Who
- Berkeley hospitals and health systems
- Hospital Council
What
The Berkeley City Council’s Health, Life Enrichment, Equity & Community Committee is holding a series of hearings to discuss a proposed fair workweek ordinance. The draft ordinance would require employers in the city of Berkeley with 50 or more employees globally to adhere to certain scheduling and notification requirements for shifts, provide predictability pay to all employees, and offer work to existing employees first. Unlike other fair workweek ordinances in the Bay Area, which are limited to the retail and fast food sectors, Berkeley’s proposed ordinance includes health care — along with manufacturing, warehouse, hotels, and building services.
After reviewing the proposed ordinance with impacted hospitals and health systems, Hospital Council is advocating to exclude health care employers from the ordinance and ensure that there is a strong exemption for employers with legally binding collective bargaining agreements. Hospital Council provided public comment at the committee’s first hearing on May 9, is preparing a follow-up letter to the committee, and is coordinating advocacy with the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce and other health care providers in Berkeley.
The committee will hold two additional hearings in June and July. The full City Council is expected to take up the proposed ordinance in September.