The Impact of Laws and Regulations on Workforce Planning: How to Stay Compliant

Creating staffing plans may seem simple: you just make sure there are enough employees to get the job done right. But in practice, there’s much more to it than that. Laws and regulations, in particular, play an important role and can pose a challenge. Think of labor laws, collective bargaining agreements, and regulations regarding overtime and rest periods.

At R&R WFM, we see in practice that this is often the case in industries such as supermarkets, retail, and gas stations, where work schedules often need to be variable and flexible. In these industries, we have extensive experience helping companies comply with laws and regulations using our software.

Let's take, for example, a supermarket manager who wants an employee to work more during a busy weekend. Can this be done without further ado, or are there limits on the number of working hours? Or consider a gas station that employs many young workers: How do you ensure that they aren’t assigned shifts that violate the Working Hours Act (ATW)? These are just a few of the situations in which laws and regulations have a major impact on workforce planning.

What do the laws and regulations mean for workforce planning?

Every company must comply with the laws and regulations governing working hours, rest periods, and types of employment contracts. This prevents exploitation and ensures that employees receive adequate rest periods.

Important legal provisions to consider:

• Working Hours Act (ATW): Regulations on maximum working hours, minimum rest periods, and night shifts.
• Law on Labor Market Balance (WAB): Among other things, it stipulates that employees who work on-call must be paid for at least 3 hours.
• Collective bargaining agreements: Industry-specific provisions, such as those regarding overtime, premium pay, and minimum rest periods.

It is impossible to list every single regulation here, as they vary depending on the industry and collective bargaining agreement. Would you like to ensure that you are complying with all legal requirements in your sector? If so, you can find more information at:

• Central Government – Working Hours Act
• UWV – WAB Checklist
• The collective bargaining page for your sector

Challenges in Compliance

Compliance with these laws isn't always easy, especially in industries with flexible work schedules. Some common challenges include:

• Young Employees: Can a 15-year-old employee work a short shift, or does this conflict with the WAB?
• Overtime and Rest Periods: How Can Violations Be Prevented When Employees Want to Work Special Shifts?
• The Complexity of Collective Bargaining Agreements: Different rules apply in each sector, and these rules are updated regularly.

How can you comply with regulations and simplify workforce planning?

To help your company avoid regulatory compliance issues, you can take a number of steps:

• Make laws and regulations an integral part of your planning process: Ensure that planners and managers are familiar with the most important regulations.
• Use software that automatically checks for violations: This prevents human error.
• Keep track of changes in collective bargaining and adjust your schedule accordingly: Are the regulations changing? If so, make sure your workforce planning keeps pace with them.
• Use warning and blocking systems: This prevents you from accidentally scheduling a shift that violates the law.

R&R WFM makes this process much easier. Our software performs automatic ATW checks based on the collective bargaining agreement in effect in your industry. This means that you:

• Immediate warning if an employee is assigned a shift that is too long or has insufficient rest time.
• ATW violations can be blocked: If a service is noncompliant, it simply cannot be saved. 
• Flexible settings: You can decide whether violations should result in a warning only or be completely blocked.

In addition, R&R takes into account complex situations, such as the conflict between ATW and WAB for 15-year-olds. Because this can be flexibly adapted, your organization can decide which rule is more important.

Additional ATW Rules and Findings with R&R

In addition to the standard ATW rules, R&R has added additional features to ensure that companies are in full compliance with the regulations:

• Notify underage employees who don't have a schedule: This way, you can be sure their schedule is correct.
• Notification regarding the scheduling of 13- and 14-year-olds on weekdays: This prevents them from working during times when it is not permitted by law.

Would you like to learn more? Then read our R&R Product Update from February 26, 2024, and the update from June 4, 2024, on ATW rules and settings in R&R.

Conclusion

Laws and regulations play a crucial role in workforce planning, especially in industries where flexible schedules and varying work hours are the norm. Complying with the ATW, WAB, and collective bargaining agreements can be a challenge, but with the right tools, it becomes much easier. R&R WFM supports you with automated alerts and restrictions to ensure you don’t inadvertently violate the law.

Would you like to stay up to date on the latest product updates, including changes to ATW regulations? Then sign up for our R&R Product Updates! Are you interested in what R&R can do for your business? Then contact our sales department and find out how we can take your workforce management to the next level!

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About the Author Becca Ligthart

Becca Ligthart is a passionate marketing and communications professional who focuses on providing practical tips and new insights for the effective use of WFM in companies, with a strong emphasis on forward-looking processes.