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Fair Workweek in Chicago

Chicago is one of the US cities with a predictive-scheduling (Fair Workweek) ordinance that covers certain retail and food employers. Below is what it asks of a store manager every week — advance notice, predictability pay, and rest between shifts — and how Schedaddle flags each one as you build the schedule. This is general information, not legal advice.

Last reviewed: June 2026

Chicago’s Fair Workweek Ordinance is one of the broadest in the country by industry: it covers retail, food service, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, warehouse services, and building services. Coverage turns on employer size (generally 100+ employees, and 250+ for restaurants), so larger multi-unit operators are the most likely to be in scope.

What Chicago's law requires

Advance schedule notice
14 days before the work week
Rest between shifts
10 hours minimum before a premium applies
Rest / clopen premium
1.25× pay for any hours worked inside the 10-hour rest window (an employee can decline the short-rest "clopen" shift).
Predictability pay
Predictability pay: 1 hour of pay for each shift the employer adds or changes inside the notice window, and 50% of the lost hours when the employer cancels or shortens a posted shift.
Who it covers
Covered industries (restaurant, retail, hotel, healthcare, manufacturing, warehouse, building services); ≥100 employees (≥250 for restaurants), ≥50 covered.
Citation
Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance (Muni Code 1-25)

Rules referenced from Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance (Muni Code 1-25); verified 2026-06 (web). Thresholds and amounts change — verify against the current ordinance.

How Schedaddle handles Chicago as you schedule

Pick Chicago in Settings and the scheduler applies this ordinance's 14-day notice window, 10-hour rest threshold, and predictability-pay rules. As you build the week it flags, live: a schedule posted with too little notice, close-then-open shifts under the required rest hours (with the premium owed), and the predictability pay you may owe when you change a posted shift inside the notice window — calculated from a version-stamped record of every edit.

The Smart Shift Builder de-prioritizes clopens and treats availability as a hard constraint, so there are fewer violations to begin with. Advance publishing with app and email notifications, plus a change log, give you the documentation trail Chicago's recordkeeping rules expect.

Honest about the limits. Schedaddle flags and estimates — it is not a substitute for legal advice and does not evaluate whether your store meets Chicago's coverage test. It surfaces the obligation; you and your counsel confirm what you owe.

Other Fair Workweek jurisdictions

OregonNew York City (fast food)New York City (retail)San FranciscoSeattlePhiladelphiaLos Angeles

Chicago Fair Workweek FAQ

Does Schedaddle support Chicago's Fair Workweek rules?

Yes. Pick Chicago as your jurisdiction in Settings and Schedaddle applies this ordinance's 14-day advance-notice window, 10-hour rest threshold, and predictability-pay rules — flagging short-notice posting, insufficient-rest "clopen" shifts, and the premium you may owe on changed shifts. These are estimates to act on, not legal advice or guaranteed compliance.

How much advance notice does Chicago require?

Chicago's Fair Workweek ordinance requires the written schedule to be posted 14 days ahead of the work week. Schedaddle flags a week posted with less notice, and the auto-scheduler is built to draft a complete week well before the deadline.

What if my store is under Chicago's coverage threshold?

You may not be legally covered (Covered industries (restaurant, retail, hotel, healthcare, manufacturing, warehouse, building services); ≥100 employees (≥250 for restaurants), ≥50 covered.). You can still switch the rules on in Settings to offer the same protections — advance notice, rest between shifts, predictability — to your team as a voluntary policy. Schedaddle does not evaluate coverage for you; confirm applicability with the ordinance or counsel.

General information current as of 2026, not legal advice. Verify current rules with your jurisdiction or employment counsel.

Schedule Chicago with the rules built in.

Pick Chicago and Schedaddle flags short-notice shifts, insufficient rest, and the predictability pay you may owe — right as you build the week.

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