Unpredictable work schedules hurt families

Many employers of lower skilled workers use what is called “just in time” scheduling, which means that these workers rarely know their schedules more than a week in advance, and may not know how many hours they will work on any particular day, until that day. Some working parents may face the dilemma of either leaving their young children alone or losing their jobs. Their employers believe that such flexible scheduling is more profitable, but often fail to take into account the costs of increased turnover and lowered morale and loyalty. Research about this practice can increase businesses’ understanding of the hidden costs that stem from workers’ hardships in meeting family responsibilities