Urban Outfitters: Workers No Longer On-Call on Off Days

Urban Outfitters has become the latest retailer to end its controversial on-call scheduling policy in North America. Previously, Urban workers would have to be on-call during some days off — making it difficult to schedule activities in their free time and forcing some to find child care or elder care with very little notice.

“We are always looking for ways to improve, and as such we have decided to end on-call scheduling for all URBN brand associates throughout North America,” a company statement reads. It goes on to say: “Our continued growth requires that we consistently foster a creative, flexible and friendly work environment.”

On-call scheduling has grown in popularity among retailers who have used new technology to help determine when stores will be flooded with customers and need more staff. But a growing group of retailers have decided to end the process including Abercrombie & Fitch, Starbucks, Gap, Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works.

Hipster chic Urban didn’t come to its decision without some serious prodding, most notably from New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman who’s been campaigning for it for some time. At his request, Urban ended the on-call scheduling policy in New York in early October.

“Workers deserve basic protections, including a reliable work schedule that allows them to budget living expenses, arrange for childcare needs, and plan their days,” said Schneiderman in a statement at the time.

Various media outlets pounced as well, myself included. I wrote in mid-October that Urban should stop treating employees like they won the cool-job lottery. That was also around the time when the company asked salaried employees to serve as “weekend volunteers” at its fulfillment center in Gap, Pa. to help deal with the center’s busiest month to date. But rather than offering employees extra cash to trek out to rural Pennsylvania and pack boxes, the company framed the outing as a “team building activity.”

“We are always looking for ways to improve, and as such we have decided to end on-call scheduling for all URBN brand associates throughout North America. Lifestyle merchandising is both our business and our passion, and our talented associates share our commitment to building strong emotional bonds with our customers. While our brands today are the strongest they have ever been, our continued growth requires that we consistently foster a creative, flexible and friendly work environment. We look forward to continuing to find ways to better fulfill our mission of providing fashion and lifestyle essentials to our dedicated customers.”