Philadelphia’s Fair Workweek Law turns five years old on April 1st! As we celebrate this important milestone, CLS is thrilled to see how this law has made a real difference in the lives of Philly’s frontline service, hospitality, and retail workers.
As legal aid attorneys who represent low-wage workers, CLS repeatedly heard from clients who desperately wanted to keep their jobs, but unpredictable schedules made it impossible for people to find childcare, attend medical appointments, and handle other responsibilities. We joined hands with a coalition of labor and grassroots activists and fought hard to pass Fair Workweek in Philadelphia, draft regulations, and implement changes to the law.
When Fair Workweek went into effect in 2020, access to a predictable work schedule was more important than ever. As hardworking Philadelphians cared for sick family members and managed virtual schooling, the law created new legal protections to help them balance their work and home lives.
Philadelphia’s Fair Workweek Law
Under the Fair Workweek law, service, hospitality, and retail workers whose employers have at least 30 locations around the world have the right to a predictable work schedule:
- Workers must receive their work schedules at least 14 days in advance, in writing or posted in an accessible location.
- Employers must pay workers “predictability pay” if they change someone’s schedule more than 24 hours after posting it.
- Employers cannot require workers to work more than scheduled, and workers have the right to refuse to work more hours than originally scheduled.
Workers who are deprived of a predictable schedule are entitled to predictability pay in the amount of one hour at the employee’s rate of pay, in addition to additional amounts as penalties for violation of the law.
CLS Reaches Settlement Agreement in Fair Workweek Litigation
Just last week, CLS and counsel from Lichten & Liss-Riordan P.C., Werman Salas, and Willig, Williams & Davidson secured final court approval of a $2.6 million settlement on behalf of thousands of Walmart employees who worked in Philadelphia. As part of the settlement, Walmart has also agreed to implement or continue to implement certain programmatic relief.
Our legal team represented three named plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against Walmart, alleging that the company regularly failed to follow Philadelphia’s Fair Workweek Law. We filed the complaint on July 19, 2022. Walmart denied all of the allegations in the complaint and maintained that at all times it had complied with the Fair Workweek Law. The parties ultimately reached a settlement, and the Court granted final approval to the settlement on March 25, 2025.
We all need access to predictable work schedules to lead full, healthy lives. As Fair Workweek continues to protect workers from unreasonable changes to their schedules, CLS looks forward to educating Philadelphians about their legal rights and representing workers with legal claims. Happy Birthday, Fair Workweek!
How to Get Legal Help
If you believe you were similarly harmed in your workplace, please contact CLS at 267-765-6490.
