Simplify compliance with Chicago Fair Workweek
- Easily create fair schedules and good faith estimates
- Minimize predictability pay with advance notices of shifts
- Reduce the risk of penalties by giving staff the right amount of downtime
The Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance
Chicago’s Fair Workweek Ordinance requires covered employers to provide new hires with a good faith estimate of the days and times they will work, 14-day advance notice of their work schedule, consent and predictability pay for schedule changes, and other key requirements.
Need to learn more about the law and whether it applies to your business? We break down all the key points in our free Fair Workweek guide.
Penalties and enforcement
According to Seyfarth, employers can face up to $500 for each offense if the ordinance or rules are violated.
Every covered employee whose rights are affected will constitute a distinct offense where a separate fine will apply. Every additional day the violation occurs will constitute a separate offense, to which a separate fine will apply.
Did you know that businesses across the U.S. in the cities with fair workweek laws paid more than $27 million in violations last year alone?
Chicago Predictability Pay Calculator
Use the calculator to estimate what you could be paying if schedule changes occur within a 14-day period
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Six ways Deputy helps you simplify compliance with Chicago Fair Workweek Laws
Create and update good faith estimates
Easily create a good faith estimate of regular work hours for your employees. Get visual warnings to prevent scheduling outside their good faith estimate or capture consent for working shifts outside the estimate.
Build smart schedules far in advance and instantly publish them to your team
Create schedules based on labor demand forecasts to minimize costly changes and auto-apply the good faith estimate. Instantly publish schedules to staff.
Employee consent from any device
Deputy helps you simplify compliance by helping managers understand which schedule changes require consent and collect employee consent for changes.
Record employee consents for schedule changes and Right to Rest
Access Fair Workweek reports that track schedule change history and consent. Easily access digital records whenever auditable records are needed.
Simplify tracking and calculations for all Schedule Change Premiums
Deputy’s visual flags act as guardrails for managers to highlight changes that will incur schedule change premiums.
Easily offer available shifts to existing workers
Create open shifts that existing employees can share via email, text, and mobile app notifications. Employees can claim shifts through our mobile app or the web.
Why choose Deputy?
Deputy is designed to assist businesses in managing fair workweek requirements. We stay informed about fair workweek developments through regular consultation with industry experts and regularly release new features to aid employers in simplifying compliance.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance?
Chicago’s Fair Workweek Ordinance guarantees that many employees in a broad range of industries get predictable work schedules so that they can reasonably plan their income and their lives. Covered employees have several rights under the law including the right to decline unscheduled hours, predictability pay for schedule changes, pay for canceled hours and shifts, right to rest between shifts, good faith estimate of work schedule, and an opportunity to become full-time through access to hours requirements.
- Which industries does the Chicago Fair Workweek Law apply to?
According to the City of Chicago, the ordinance applies to Building Services, Healthcare, Hotels, Manufacturing, Restaurants, Retail, and Warehouse Services businesses that have at least 100 or more employees globally, at least 50 of whom are covered by the ordinance. Restaurants are an exception to this rule and are covered if they have at least 250 employees and 30 locations globally. Franchises with more than 3 locations can also be covered.
- Who is considered a covered employee by the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance?
A “covered employee” is one who works the majority of time in Chicago in a covered industry, and who earns less than or equal to $30.80 an hour or earns less than or equal to $59,161.50 a year. This includes temp workers on assignment for 420 hours within an 18-month period.
- What are the key elements of the Chicago Fair Workweek Law?
The ordinance requires employers to provide new hires with a good faith estimate of their work schedule, 14-days advance notice of work schedules and schedule changes, consent and predictability pay for schedule changes, at least 10 hours rest between shifts, and vacant shifts offered to existing employees before hiring new employees.
Anti-retaliation protections for employees are also mandated by the ordinance.
- Where can I find a copy of the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance notice?
The Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection provides the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance notice on the official website of the Office of the City of Chicago.
- What kind of rest breaks between shifts are required?
Covered employees have the right to rest by declining work hours less than 10 hours after the end of the previous day’s shift.
- What is predictability pay in Chicago?
Covered Employees are entitled to receive one hour’s additional pay when hours are added to a shift, or a shift’s time or date is changed with no change to the number of hours, within 14 days of the beginning of the Work Schedule during which that shift takes place. Covered Employees also receive one hour’s additional pay when hours are subtracted from a shift within 14 days of the start of the Work Schedule but with more than 24 hours' notice of the beginning of the impacted shift. When hours are subtracted with less than 24 hours' notice of the beginning of a shift, other rules apply.
- Is it legal to work 7 days in a row in Illinois?
An Illinois law, The One Day Rest in Seven Act, as its name implies, allows for at least 24 hours of rest every seven consecutive days. Under this Act, employers may ask the Illinois Department of Labor for a relaxation of this requirement for employees to volunteer to work a seventh day. If the Illinois Department of Labor grants a relaxation, it requires a statement from the employer demonstrating that all employees who will be working seven days in a row are in fact volunteers. For more information, visit the ODRISA page.
Insights from our compliance experts
Disclaimer: The information provided in this publication is for general informational purposes only. Deputy makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, with respect to the software or the information contained in this publication. While Deputy’s software is designed to simplify shift work by assisting with hiring, onboarding, scheduling, time and attendance tracking, payroll integration, and wage and hour compliance, it is not a substitute for payroll or legal advice, nor is it intended to relieve you of your obligation to comply with the legal requirements applicable to your business. It is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that your use of Deputy complies with all applicable laws and regulations. Please review our Product Specific Terms for more information about your compliance responsibilities.