HR 6786 – Summary of the Introduced Bill (as of December 17, 2025)
Overview
- Aim: To empower employees to request changes to their work schedules without retaliation, require employers to give such requests serious consideration, and impose obligations on employers to provide more predictable and stable schedules for workers in certain occupations where scheduling is currently unpredictable and unstable.
- Status: Introduced in the House on December 17, 2025. Referred to multiple committees for consideration: Education and the Workforce; House Administration; Oversight and Government Reform; Judiciary.
Key Provisions
- Employee Schedule Change Requests
- Creates or reinforces a right for employees to request changes to their work schedules.
- Prohibits retaliation by employers against employees who make such requests.
- Requires employers to consider employee scheduling requests in good faith.
- Scheduling Stability and Predictability
- For occupations identified as experiencing evidence of unpredictable or unstable scheduling practices (specific occupations to be defined in implementing rules), employers would have additional obligations to provide more predictable and stable schedules.
- The bill seeks to address negative impacts associated with erratic scheduling, such as workflow disruption, worker fatigue, and financial uncertainty.
- Scope and Implementation
- The exact occupations or sectors covered would be defined through subsequent rulemaking or legislative detail.
- The bill would likely outline expected timelines or standards for implementing more predictable scheduling, though specific dates or phase-in periods are not provided in the available summary.
- Protections and Enforcement (implied)
- By prohibiting retaliation and mandating consideration of requests, enforcement mechanisms would likely be developed in committee or via accompanying provisions.
- Penalties, remedies, or enforcement pathways would be established in future language or implementing regulations.
Affected Parties
- Primary Beneficiaries: Employees seeking changes to their work schedules who are subject to employer scheduling practices.
- Employers in covered occupations or sectors, particularly those with historically volatile scheduling patterns.
- Potentially, workers in industries with high turnover or variable demand where scheduling instability is common.
- Government and regulatory bodies through the establishment of guidelines, reporting requirements, and enforcement mechanisms.
Procedural and Timeline Aspects
- Introduction: The bill was introduced in the House on December 17, 2025.
- Committee Action: It was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Judiciary, with consideration periods to be determined by the Speaker.
- Next Steps: The bill would proceed through committee hearings, potential amendments, and votes in the House; if advanced, it could move to the Senate and, ultimately, to the President for signature or veto. Specific implementation timelines would be established in committee discussions or subsequent floor actions.
Notes
- The summary reflects the text and descriptions provided and may be refined as the bill’s full language and committee reports become available.
