Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act

Key Points

• This bill makes it easier for part-time workers to take unpaid time off for family or medical reasons. Currently, workers usually have to be at a job for a year and work 1,250 hours to qualify for these protections, but this change would allow anyone who has been on the job for at least 90 days to use them.
• Employers would be banned from treating part-time workers differently than full-time workers if they do the same kind of work. This means part-time staff should get the same pay rates, more notice about their schedules, and a fair share of benefits like paid time off based on how many hours they work.
• Before hiring new people or using outside contractors, businesses would have to offer those extra work hours to their current employees first. This is designed to help people who want to work more hours but are currently stuck with a part-time schedule.
• When someone is hired, the boss must ask in writing how many hours they want to work and when they are available. If the employer hires someone else for hours an existing worker wanted and was qualified for, the company may have to pay the existing worker for those missed hours.
• These rules would apply to most businesses with more than 15 employees, including big chains and franchises. If a company breaks these rules, workers could sue for lost wages and the government could issue fines starting at $500 to $1,100 per violation.