Sponsors (55)
Official title: To permit employees to request changes to their work schedules without fear of retaliation and to ensure that employers consider these requests, and to require employers to provide more predictable and stable schedules for employees in certain occupations with evidence of unpredictable and unstable scheduling practices that negatively affect employees, and for other purposes.
Introduced December 17, 2025 by Rosa L. Delauro · Last progress December 17, 2025
The bill improves schedule predictability, worker safety, and enforceable rights for many low- and middle-income workers at the cost of higher compliance, administrative and potential litigation costs for employers (especially small businesses), plus some loss of last‑minute scheduling flexibility for workers who prefer it.
Low- and middle-income hourly workers — especially retail, food, hospitality, and parents — gain more predictable schedules (written notice, minimum monthly-hour estimates) plus extra pay for short-notice changes or split shifts, improving ability to plan child care, health care, second jobs, and budgeting.
Shift workers can refuse shifts that start with less than 11 hours' rest (without penalty) and receive premium pay (1.5×) when they do work short-turnaround shifts, reducing fatigue and improving health and safety.
Employees gain stronger enforceable protections and remedies — anti-retaliation safeguards, the ability to sue for lost wages/benefits/liquidated damages, administrative enforcement (subpoena authority, civil penalties), and required workplace notices — increasing compliance and access to remedies.
Small businesses and some employers face substantial new labor and administrative costs (advance-notice pay, premium pay, recordkeeping, compliance) that could lead to higher prices, reduced hiring, fewer hours, or cutbacks in benefits.
Workers who prefer last-minute or on‑demand shifts may lose flexibility or income opportunities if predictability rules and notice requirements restrict spontaneous scheduling.
The Act increases litigation, penalty, and enforcement exposure for employers and public agencies (damages, liquidated damages, attorney fees, civil penalties, subpoenas), raising legal and administrative costs and potential budget impacts for government employers.
Based on analysis of 13 sections of legislative text.
Requires predictable written schedules, 14-day notice, predictability/split-shift pay, 11-hour rest protections, a right to request schedule changes, and DOL rulemaking and enforcement.
Creates new federal rules requiring covered employers to give workers predictable written schedules, advance notice, and extra pay for last-minute changes, split shifts, and short turnarounds. It gives employees a statutory right to request schedule changes for caregiving, health, or training needs and requires employers to engage in a timely, good-faith process to consider those requests. Establishes Department of Labor guidance, research, data collection, enforcement powers, private rights of action, and implementing regulations due within 180 days. The bill preserves higher existing protections in other laws or collective bargaining agreements and exempts employees covered by collective bargaining agreements that expressly waive the Act's provisions.