A hiring promise your schedules need to adhere to.
A good faith estimate is a written expectation of when, where, and how much a new employee is likely to work. It is usually required before the employee's first shift, and it should be based on real operating data.
The estimate is not a guarantee. But once issued, your actual schedules may be compared against it. That makes the GFE more than an onboarding document. It is a scheduling commitment that should stay connected to the system where schedules are built.
What it should include
A GFE typically includes:
- Expected average hours per week
- Days of the week and time windows the employee can expect to work
- Work locations where the employee may be scheduled
- On-call expectations, where allowed
- The basis for the estimate, such as forecasted demand, staffing models, or hours worked by comparable employees
Most ordinances require the estimate at hire and require an updated version when expected hours or scheduling patterns materially change.
Where it applies
Good faith estimate requirements appear in many Fair Workweek laws, including Oregon, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Emeryville, San Francisco, Evanston, and related local ordinances.
| Jurisdiction | Good faith estimate |
|---|---|
| Oregon | Required at hire |
| Chicago, IL | Required at hire |
| Philadelphia, PA | Required at hire |
| Seattle, WA | Required at hire |
| Los Angeles, CA (city & county) | Required at hire |
| Berkeley / Emeryville / SF, CA | Required (initial estimate) |
| Evanston, IL | Required at hire |
| New York City, NY | Different mechanism |
New York City works differently. Fast food employers provide a regular schedule rather than a traditional good faith estimate, and NYC retail employers are not subject to the same GFE requirement. Exact timing, content, and update rules vary by jurisdiction, so each worksite should be checked against the governing ordinance.
How a system should handle it
The mistake is treating the GFE as a static PDF. The estimate only helps if you can show what was promised, why it was reasonable, and how actual schedules compared over time.
A scheduling system should be able to:
| Capability | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Generate the estimate | Pull from forecast, role, location, or comparable employee data — not free text — so it's defensible. |
| Store each version | Keep every version with an effective date. When expectations change, issue an update rather than overwrite. |
| Trigger updates | Flag when scheduling expectations materially change so an updated estimate can be issued on time. |
| Compare to actuals | Track estimated hours and patterns against scheduled and worked hours so a widening gap surfaces early. |
| Audit trail | Produce the estimate, its basis, and actual schedule history for audit or dispute review. |
Why it matters
The GFE sits alongside the core Fair Workweek obligations: advance notice, predictability pay, and clopening rest. It is the starting point for schedule expectations — and one of the easiest obligations to overlook because it happens before the employee ever appears on the schedule. See the full picture in the Fair Workweek guide, check estimate-requiring jurisdictions in the compliance grid, or open a state profile for the system implications.