California Senate Proposes Bill to Regulate Fast Food Industry

The California Senate has proposed a bill that would create a council to regulate fast food restaurants and ensure quality labor conditions for their workers. As thousands of people throughout the state are employed by the fast food industry, this bill has the potential to impact the working conditions of many throughout California. If you suspect that your employer has violated your rights as an employee, an experienced California employment law attorney may be able to help. Call or contact one in your area today to learn more about whether you have a case.

The FAST Recovery Act

Known as the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act (FAST Recovery Act), Senate bill AB 257 proposes to create a Fast Food Sector council within the state’s Department of Industrial Relations. This council would be composed of 11 members who would be appointed by the governor and determine which fast food restaurants it would regulate and set standards for working conditions. These would include, but not be limited to, standards for minimum wage, working hours, and other conditions that are related to the health, safety, and welfare of fast food establishment workers.

Currently as drafted, the FAST Recovery Act would apply to any fast food restaurant that has thirty or more establishments nationally that share a common brand or are characterized by standardized options for décor, marketing, packaging, products, and services. As such, this would include fast food restaurants that are owned individually by franchisees but still fall under the same overarching umbrella of a fast food chain. If passed, it is anticipated that the regulations established by the Fast Food Sector council could impact more than 700,000 employees statewide.

Fast Food Strikes

After submitting the bill for consideration, fast food workers across the state of California went on strike in support of the proposed new law. For three days in April, workers at Jack in the Box in Sacramento closed down their store. Organizers have also coordinated additional strikes throughout San Diego, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Sacramento over the coming weeks in support of the passage of this bill, which could substantially protect the working conditions and rights of those employed by fast food restaurants across the state. Since the start of the pandemic, California fast food workers have gone on strike 2,560 times and more than 330 health, workplace, and wage complaints have been filed with the state against fast food employers. To date, the state has issued 38 COVID-related violations at fast food restaurants, which only impacts a small portion of the industry.

Talk to a Lawyer Today

While this bill is still undergoing deliberation in the state legislative process, workers in fast food companies still have a substantial number of rights under state and federal law. If you believe that your employer is engaging in a wage and hour violation or other illegal employment acts, you may have a claim for compensation. To learn more, call or contact an experienced California employment law attorney in your area today to schedule a consultation.