Dive Brief:
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Urban Outfitters, which operates Urban Outfitters, Free People, and Anthropologie stores in New York, will join several other retailers that received warning letters from New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in ending on-call scheduling in the state, according to Schneiderman’s office.
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The retailer as of press time hadn’t made the announcement itself and hadn’t responded to requests for comment from the Associated Press.
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Schneiderman has been particularly interested in the practice, and in April warned 13 retailers, including Target, Gap Inc., TJX Cos., and Urban Outfitters Inc., that they may be in violation of New York laws by using it.
Dive Insight:
The practice of on-call scheduling, which uses computer programs to shave time from schedules when things are slow but has workers come in a moment’s notice if they pick up, has drawn criticism from many quarters, including worker advocates, policymakers, regulators, and law enforcement agencies.
New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman believes the practice already violates existing law in the state and has made clear his office will continue to monitor even the actions of retailers that have pledged to end it.
In recent months, as L Brands, Gap Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch and others have responded to his letter by announcing the end of the practice, sometimes in New York but sometimes also company-wide, the retailers themselves announce their moves.
But Urban Outfitters has remained mum so far. The retailer has agreed to provide New York employees with work schedules at least one week in advance, according to Schneiderman.
