Persistent Unpredictability
Assessing the Impacts of Oregon’s Employee Work Schedules Law
Written by Lola Loustaunau, Larissa Petrucci, Ellen Scott, and Lina Stepick
In 2017, Oregon passed the first statewide legislation (SB 828) to regulate unpredictable scheduling practices in retail, food service, and hospitality establishments that employ more than 500 workers worldwide. This joint study by LERC and UO Sociology reveals persistent scheduling instability among these workers, as employers continue to make last-minute changes and circumvent predictability pay requirements. While the law is a first step in addressing unstable scheduling practices and increases advance notice and ensures workers have the right to rest between shifts, certain provisions, such as the voluntary standby list, leave room for improvement. This study also reveals the need for adequate funding for BOLI as more robust resources for education and enforcement are necessary.
#ForeverEssential What Does It Mean to Be a Low-wage Essential Worker in the Age of COVID-19?
Written by Lina Stepick, Lola Loustaunau, Larissa Petrucci, and Ellen Scott
In a follow up study to the “Predictable Unpredictability: Assessing the Impacts of Oregon’s Employee Work Schedules Law” LERC and UO Sociology researchers conducted 52 in-depth interviews with Oregon retail, food services, and hospitality workers about what it means to be an essential worker in the service sector under COVID-19. This study reveals that workers have no choice but to be essential and continue working despite facing new physical and emotional hazards in their workplaces.