Having your work schedule changed at the last minute can be annoying. Unfortunately, it is also well within the rights of your employer to switch up your hours whenever they want to. You do not even need to be notified well in advance or asked to consent to the change. However, if you suspect that discrimination against you is affecting your work schedule, then it might be a good idea to talk to an Atlanta wage & hour law attorney.
How Much Control Does My Employer Have Over My Work Schedule?
In most states and cities, the employer basically has ultimate control over your work schedule. If you give them availability, they can schedule you for work whenever you like. This can make life difficult for many part-time employees. They can end up with work schedules that are hard to predict, which can make it harder to take care of things like picking up a child from school or visiting the doctor’s office.
Your employer can schedule you when they want, and they can change their minds. This can mean that shifts get dropped entirely or you get moved to a different shift on another day. They do not need to notify you or ask if that is fine by you.
What Are Predictive Scheduling Laws?
In response to this kind of scheduling, some states and municipalities have introduced new rules that can limit the unpredictability of a part-time worker’s schedule. These “predictive scheduling” laws require employers to keep their workers aware of any schedule changes that are going to occur. Not keeping an employee in the loop can result in fines or other punishments for the employer.
Unfortunately for Georgians who work part-time, that is not the law here. The state has actually passed a law that forbids any area from enacting such a regulation. That means that if, let’s say, Atlanta wanted to enact a predictive scheduling law of its own, that would actually be impossible.
What if I Suspect Discrimination in the Work Schedule?
So now that you know a bit more about your employer’s right to set a schedule, you can take the time to focus on your situation and think about whether discrimination could be a factor. If you think that dropping your shifts or scheduling you on unfavorable ones, like “clopening” shifts that require you to close one night and open the next day, is partly due to any prejudice against you, then an employment lawyer might be able to assist you.
Talk to an Employment Lawyer Today
If you suspect that you are being discriminated against or that your employer is actually violating federal or state laws, contact Ben Barrett Law. Our law firm is ready to take a closer look at what you are dealing with, and if we think that you have a case we will get ready to fight for you.
