Evanston resident Riad Rezko worked as a valet at the downtown Evanston Hilton Orrington hotel for more than a decade. 

Hotel management switched him from full- to part-time employment, resulting in his loss of paid hours and insurance benefits. However, when his managers make him work overtime, they pay him the regular rate without additional compensation. 

“They force us to do extended shifts, they force us to cover other people’s shifts,” Rezko said. “We have family, I have kids to watch.”

Evanston is now considering a Fair Workweek ordinance that would guarantee predictable work schedules for employees across the city.

The ordinance would require employers to provide workers with their schedule two weeks in advance, compensate them financially when their shifts change and allow them to take additional hours before the business hires new workers.

Mayor Daniel Biss and Ald. Devon Reid (8th) recommended the ordinance. Reid said he has been working on this ordinance for almost two years.

“We want to make sure, in Evanston, that we are taking care of our workers and creating the best possible and fairest working conditions that we can,” Reid said.

Rezko said he supports the ordinance. He wants a set schedule that will allow him to be with his family and support them at the same time. 

Mari Fujara-Shevick, an 18-year-old Kilwins employee, said she has been subject to many last-minute shift changes herself. Once, she was called to come in two hours early for a shift.

Though she said she doesn’t mind the additional shifts too much because of the extra pay, some of her coworkers may not feel they are getting paid what they are owed.

By ensuring compensation for shift changes, the Fair Workweek ordinance would encourage employees to take unscheduled shifts and work harder, Fujara-Shevick said.

“It’s not even just compensation,” she said. “It’s a recognition that ‘we understand that this is difficult for you to come in and we appreciate you doing so.’”

Some business owners, however, raised concerns about how the ordinance would add additional record-keeping work and create negative financial impacts for their businesses. 

Chris Birkinshaw, CEO of the chain Aloha Poke Co., spoke against the proposal at the Feb. 6 Human Services Committee meeting. 

Birkinshaw said businesses are already struggling in the aftermath of the pandemic. The ordinance will only burden business owners further, he said. 

He is also against the provision that requires all businesses with more than 15 employees to comply.

“The 15-employee threshold squarely puts this ordinance at the foot of small businesses,” Birkinshaw said. 

He asked the committee about the chosen number compared to Chicago’s ordinance — which has a threshold of 250 employees for restaurants and 100 for other businesses.

Reid said the city chose a threshold of 15 because these policies are important for all employees, not just those who work for big businesses.

“There shouldn’t be a number — really, every employee in the city should be covered by this,” Reid said. “It’s a fair compromise to have that number at 15.”

He said raising the limit to 100 or 250 would not adequately serve Evanston workers. 

As part of this population, Rezko said he hopes the ordinance will encourage employers to put their workers first.

“Every management should understand respect,” Rezko said. “It’s not from bottom to top, respect should be from top to bottom and go both ways.” 

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Twitter:@christineholtgr

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