What worker protections would you add?
April 5, 2024 10:45 AM Subscribe
I would like to work toward my local government adding more protections for workers. If a local government in the USA wanted to make the area better for workers in the area, what measures might it put in place? And what would be your priorities? I mean for all workers in the area, and not just those employed by the local government.
Assume the following are already taken care of:
* Paid sick leave.
* State is not “right to work”.
* Paid family and medical leave.
* Minimum wage appropriate for the area’s economy.
Assume the following are already taken care of:
* Paid sick leave.
* State is not “right to work”.
* Paid family and medical leave.
* Minimum wage appropriate for the area’s economy.
Rules about shifts - if the combined shifts are more than 13 hours, employees must have at least 8 hrs off between them.
Employees must have off at least 24 consecutive hours in a 7 day period or 48 hours off consecutively in a 14-day period.
posted by warriorqueen at 10:54 AM on April 5
Employees must have off at least 24 consecutive hours in a 7 day period or 48 hours off consecutively in a 14-day period.
posted by warriorqueen at 10:54 AM on April 5
Predictive scheduling, where employers are required to notify workers of their schedule in advance (e.g., at least 10 days or 14 days), so they can plan the rest of their life, such as childcare. But it would depend on what laws are already in place. I'm sure local unions or other labor-rights organizations would have ideas.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 10:58 AM on April 5 [7 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 10:58 AM on April 5 [7 favorites]
- Initiate, or increase funding for, subsidized daycare options for working parents in your county/district
- Initiate, or increase the capacity of, low cost before/after school care for elementary school children in your county/district
The availability, reliability, quality, and cost of childcare is generally the number one barrier for working parents which prevents them from keeping a job.
posted by MiraK at 11:10 AM on April 5 [7 favorites]
- Initiate, or increase the capacity of, low cost before/after school care for elementary school children in your county/district
The availability, reliability, quality, and cost of childcare is generally the number one barrier for working parents which prevents them from keeping a job.
posted by MiraK at 11:10 AM on April 5 [7 favorites]
Check out the Good Jobs Principles that the Departments of Labor and Commerce released, which may have some inspiration.
posted by rdn at 11:19 AM on April 5
posted by rdn at 11:19 AM on April 5
There may be another organization in your state, but Worksafe focuses on occupational safety and health in California. They do focus on working conditions for low-income workers and might serve as inspiration or could be willing to work with you.
posted by sincerely yours at 11:55 AM on April 5
posted by sincerely yours at 11:55 AM on April 5
Prohibit employers expecting employees be reachable 24/7. Business hours only.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:58 AM on April 5 [5 favorites]
posted by Thorzdad at 11:58 AM on April 5 [5 favorites]
I'd make it 10 or 12 hours between shifts / in any 24 hour period, 8 is not enough for commute and sleep. Similarly, 36 consecutive free hours per week.
Paid on-call time too, if a job requires it. And that 10/36 hour clock resets with each call too.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 12:01 PM on April 5 [2 favorites]
Paid on-call time too, if a job requires it. And that 10/36 hour clock resets with each call too.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 12:01 PM on April 5 [2 favorites]
Mandated water / shade breaks for people who work outside during the summer.
posted by goatdog at 12:42 PM on April 5 [1 favorite]
posted by goatdog at 12:42 PM on April 5 [1 favorite]
I would like to work toward my local government adding more protections for workers
I mean for all workers in the area
As a person who works in local government (not setting policy, but definitely policy-adjacent), I guess I have a more foundational question for you. What do you mean by "workers"?
Are you referring to:
- Office workers who have traditionally worked 9-5 desk jobs (aka "knowledge workers")?
- Hourly workers in typically lower-wage industries (fast food, big box retail, etc)?
- Hourly workers in industrial/agricultural settings?
- Gig workers (uber/lyft/doordash/grubhub/etc)
- Home-based workers (daycare providers, home health workers, etc)
- Food service workers (including bartenders/nightclub staff and other entertainment industry workers)
Because what "protections" mean to each of these classes of worker are probably very, very different things. I don't raise this issue to be snarky or to discourage you, but I do want you to understand what it is you're looking to do, and for whom. It's a big, big job, and based on your answer/thoughts there are a lot of different directions this conversation could go.
posted by pdb at 3:19 PM on April 5 [2 favorites]
I mean for all workers in the area
As a person who works in local government (not setting policy, but definitely policy-adjacent), I guess I have a more foundational question for you. What do you mean by "workers"?
Are you referring to:
- Office workers who have traditionally worked 9-5 desk jobs (aka "knowledge workers")?
- Hourly workers in typically lower-wage industries (fast food, big box retail, etc)?
- Hourly workers in industrial/agricultural settings?
- Gig workers (uber/lyft/doordash/grubhub/etc)
- Home-based workers (daycare providers, home health workers, etc)
- Food service workers (including bartenders/nightclub staff and other entertainment industry workers)
Because what "protections" mean to each of these classes of worker are probably very, very different things. I don't raise this issue to be snarky or to discourage you, but I do want you to understand what it is you're looking to do, and for whom. It's a big, big job, and based on your answer/thoughts there are a lot of different directions this conversation could go.
posted by pdb at 3:19 PM on April 5 [2 favorites]
Just cause protection so employers can't be dismissed or disciplined without good cause.
posted by cushie at 4:03 PM on April 5
posted by cushie at 4:03 PM on April 5
Response by poster: What do you mean by "workers"?
I am pretty open. But if I have to pick a focus, it would be on those who earn less.
posted by NotLost at 4:14 PM on April 5
I am pretty open. But if I have to pick a focus, it would be on those who earn less.
posted by NotLost at 4:14 PM on April 5
How about working towards clean indoor air? This is the next revolution.
