ALBANY, N.Y. – On-call scheduling—where employees must be ready for a shift but might not be needed—has come under assault lately, with labor advocates pushing to end the practice retailers use to keep costs down. This year, several large chains decided to stop using on-call scheduling, including the Disney Store, Zumiez, PacSun, Carter’s and Aeropostale, the Washington Post reports.

The change comes after a group of state attorneys general opened an inquiry into the practice. “On-call shifts are not a business necessity and should be a thing of the past. People should not have to keep the day open, arrange for child care, and give up other opportunities without being compensated for their time,” said Eric T. Schneiderman, the attorney general for New York. “I am pleased that these companies have stepped up to the plate and agreed to stop using this unfair method of scheduling.”

The issue has been on the radar for several years, especially after a 2014 New York Times report on a Starbucks employee subjected to on-call scheduling. The coffeehouse chain stopped using on-call scheduling directly after the story was published, and was soon followed by Urban Outfitters, J. Crew and Victoria’s Secret.

The New York attorney general’s office has examined how other stores schedule workers, including American Eagle, Coach, Justice and Uniqlo. All of those retailers said they didn’t use on-call scheduling or had recently halted the practice.