New York City has a basic promise to the 58,000 fast food employees within its five boroughs: the right to a predictable, stable, and regular schedule.
It’s not just an ideal. It’s the law – the Fair Workweek Law. And the agency I proudly oversee, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), is in charge of enforcing it. We don’t take that responsibility lightly.
On December 1, we announced a landmark $38.9 million settlement with Starbucks for violating that very law at more than 300 locations citywide. Over 15,000 workers in NYC employed by Starbucks between July 2021 and July 2024 will receive restitution payments by mail in approximately February 2026. It’s the largest worker-protection settlement in New York City history.
By repeatedly and arbitrarily cutting employees’ hours and disregarding its regular scheduling obligations, Starbucks caused income instability for the hard-working baristas who power its business, keeping workers involuntarily in part-time work while making it difficult for them to plan other commitments such as childcare, education, or second jobs. It’s neither just nor legal, no matter how you stir it.
These were not mere one-off instances of neglect or confusion, but systemic noncompliance with the law. Based on evidence gathered, including interviews with dozens of workers and payroll data from Starbucks, DCWP uncovered a pattern of open disregard for the law – well beyond the initial locations where workers brought forth complaints. Indeed, our investigation yielded conclusive, damning evidence. Starbucks committed over half a million violations of workers’ rights under the Fair Workweek Law since 2021.
Make no mistake: DCWP is sympathetic to the concerns of businesses navigating and abiding by our labor laws in good faith. But there can be no leniency when a multi-billion dollar corporation routinely defies the letter and spirit of the law, prioritizing its bottom line over the dignity and rights of its workers.
Of course, this historic settlement would never have happened if Starbucks baristas and Workers United didn’t speak up. We are so grateful to those who sounded the alarm as Starbucks undermined workers’ rights on the job. Our agency thanks them, our city thanks them, and workers everywhere thank them.
We are a stronger city when workers know their rights and are prepared to exercise them. Under the Fair Workweek Law, fast food employees in New York City must give workers regular schedules; work schedules 14 days in advance that are consistent with the regular schedule; premium pay for schedule changes; the opportunity to decline to work additional time; and the opportunity to work newly available shifts before hiring new workers.
Workers experiencing violations of their right to a fair schedule, or who want to file a complaint to claim restitution, should contact DCWP at nyc.gov/workers or call 311.
