I'm asking out of curiosity and frustration. I'm hourly in the United States, I work a pretty standard 9-5 job (with frequent mandatory overtime). I receive a generous number of paid vacation days with lots of flexibility, but I cannot schedule or expect to attend any events over the weekend. Literally, the scheduling software won't let me or a manager change weekend availability. I can't plan on attending a weekend funeral or wedding, and I absolutely can't schedule a vacation that spans over the weekend. I have to stay nearby and be in shape for work; I can't schedule a Saturday haircut, see a movie, or have a few drinks, I can't volunteer or make any sort of plans with friends.
There are some laws to help protect people who are “on-call,” but not employees who… just don't know if they have work the next day or hour? How is there a difference?!