Weapons of Math Destruction

Scheduling software used by large companies like Walmart and Amazon runs based on one of the most pernicious WMDs. Companies use these scheduling programs to ensure the store is always running and that everything is always on time. This is especially important for 24-hour stores that never want to see a lull in profit. However, there is a more insidious benefit to companies who use this scheduling software: Workers who need jobs are slaves to the unpredictable schedules created for them, making it difficult if not impossible to have another job and ensuring they stay trapped in cycles of poverty. This inequity trickles down to the workers’ personal lives. For example, a parent who works unpredictable shifts can’t have a stable schedule for their child. They are forced to complete their parental duties while being exhausted or spend hard-earned money on childcare.

This inequity doesn’t only apply to parents. Every aspect of life can be put on hold when locked in cycles of poverty, and at the time of writing, O’Neil notes that the workforce has been an employer’s market. People can’t afford to lose their jobs, and if they dare to stand up for themselves, they’ll be replaced in an instant.