Contact Congress about S. 2851: Schedules That Work Act
Many workers could ask for schedule changes and get a real answer from their employer. Some hourly workers would also get 14 days' notice, extra pay for late changes, and rest time between shifts.
Modern Action explains legislation in plain English, helps you choose whether to support, oppose, or ask for changes, and drafts a message tied to the bill, your stance, and the elected officials who can act on it.
Schedules That Work Act is a Senate bill in Congress.
Who this affects: This bill mainly affects hourly workers whose schedules change with little warning. That includes many people in retail, food service, cleaning, hospitality, and warehouse jobs. It also affects employers with 15 or more workers, who would need to handle schedule requests, keep records, give notices, and pay extra in some cases.
Why this matters: Last-minute schedule changes can make child care, transportation, school, and second jobs harder to manage. This bill would give many workers more notice and more power to ask for workable schedules. It could also raise staffing costs and make quick schedule changes harder for some employers.
Key provisions in S. 2851
- Employers with 15 or more workers would have to take schedule requests seriously. They must use a good-faith back-and-forth process when any worker asks to change hours, shift times, work location, schedule notice, or how much hours vary.
- Some schedule requests would get stronger protection. If the request is tied to a serious health condition, caregiving, career-related school or training, or a second job, the employer must approve it unless it shows a real business reason, such as high cost or not being able to meet customer demand.
- The bill gives extra rights to certain hourly workers in unstable-schedule jobs. It defines covered sector employees as nonexempt workers in hospitality businesses, warehouses, and named retail, food service, and cleaning jobs, and lets the Labor Secretary add more jobs with similar scheduling problems.
- Covered sector workers would have to get their schedules in writing at least 14 days before the first scheduled day. If the employer gives no schedule on time, it owes the worker $75 for each day without one.
- Covered sector workers would also get a written estimate of their minimum monthly hours for the next 12 months. The employer must update that estimate at least once a year or before any major change.
How Modern Action helps you take action on S. 2851
You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.
Questions people ask about S. 2851
- What is S. 2851?
- Many workers could ask for schedule changes and get a real answer from their employer. Some hourly workers would also get 14 days' notice, extra pay for late changes, and rest time between shifts.
- How do I support or oppose S. 2851?
- Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.
- Who should I contact about S. 2851?
- Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.
- Can Modern Action explain S. 2851 before I act?
- Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.
