Erratic work schedules adversely affect workers and widen the wealth gap in DC, according to DC Jobs With Justice’s latest report, released last Thursday. The report, "Unpredictable, Unsustainable: The Impact of Employers’ Scheduling Practices in DC," was based on the stories of over 400 local workers, mostly in the retail and restaurant industries. At a panel discussion for the report’s release, Ned Measel, a local Walmart worker, spoke about the difficulty of holding a second job, raising a family, or getting an education when work schedules fluctuate from day to day...
“We looked into these issues five years ago, and this report shows that things have clearly gotten worse,” added labor historian Joe McCartin, who was also on the panel. Despite the recovery from the Great Recession, both median hours and wages have decreased for workers, and McCartin said that “Workers are more afraid now to contest their schedules than they were in the middle of the Great Recession.” To combat this problem, DC JWJ suggests creating better incentives for companies to create predictable schedules. They also recommend placing existing part-time workers as a priority for when hours open up, instead of hiring more workers, in addition to compensating workers for the times they are on-call. photo courtesy of DC Jobs With Justice