Four official pages require a work schedule at least 14 days before it starts: Oregon, Seattle, New York City, and Philadelphia.
Key takeaways for how many days ahead a work schedule must be posted
- Match coverage for Oregon, Seattle, and Chicago, including Chicago's pay cap.
- Rest gaps vary, with some pages requiring 10 hours and others nine hours between shifts.
- Check the posting date before the first day.
The short answer: four official pages name 14 days of advance notice
The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries states that "Your employer must give you a work schedule in writing at least 14 calendar days in advance for the first day on the schedule" Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries.
The City of Seattle requires employers to "Post work schedules at least 14 days in advance, and respect employees' right to decline any hours not on originally posted schedules" City of Seattle.
The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection notes that employers "Must give workers work schedules 14 days in advance of the start of the schedule" New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
The City of Philadelphia requires "good faith estimates and 14 days advance notice of schedule, along with other protections" City of Philadelphia.
The City of Philadelphia also lists "Failure to post work schedule 14 days in advance" as a reportable violation City of Philadelphia.
How to read the filled notice table without assuming every employer is covered
The reference tables list five jurisdictions, but the rows do not apply to every business in those locations. Only Oregon, Seattle, and Chicago state those coverage limits. You must match your business profile to these criteria before assuming that row applies to your schedule.
Start by checking the industry. The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries page states that rules apply if you work for a large employer "in the retail, hospitality, or food services industry" (according to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries). The City of Seattle page limits coverage to "hourly employees at retail and food services establishments" (according to City of Seattle). The City of Chicago page lists seven covered industries: "Building Services, Healthcare, Hotels, Manufacturing, Restaurants, Retail, and Warehouse Services" (according to City of Chicago). If your business is outside these sectors, the row for that city does not apply.
Next, verify the size thresholds. Oregon requires "at least 500 employees worldwide" (according to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries). Seattle also requires "500+ employees worldwide" for retail and food services (according to City of Seattle). For full-service restaurants in Seattle, the page adds that they "also must have 40+ full-service locations worldwide" (according to City of Seattle). Chicago uses a different scale: the employer must have "at least 100 employees globally," though restaurants need "250 employees and 30 locations" (according to City of Chicago).
Reference table: the notice period and rest gap each publisher states
The tables below list the advance notice and rest requirements stated on the named pages. Each row reflects only the language found on that specific publisher's page. Use this to check your current posting schedule against the specific rules for your location.
| Publisher | Notice Period |
|---|---|
| Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries | 14 calendar days in advance for the first day on the schedule |
| City of Seattle | 14 days in advance |
| New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection | 14 days in advance of the start of the schedule |
| City of Philadelphia | 14 days advance notice |
| Publisher | Rest Gap | Pay/Consent Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries | 10 hours following the end of a previous shift | Time-and-a-half for back-to-back shifts within 10 hours |
| City of Philadelphia | Nine hours of rest | Failure to allow nine hours of rest or obtain consent and pay $40 |
| City of Chicago | 10 hours after the end of previous day's shift | 1 hour of Predictability Pay for shift changes within 14 days |
According to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, your employer must give you a work schedule in writing at least 14 calendar days in advance for the first day on the schedule. The same page states that unless you request or agree to it, you can't be scheduled to work during the first 10 hours following the end of a previous calendar day's work or on-call shift OR the first 10 hours following the end of a work or on-call shift that spanned two calendar days. If you are scheduled for a back-to-back shift within 10 hours, your employer must pay you time-and-a-half your normal pay rate.
According to City of Seattle, employers must post work schedules at least 14 days in advance, and respect employees' right to decline any hours not on originally posted schedules.
According to New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, employers must give workers work schedules 14 days in advance of the start of the schedule.
According to City of Philadelphia, the rule requires good faith estimates and 14 days advance notice of schedule, along with other protections. The page also notes failure to allow nine hours of rest or obtain consent and pay $40.
According to City of Chicago, employees have the right to rest by declining work hours less than 10 hours after the end of previous day's shift. The page also lists 1 hour of Predictability Pay for any shift change within 14 days.
Who each page says is covered, including employee counts
Coverage rules vary significantly by jurisdiction, and the specific thresholds determine whether your business must comply with the 14-day notice requirement. Check those tests only on the Oregon, Seattle, and Chicago pages.
