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Supervisors introduce Retail Workers Bill of Rights to address unstable schedules and part‑time treatment
Summary
Supervisors Marr and Chu announced a Retail Workers Bill of Rights that would require chain employers to offer extra hours to existing part‑time staff before hiring new workers, pay for short‑notice cancellations and protect part‑time workers from discriminatory treatment; the proposal will be developed further after coalition meetings.
Supervisors Marr and Chu introduced a package of policies labeled the Retail Workers Bill of Rights and asked the city to begin drafting legislation to address predictive scheduling, access to hours and worker retention for chain retail and service employers.
Supervisor Marr said the four-part package would (1) promote access to additional hours for current part‑time workers before employers hire new staff or use temporary agencies, (2) discourage abusive on‑call and short‑notice cancellation practices by requiring a minimum payment (for example, a guarantee of four hours pay for late cancellations or on‑call shifts), (3) prohibit discrimination against part‑time workers in pay, promotions and access to benefits, and (4) require job‑retention protections where a business is sold, with a 90‑day minimum period for retaining the existing workforce.
The policy as described would apply to large formula retail employers (chains with 11 or more branches nationally, per the San Francisco planning code) and chain restaurants, grocery stores, hotels and banks. Marr and Chu said the measure grew from a national “fair work week” movement and drew on coalition input, including Jobs with Justice, Young Workers United, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), SEIU and community groups. Marr said the measures were intended to reduce hour‑to‑hour insecurity that makes it difficult for low‑wage workers to afford living in the city.
Supervisor Chu, a co‑sponsor, said a multi‑stakeholder task force had been meeting and he intends to introduce follow‑up legislation in September to address the remaining elements of the bill. Both supervisors emphasized the measure targets large chain employers to focus regulation on firms with broad labor market power.
