In Maine, we owe our thriving economy to the hard working people in our workforce. Their contributions to businesses across the state are the main driver of many of our growing industries.
But for many working Mainers, navigating the realities of their personal lives can often be complicated by uncertainties at work. For the thousands of workers in food service, hospitality and other industries, inhumane scheduling practices have become all too common. Many are given little to no notice about a change in their work schedule, thereby affecting previous plans for childcare, transportation, and other factors in their personal life.
To remedy this issue, Senator Michael Tipping of Penobscot has introduced LD 1190: "An Act to Ensure a Fair Workweek by Requiring Notice of Work Schedules." This bill requires employers who employ 250 or more employees worldwide to provide hourly employees at least 2 weeks' prior notice of the employees' work schedules, with compensation owed for schedule changes under certain circumstances.
Among other provisions, the bill would also:
Require employers to keep certain business records for at least 3 years.
Allow the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards to investigate possible violations of the law and receive complaints of possible violations from the public.
Install a fine of $50 per day for any noncompliance by an employer.
LD 1190 would support some of our most vulnerable working Mainers by protecting their well-being in the workplace and ensuring their autonomy when they are off the clock. We look forward to seeing its passage in the Maine Legislature.
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