The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries sets a clear size threshold for its predictive scheduling rules. According to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, "If you work for a large employer (with at least 500 employees worldwide) in the retail, hospitality, or food services industry, they must follow rules around scheduling you for work." This definition ties compliance directly to a global headcount of 500 employees and restricts the rule to three specific industries: retail, hospitality, and food services. If your company has fewer than 500 employees worldwide, or if you operate outside these three sectors, the Oregon page does not list you as covered.
Seattle's rules for the "Secure Scheduling - LaborStandards | seattle.gov" page also use a 500-employee benchmark but add a specific condition for restaurants. According to City of Seattle, "Coverage: Covers hourly employees at retail and food services establishments with 500+ employees worldwide." This establishes the baseline for retail and food services generally. However, the page adds a stricter requirement for a subset of food service businesses. According to City of Seattle, "Full service restaurants also must have 40+ full-service locations worldwide." This means a full-service restaurant chain in Seattle must meet both the 500-employee global count and the 40-location global count to be covered.
The 10-hour and nine-hour rest lines, and the pay those pages attach
Oregon sets a strict boundary for the time between shifts. According to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, "Unless you request or agree to it, you can't be scheduled to work during the first 10 hours following the end of a previous calendar day's work or on-call shift OR the first 10 hours following the end of a work or on-call shift that spanned two calendar days." If an employer violates this gap, the financial consequence is specific. According to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, "If you are scheduled for a back-to-back shift within 10 hours, your employer must pay you time-and-a-half your normal pay rate." This penalty attaches directly to the scheduling error, though the initial prohibition relies on the employee not having requested or agreed to the short turnaround.
Chicago approaches the rest period with a right to decline rather than a hard scheduling prohibition. According to City of Chicago, employees have the "Right to rest by declining work hours less than 10 hours after the end of previous day's shift." This means an employee can refuse a shift that starts too soon after their last one ended. If the employer changes a shift within 14 days, different pay rules apply. According to City of Chicago, there is "1 hour of Predictability Pay for any shift change within 14 days." This pay is triggered by the change itself, not necessarily by the rest gap violation, though both rules often interact when schedules are altered late. The Chicago rule focuses on the employee's ability to say no to insufficient rest, while the predictability pay addresses the disruption of the schedule change.
How to read a coverage row
Use this example to compare your current staffing numbers against the specific thresholds defined by each publisher.
| Check | Comparison | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Example | Staffing size and industry on the page | Yes when every test is met |
According to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, the rule applies if you work for a large employer with at least 500 employees worldwide in the retail, hospitality, or food services industry. According to City of Seattle, coverage includes hourly employees at retail and food services establishments with 500+ employees worldwide, while full service restaurants also must have 40+ full-service locations worldwide. According to City of Chicago, employees are covered if they work in one of seven covered industries, earn less than or equal to $33.85/hour or $64,945.55/year, and the employer has at least 100 employees globally (250 employees and 30 locations for a restaurant).
Illustrative example: two round cases
A 500-employee shop posts a schedule 14 days ahead. A shift within 10 hours is the back-to-back case for time-and-a-half. A 100-employee shop changes a shift within 14 days.
Do this today
Write the posting date beside the first work day. See Shift swap mechanics across 8 documented rows and Eight checks on notice, claims, and hearing days.
FAQ: posting a schedule 14 days ahead
Which pages state 14-day advance notice?
Oregon, Seattle, New York City, and Philadelphia state this requirement. Oregon requires a written schedule "at least 14 calendar days in advance" according to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. Seattle directs employers to "Post work schedules at least 14 days in advance" according to City of Seattle. Chicago states 1 hour of Predictability Pay for any shift change within 14 days, while New York City mandates schedules "14 days in advance of the start of the schedule" according to New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Philadelphia requires "14 days advance notice of schedule" according to City of Philadelphia.
Does every employer in those places have to follow the rule?
No. Coverage depends on specific thresholds. Oregon applies to employers with "at least 500 employees worldwide" in retail, hospitality, or food services according to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. Seattle covers hourly employees at retail and food services establishments with "500+ employees worldwide" according to City of Seattle. Chicago requires Building Services, Healthcare, Hotels, Manufacturing, Restaurants, Retail, and Warehouse Services, pay at or under $33.85/hour or $64,945.55/year, and at least 100 employees globally, or 250 employees and 30 locations for a restaurant, according to City of Chicago.