California, feds battle over bus driver meal, rest breaks
In a state v. federal fight regarding worker protections, California and the bus industry are butting heads over hours of service (HOS) regulations. The latest salvo was fired this week, when California Attorney General Xavier Becerra urged the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to deny a petition by the American Bus Association (ABA) that claims California labor protections for bus drivers are preempted by federal law.
“Depriving drivers of adequate meal and rest breaks undermines regulations put in place to protect the welfare of California workers,” said Becerra. “We refuse to sit by as the ABA attempts to avoid granting basic workplace protections to bus drivers.”