A number of municipalities have passed rules that govern how far in advance an employees' hours must be set, but it all started in San Francisco in 2014, when the city passed the Formula Retail Employee Rights Ordinances. The laws mandate that restaurant and retail employers with more than 40 locations worldwide and 20 or more employees in San Francisco share work schedules two weeks ahead of time and pay staff extra for last-minute schedule changes.
Now, Bay Area restaurants are contending with some unforeseen impact on their businesses—some "serious consequences,” says Mike Whatley, director of state and local government affairs for the National Restaurant Association. “That has given certain jurisdictions a pause.”
As he and others note, the unexpected burdens are falling not just on restaurants, but also on their staffs.
Here are some of those unanticipated results.