Change to scheduling not good idea

Exhibit Most Recent of why the General Assembly is as likely to do more harm than good is proposed legislation relating to worker scheduling by employers.

The heart of the issue is the increasing variability and short notice of changes of when workers are being called in. The practice has garnered national attention especially with big-box retailers, which change work schedules with hardly any notice, oftentimes for part-time employees who work more than one job and thus don’t have the flexibility to accommodate short-notice changes.

But applying this law to Rhode Island, especially to businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry that depend on seaside weather to set their work schedules, is just not tenable.

In addition to demanding two-week notice in advance of scheduled work hours, the law would require compensation if the schedule is changed and would give employees the right to refuse changes without repercussions.

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This legislation has the potential to harm many of Rhode Island’s small businesses and the overall economy. It is a bad idea. •

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