Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance: Are You Covered in 2025?
The Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance continues to expand in 2025, providing more workers with predictable scheduling rights, compensation protections, and legal tools to assert control over their work schedules.
As of July 1, 2025, updated income thresholds mean that even more Chicagoans in specific industries are covered under the law. Whether you’re new to the workforce or a long-time hourly employee, it’s essential to understand if this ordinance applies to you and what your employer must do to stay compliant.
What Chicago’s Fair Workweek Ordinance Requires from Employers
The Fair Workweek Ordinance is designed to protect hourly and low-to-moderate wage employees from unfair or unstable scheduling practices. When a worker is covered under the ordinance, their employer must provide proper notice about scheduled shifts and compensate the employee if those shifts are changed on short notice.
Suppose a covered employee receives less than 14 days’ notice of a schedule change. In that case, the employer is required to provide predictability pay, typically one additional hour of pay for each altered shift. Employers must also respect an employee’s right to rest by allowing them to decline any shift that begins fewer than 10 hours after the previous one ends.
In addition to these core requirements, the ordinance grants employees several key protections. Covered workers have the right to decline hours that were not previously scheduled, to receive advance notice of their work schedules, and to be free from retaliation for asserting any of their rights under the ordinance.
These provisions aim to create a more stable, predictable, and respectful work environment. This is especially true for employees whose personal lives and financial security can be disrupted by last-minute schedule changes.
Who Qualifies for Protection from the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance in 2025
The 2025 updates to the ordinance expand coverage by increasing the wage thresholds and reaffirming the employer-size and industry-specific conditions. An employee qualifies for protection if they meet all of the following criteria:
They work in one of the following seven industries: Building Services, Healthcare, Hotels, Manufacturing, Restaurants, Retail, or Warehouse Services
They work for an employer with at least 100 employees globally (or at least 250 employees and 30 locations if the employer is a restaurant)
They earn $32.60 per hour or less, or an annual salary of $62,561.90 or less
This expansion reflects the City of Chicago's intentional move to account for inflation and wage growth, while ensuring that workers in volatile industries continue to receive reliable scheduling.
What Employers Must Disclose to Employees
Employers with covered workers have specific disclosure obligations under the Fair Workweek Ordinance and related Chicago labor laws. These requirements include both physical postings at the workplace and written notices provided to employees.
Every employer must display a notice in a visible location at each worksite located within the City of Chicago. This notice must inform employees about the current Chicago minimum wage, the Fair Workweek Ordinance (if applicable), paid leave, paid sick and safe leave rights, and protections against wage theft.
In addition to workplace postings, employers are required to provide written notice to each covered employee with their first paycheck. This notice must also be issued annually, with a paycheck distributed within 30 days of July 1.
While households and businesses that do not maintain a physical worksite in Chicago are exempt from the posting requirement, they are still subject to the other provisions of the law. Employers who fail to meet these disclosure obligations may face enforcement action and liability under the oversight of the Office of Labor Standards.
How to Report Violations and Get Help
The City of Chicago has taken several steps to ensure workers can exercise their rights under the Fair Workweek Ordinance. If an employee believes their rights have been violated, they have several options for recourse:
Document the scheduling issue, including dates, times, and communication with supervisors
Submit a complaint to the Office of Labor Standards through the CHI 311 system (via phone, website, or app)
Reference multilingual public notices and attend webinars provided by the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection
Employers are prohibited from retaliating against any worker who files a complaint or seeks information about their rights.
Contact O’Malley & Madden for Inquiries Regarding the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance
Chicago continues to lead the nation in local labor protections, especially for hourly workers in the service and healthcare industries. The latest updates to the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance reflect the city’s broader commitment to promoting fairness, stability, and dignity in the workplace.
Whether you’re an employee wondering if you're covered or an employer seeking to stay compliant, it’s crucial to understand the ordinance and how it applies in 2025. With more workers now qualifying based on their pay level and the size of their employer, it’s clear that predictable scheduling is no longer just a courtesy; it’s the law.
For legal guidance surrounding the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance, contact the employment and civil rights law firm of O’Malley & Madden, P.C.
