The Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce has joined the California Chamber of Commerce in opposing AB 2751 (Haney) as a JOB KILLER. The bill will effectively subject all employees to a rigid working schedule and prohibit communication between employers and employees absent an emergency. This blanket rule is a step backwards for workplace flexibility. It fails to consider California’s longstanding laws regarding hours worked, exempt employees, and fails to account for the uniqueness of different industries and professions. It would prevent the Governor and State agencies from contacting their staff outside of normal work hours, which would lead to basic functions of the state being imperiled. One of the only groups of people exempt from this would be the legislature, which would be a disincentive for someone to work for an Assembly member or Senator. 

California has the most stringent labor laws in the country. That includes laws in place to deter employers from contacting workers outside of working hours. Laws regarding Overtime, Reporting Time Pay, Meal and Rest Break Premiums, On-Call and Standby Pay. 

If an employer fails to provide any of the above pay, they are subject to penalties under the Labor Code (including PAGA penalties) in addition to any owed wages and open themselves up to litigation. Employers often maintain strict policies that prohibit managers from expecting employees to work outside of working hours. 

Read the full letter of opposition here.