Predictive Scheduling Laws: $1,000 Per Violation Risk

The Regulatory Landscape

Eight major cities now enforce predictive scheduling laws with penalties ranging from $300 to $1,000 per violation, creating complex compliance challenges for multi-location operators. Oregon remains the only state with comprehensive legislation.

Where Laws Are Active with Specific Penalties

• **Berkeley (Jan 2024)**: $1,000 per affected employee + $500 per violation + $50 reimbursement per employee
• **New York City**: $300 first violation, $500 for subsequent (fast food specific)
• **Seattle**: 14-day notice for retail/food service (500+ employees globally)
• **Chicago**: Predictability pay for changes within 14 days (100+ employees or chains with 250+ employees and 30 locations)
• **Oregon**: 14-day advance notice with 1-hour pay penalties for changes (500+ employees)
• **San Francisco**: 2-week notice for formula retail including chain restaurants
• **Los Angeles**: Various requirements for retail including restaurants
• **Philadelphia**: 14-day notice for retail/food service

Key Requirements and Penalties

Advanced Notice Requirements

Oregon leads with 14-day advance notice requirements, with penalties of 1-hour pay for changes. Berkeley's January 2024 law exemplifies enforcement intensity with triple-layer penalties.

State-Level Prohibition

Ten states actively prohibit local predictive scheduling laws:

• Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana
• Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee

This creates a patchwork where multi-state operators must navigate different requirements by municipality.

Compliance Costs

The National Restaurant Association reports compliance costs average 10% of total income for complex multi-jurisdictional operations, including:

• Legal consultation
• System modifications
• Ongoing training
• Audit preparation