Evanston’s Economic Development Committee is scheduled Tuesday to discuss an proposed ordinance that would limit large employers’ flexibility in setting worker schedules.

The idea, being advanced by Ald. Devon Reid (8th), would have Evanston adopt rules similar to the Fair Workweek ordinance that went into effect two years ago in Chicago.

That ordinance gives workers earning less than $26 an hour employed by large employers in the building services, healthcare, hotel, manufacturing, restaurant, retail and warehouse services industries certain protections.

An employer in those industries is covered if it has more than 100 total employees, at least 50 of whom are in the wage category covered by the ordinance.

A non-profit employer or one in the restaurant industry has to have 250 employees to be covered and restaurants are only covered if they have 30 or more locations.

The ordinance requires that covered employers:

• Give workers a written estimate of days and hours of work prior to or upon employment.
• Post work schedules with at least 10 days’ notice.
• Give workers an hour of extra pay for any shift changes made with less than 10 days notice.
• Give workers 50% of their pay for any lost hours for shift changes made less than 24 hours before the shift starts.

A law firm that represents employers says the Chicago rules “may be onerous” and require retaining all work schedule records and other documentation for three years.

An effort to adopt a similar law statewide has so far...

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