle.
“The news of this settlement was a huge surprise for me. I
almost cried. I had no idea until now how much I was owed. These back
wages could make a huge difference in my life,” said a Jimmy John’s
employee.
OLS also recently investigated Potbelly Sandwich Works LLC
and settled on June 3, 2024, for alleged violations of the Secure
Scheduling and the Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinances. The fast-casual
sandwich shop has approximately 6,000 employees worldwide and operated
four locations in Seattle.
Under the Secure Scheduling Ordinance
OLS alleged the company failed to:
- Provide employees with a written work schedule
at least 14 days in advance at its Sixth Avenue and Lenora Street
location, and
- Pay employees at one and one-half times the
employee’s scheduled rate of pay for hours worked less than ten
hours apart.
The company reached a settlement with OLS and agreed to
pay a total financial remedy of $99,083.18 to 186 affected workers and
$2,661.20 to the City of Seattle.
"If you're afraid of retaliation for speaking up and
advocating for yourself and your rights, remember that your courage
impacts everyone. Positive change starts within you, and in standing up
for yourself, you stand up for all of us," said Adam Fry, Potbelly
Sandwich Works employee.
"In my opinion, workers shouldn't have their rights
infringed upon. I am grateful to the staff at the City of Seattle
Office of Labor Standards for their time and efforts in education and
enforcement of relevant ordinances,” said Frank Wong, Potbelly Sandwich
Works employee.
“The principle behind secure scheduling is clear: workers
are people. Workers have lives away from work. We all have a right to
know when we’re going to work and how many hours we're going to get.
We’re proud to celebrate seven years of our nation-leading secure
scheduling law that holds large corporate employers accountable to this
principle and grants workers greater stability and joy both inside and
outside of work,” said Danielle Alvarado, Executive Director at Working
Washington, and Fair Work Center.
- For more information on the Secure Scheduling
Ordinance please visit the OLS webpage here.
A Secure Scheduling Ordinance training can be accessed on the OLS
Training webpage here.
A new Secure
Scheduling Model Policy is also available for download
on the OLS Templates webpage here.
Please visit the OLS data
interactive dashboards for more information on resolved
investigations, worker inquiries, financial remedies and more.
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