Bill to Exempt Certain Unionized Employees From Meal Period Rules

Topics: New Laws & Legislation, Wage & Hour Issues

Earlier this week, we provided you a list of some of the employment bills now sitting on the Governor's desk for signature or veto. One bill that does not cover all employers, but will be of keen interest to some, is AB 569. This bill, if signed, would exempt from the meal period requirements (a) employees in many construction occupations, (b) commercial drivers, (c) security officers working in the security industry, and (d) employees of electrical and gas corporations or local publicly owned electric utilities, if those employees are covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement containing specified terms, including their own meal period provisions. This bill would give more flexibility for unionized employers covered by the bill to negotiate their own meal break provisions that better fit their particular industry and the employees' needs and desires.

For a copy of the bill, click here.