Christina Harris is a Bakery Clerk at the Lake City Fred Meyer. She shared her story with the Seattle City Council about the many times she was expected to stay late, occasionally pulled to other departments, and not compensated. When Seattle adopted Secure Scheduling, Christina believed that this behavior of unpredictable scheduling would end, but Management persisted. So she worked with her Union Representative, and together, along with many more Fred Meyer employees, they instigated an investigation with the Office of Labor Standards.

While the investigation of Fred Meyer is ongoing, hundreds of workers have received checks to compensate them for Fred Meyer’s violations of the Secure Scheduling ordinance. Christina got over $2,500 in earned income as a result of this action. As she stated to Councilmembers: “If labor standards exist but nobody is around to enforce them, do workers really have protections?”

We know the answer, and that is why we continue to not only advocate for policies that protect workers, but also to fully fund agencies created to enforce those rules. And with your help, we are able to alert those agencies, and ensure that your rights are protected, and that workers receive the pay they deserve when employers violate the law.

Secure Scheduling was adopted so that you can count on knowing when you need to be at work and when you are free to take care of your kids, help your parents get to medical appointments, or just enjoy free time. The law includes two-weeks’ notice for schedules to be released, and compensation when Management changes your schedule or asks you to work late or come in early. These are hard-won rights that bring stability to working people, and provide a disincentive for employers that want to under-schedule workplaces.

If you believe that Management at your worksite is breaking these rules, contact your Union Representative, and together we will work to ensure that your rights are protected. It’s your time, and you deserve to have your time protected.