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HB 5954

Labor: hours and wages; scheduling standards for certain employers; provide for. Creates new act.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Joey Andrews and 9 co-sponsors

Requires 14-day written, advance work schedules for certain 20+ employee employers in retail, hospitality, and food service, with protections and pay for changes made without prope

bill electronically reproduced 05/12/2026
#labor:fairemploymentpractices #labor:hoursandwages #labor:workingconditions
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 5954

Overview

House Bill 5954, introduced in the 2025-2026 Michigan session, establishes an “Employee Fair Scheduling Act.” The measure aims to regulate work scheduling, advance notice, compensation for schedule changes, and related rights for employees in certain sectors. It applies to employers with 20 or more employees in retail, hospitality, or food service establishments, and gradually phases in compliance based on employer size.

Main purpose and intent

  • To require written, advance-disclosed work schedules for certain employees.
  • To ensure compensation for employer-initiated changes to schedules when advance notice is not provided.
  • To empower employees to request changes to their schedules and protect them from retaliation.
  • To provide for notices, postings, enforcement mechanisms, and penalties/remedies through the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (DLEO).

Key provisions and changes

Scope and definitions

  • Targets employers with 20+ employees worldwide, in:
    • Retail establishments (codes 441110–453998)
    • Hospitality establishments (hotels/motels; casino hotels)
    • Food services establishments (code 722)
  • Defines “employee,” “employer,” “work schedule,” “work shift,” “workweek,” and related terms.
  • Introduces concepts of “chain,” “integrated enterprise,” “successor employer,” and “group communication” for scheduling actions.
  • Separates non-eligible workers (e.g., certain managerial, professional, or temporary staffing for clients) from covered employees.

Employee expectations at hire

  • Employers must provide a written, good-faith estimate of the employee’s schedule at the time of hire, in the employee’s language.
  • The estimate includes:
    • Median hours expected in a typical month
    • Whether on-call shifts are expected
    • The written notice required under section 9

Written work schedules and advance notice

  • Employers must provide a written work schedule at least 14 calendar days before the first day of the schedule.
  • Schedules must be posted conspicuously and be provided in English and the employee’s language.
  • For new hires and employees returning from leave, the schedule must be delivered by certain deadlines (first day of work or first day after return).
  • Once the advance notice is given, changes to the schedule require timely written or direct (in-person/phone) notice.
  • Employees may decline shifts not in their schedule.

Employee-initiated changes

  • After advance notice, employees may request additions to their schedule in writing.
  • Changes prompted by employee requests are not subject to the 14-day advance notice requirement.

Rest periods and compensation

  • Employers may not require work during specified rest periods:
    • 12 hours after the end of the previous day’s shift or after a shift that spans two calendar days
  • Written agreement can override the rest prohibition.
  • Work during a prohibited rest period must be compensated at 1.5x the regular rate, with certain exceptions (e.g., roadside assistance).

Scheduling limitations on availability and accommodations

  • At hire and during employment, employees can identify limitations or preferences, including times or locations to avoid.
  • Employers may require reasonable verification (e.g., medical) and cover reasonable costs for verification, including lost wages not paid by their health plan.
  • Employers may deny requests but must refrain from retaliation for scheduling requests.

Compensation for employer-initiated changes (without proper notice)

  • If an employer changes a schedule without the required advance notice, they must compensate the employee:
    • 1 hour of pay at the regular rate for certain changes (e.g., adding more than 30 minutes, shift time changes with no loss of hours, added shifts)
    • The greater of minimum wage or 0.5x the employee’s regular rate per hour for hours lost, canceled shifts, or reduced hours
  • Certain exceptions apply (e.g., for disciplinary reasons with documented justification, force majeure events, or unanticipated/consumer-driven needs with written employee consent).

Notices, postings, and records

  • Employers must display a department-provided poster outlining employee rights, or provide it individually if a workplace is remote.
  • Employers must retain compliance records for at least 5 years.

Enforcement and remedies

  • Employees may file complaints with the DLEO or pursue civil action in circuit court for injunctive relief and/or damages.
  • DLEO investigations must yield a written determination of findings.

Protections and limitations

  • The act preserves existing rights, including rights under other laws (e.g., earned sick time, FMLA) and does not limit higher benefits or rights.
  • It does not create a direct cause of action under certain related statutes unless otherwise specified.

Implementation timeline

  • Effectively phased by employer size:
    • 250+ employees: compliance within 1 year after the act’s effective date
    • 100–249: within 2 years
    • 50–99: within 3 years
    • 20–49: within 4 years
  • Department-wide rulemaking authority granted to implement provisions.

Who is affected

  • Covered employers: retail, hospitality, and food service establishments with 20+ employees.
  • Covered employees: non-excluded workers in those sectors, including those who rely on fixed schedules or on-call shifts.
  • Workers, unions, and workers’ rights advocates seeking scheduling transparency and protections.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Administration: Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (DLEO) enforces and promulgates rules under the Administrative Procedures Act.
  • Compliance and enforcement potential includes posting requirements, recordkeeping for 5 years, and possible civil actions by employees.
  • The act operates alongside and does not override existing rights or protections under other statutes and collective bargaining agreements entered into on or after the act’s effective date.

If you’d like, I can provide a section-by-section plain-language paraphrase of Sec. 5, Sec. 9, Sec. 11, Sec. 13, Sec. 15, Sec. 17, Sec. 19, Sec. 21, Sec. 23, Sec. 25, Sec. 27, and Sec. 29 for quick reference.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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