Indoor air quality is important and includes CO2, particulates and airborne pathogens (including those that cause covid, flu, colds, RSV). We monitor and regulate outdoor air quality and we clean our water but we we don't monitor indoor air. Arguably the best place to start with this would be in schools, but any indoor space is relevant.
Indoor air is starting to get some attention internationally due to the light shone on it by covid. Here is a short talk by one of the leaders in this movement, Lidia Morawska.
Here is an article about a recently published blueprint for indoor air quality standards by an international group.
And here's an article in a medical journal about why it matters.
France has been developing regulations on indoor air quality in schools for a few years now.
posted by lulu68 at 7:58 PM on April 5 [1 favorite]
Indoor air quality is important and includes CO2, particulates and airborne pathogens (including those that cause covid, flu, colds, RSV). We monitor and regulate outdoor air quality and we clean our water but we we don't monitor indoor air. Arguably the best place to start with this would be in schools, but any indoor space is relevant.
Indoor air is starting to get some attention internationally due to the light shone on it by covid. Here is a short talk by one of the leaders in this movement, Lidia Morawska.
Here is an article about a recently published blueprint for indoor air quality standards by an international group.
And here's an article in a medical journal about why it matters.
France has been developing regulations on indoor air quality in schools for a few years now.
posted by lulu68 at 7:58 PM on April 5 [1 favorite]
My city, Philadelphia, added predictive scheduling for all employees, not just government employees who work for businesses of a certain size - maybe a dozen employees? I can't remember the parameters. It's been in place about 2 years.
This requires workers receiving schedules 2 weeks in advance and covers service jobs such as fast food, retail, barista, etc. It also addresses the number of "rest hours" required between shifts. It exempts very small businesses (bodegas, for example) with very few employees but covers franchises of large businesses and has made a difference in allowing workers to plan for classes, childcare, eldercare, etc. One highly publicized issue was specifically at Starbucks, where an employee might be scheduled to both close a store location late at night and then open it early in the morning - they called it "clopening", and there might be as few as 7 hours between closing. After this law was effected that practice ended.
This also covered behemoth businesses like Walmart and seems to have benefited hourly service workers the most of any worker category. During Covid the city also mandated sick leave with job security (I think there was a minimal amount of paid leave, like 3 days) for employees who had no sick leave at all as part-time service workers. I'm not sure if that policy is still in place.
posted by citygirl at 7:42 AM on April 6 [2 favorites]
This requires workers receiving schedules 2 weeks in advance and covers service jobs such as fast food, retail, barista, etc. It also addresses the number of "rest hours" required between shifts. It exempts very small businesses (bodegas, for example) with very few employees but covers franchises of large businesses and has made a difference in allowing workers to plan for classes, childcare, eldercare, etc. One highly publicized issue was specifically at Starbucks, where an employee might be scheduled to both close a store location late at night and then open it early in the morning - they called it "clopening", and there might be as few as 7 hours between closing. After this law was effected that practice ended.
This also covered behemoth businesses like Walmart and seems to have benefited hourly service workers the most of any worker category. During Covid the city also mandated sick leave with job security (I think there was a minimal amount of paid leave, like 3 days) for employees who had no sick leave at all as part-time service workers. I'm not sure if that policy is still in place.
posted by citygirl at 7:42 AM on April 6 [2 favorites]
Adding restrictions on what can be asked or screened for before being hired. For example, employers legally not allowed to ask for current or prior compensation. Also restricting drug testing or screening out for criminal backgrounds if not directly relevant to the job.
Similarly, requiring employers to include the compensation with reasonable pay ranges as part of each job post.
Making sure all mandatory work time is compensated - for example, if a shift starts at 8 and the employee is required to show up at 7:45 for set up, the employee is paid for those 15 minutes before 8 (there was a lawsuit around this by Apple Store employees in California).
Making sure tipped jobs have the same minimum wage floor as non-tipped jobs.
Including caretaking in definitions for leave. So not just when the employee themself is sick, but also if another household/family member is sick (including a pet) and needs care. Maintaining parity between maternity and paternity leave.
Bereavement leave.
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 7:49 AM on April 7 [1 favorite]
Similarly, requiring employers to include the compensation with reasonable pay ranges as part of each job post.
Making sure all mandatory work time is compensated - for example, if a shift starts at 8 and the employee is required to show up at 7:45 for set up, the employee is paid for those 15 minutes before 8 (there was a lawsuit around this by Apple Store employees in California).
Making sure tipped jobs have the same minimum wage floor as non-tipped jobs.
Including caretaking in definitions for leave. So not just when the employee themself is sick, but also if another household/family member is sick (including a pet) and needs care. Maintaining parity between maternity and paternity leave.
Bereavement leave.
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 7:49 AM on April 7 [1 favorite]
Time off to vote.
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 7:52 AM on April 7 [1 favorite]
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 7:52 AM on April 7 [1 favorite]
Time off requests that can't be unreasonably denied.
Leave counted in portions of a day, rather than the binary of a full day of leave or none at all. For example if someone needs a couple of hours to go to a doctor appointment.
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 8:02 AM on April 7
Leave counted in portions of a day, rather than the binary of a full day of leave or none at all. For example if someone needs a couple of hours to go to a doctor appointment.
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 8:02 AM on April 7
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This is good for employees and it's good for employers (financially it reduces the liability of employees dragging hundreds of hours of unused PTO around with them for years as a severance bank).
posted by phunniemee at 10:50 AM on April 5 [1 favorite]