Archived Working Anything but 9 to 5: Scheduling Technology Leaves Low-Income Parents With Hours of Chaos

[daninnj]

But Ms. Navarro’s fluctuating hours, combined with her limited resources, had also turned their lives into a chronic crisis over the clock. She rarely learned her schedule more than three days before the start of a workweek, plunging her into urgent logistical puzzles over who would watch the boy. Months after starting the job she moved out of her aunt’s home, in part because of mounting friction over the erratic schedule, which the aunt felt was also holding her family captive. Ms. Navarro’s degree was on indefinite pause because her shifting hours left her unable to commit to classes. She needed to work all she could, sometimes counting on dimes from the tip jar to make the bus fare home. If she dared ask for more stable hours, she feared, she would get fewer work hours over all.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/08/13/us/starbucks-workers-scheduling-hours.html?_r=1

 

[daninnj]

Starbucks to Revise Work Scheduling Policies

Mr. Burrows told them the company would revise its software to allow more human input from managers into scheduling. It would banish the practice, much loathed by workers, of asking them to “clopen” — close the store late at night and return just a few hours later to reopen. He said all work hours must be posted at least one week in advance, a policy that has been only loosely followed in the past. And the company would try to move workers with more than an hour’s commute to more convenient locations, he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/15/u...n-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

 

[oath2order]

At least Target gives their schedules a week or so in advance

 

[commiecorvus]

It would banish the practice, much loathed by workers, of asking them to “clopen” — close the store late at night and return just a few hours later to reopen.

I have to say Starbucks is not a perfect company by any stretch of the imagination but when they had stark evidence of what MyTime type scheduling was doing to their employees they worked to fix it.

 

[neversaynever]

Even having my schedule out like we do, as a single mom, it is still rough on trying to make plans. Toss in kids with medical issues, well, I had to hard code 2 weekdays off. I just can't do it otherwise.

My oldest can at least cover child care, BUT, I hate when I have back to back 7-8 hour shifts. It isn't fair on her at that point. There is nothing human about working retail... Nothing.

 

[Jill of All Trades]

I'm doing what a lot of people are doing- reducing my availability. I'm making myself unavailable for a day and a half during the week. If they don't want to make a humane schedule, I'll have to set limits for them.