Bill > S973

This bill, titled "Establishing fair scheduling for employees in the Commonwealth," aims to amend Chapter 149 of the General Laws by introducing new provisions for employees in fast food restaurants and retail stores. It defines key terms such as "employee," "employer," "fast food restaurant," "retail store," "shift" (defined as consecutive work or on-call hours, with short breaks not interrupting continuity), and "work schedule" (all regular and on-call shifts within a 72-hour period). The core provision states that if a fast food restaurant or retail store makes changes, cancellations, additions, or reductions to an employee's schedule within 14 days of a scheduled shift, the employer must pay the employee an additional hour of pay, up to a maximum of four additional hours, on top of wages earned for hours worked. The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (a state government agency responsible for labor matters) will create rules and regulations for employers, including those operating under franchise agreements (where one entity, the franchisor, grants another, the franchisee, the right to use its brand and operate a business), that collectively employ more than 75 people. These rules will include a notification table to guide employers on how to inform employees about schedule changes and will specify reporting requirements for shift schedules, along with a scale for the additional pay required for violations of these scheduling modifications.