Gap to End On-Call Scheduling by September

By Maria Armental 

Gap Inc. is ending a controversial scheduling practice that changed workers' schedules with little notice.

The retailer said it would end using so-called "on-call scheduling" by the end of September and give workers 10- to 14-days' notice of schedules as part of a push to improve workers' life-work balance, said Lauren Wilkinson, a spokeswoman for Gap. The advance scheduling notices will be phased in starting in September and are projected to be used by all stores in the U.S. by early 2016, Ms. Wilkinson said.

Ms. Wilkinson said the company--which operates the Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic brands--hasn't made any adjustments to scheduling practices abroad.

"Over all, we feel confident with out scheduling system in other countries," she said.

On-call scheduling allows retailers to adjust staffing levels based on real-time sales and traffic information, requiring workers to make themselves available for shifts with little notice or canceling shifts also with little notice.

Gap was one of the retailers that received warning letters from New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman saying such practices may violate state law.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has said it would end the so-called on-call scheduling by the end of the year. L Brands Inc.'s Victoria's Secret has also agreed to cease the practice.

Write to Maria Armental at [e-mail]

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 26, 2015 19:17 ET (23:17 GMT)

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