The D.C. Council again has deferred action on a bill that would direct large retailers and restaurants in the city to give workers their schedules two weeks in advance.
The Hours and Scheduling Stability Act has been bumped from the council’s agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, after already having been bumped from the June 28 agenda. Because city lawmakers will take a two-month recess after Tuesday’s meeting, the legislation will not come up for consideration until the fall session.
Council member Vincent Orange, at-large Democrat, said he requested that the scheduling bill be put on the July 12 agenda, but the request was denied by council Chairman Phil Mendelson.
Under the bill, which the council’s Business, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Committee approved in June, D.C. retailers and restaurants with more than 40 locations nationwide would have to set work schedules at least two weeks in advance.
A July 7 email shows that the committee’s director, Peter Johnson, requested that Mr. Mendelson add the item to the agenda for the last meeting before the council breaks for summer.
Supporters of the legislation say that reliable work schedules will make life easier for those juggling work and family obligations. Opponents say it will dampen the city’s business environment.
SEE ALSO: Tenley Market liquor store in Tenleytown luckiest lottery retailer in D.C. area
Several groups opposed to the bill applauded the move to delay a vote on the measure.
“Today’s move to pull the predictive scheduling bill from the table is a win for the entire District,” DC Jobs & Growth Partnership, a pro-business advocacy group in the city, said Friday. “At a time when every opportunity to encourage economic growth must be taken, the council’s decision to back off of what would have amounted to a huge roadblock between employers and employees, and would have discouraged major retailers and restaurants from opening shop within the District cannot be celebrated enough.”
The Retail Industry Leaders Association also lauded the decision to pull the bill.
“Retailers welcome the Council’s decision to withdraw this harmful proposal from next week’s agenda,” said Joe Rinzel, senior vice president for government affairs for the group. “Restrictive scheduling would hurt economic development in the city, and make it more difficult for students and seniors to obtain part-time or seasonal work with local retailers.”
Mr. Rinzel suggested that the bill be delayed completely until Mayor Muriel Bowser can convene a task force to review the various workforce issues that have come before the council and reported on the impact they will have on job and economic growth in the District.”
The legislation joins two other D.C. bills — one offering at least 12 weeks of paid family leave, the other calling for a $15 minimum hourly wage — that follow examples set by West Coast jurisdictions and pit employers against employees.
SEE ALSO: United Through Reading allows deployed parents to read to their children via videos
To date, only San Francisco has enacted a business scheduling law. Under San Francisco’s scheduling law, retailers and eateries with 40 locations nationwide must give employees two weeks’ notice for schedule changes.
• Ryan M. McDermott can be reached at rmcdermott@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.