Meal periods.

Existing law requires an employer to provide a meal period or periods to an employee who works a specified number of hours in a shift. The meal periods may be waived by mutual consent under specified circumstances. Existing law provides exemptions from these requirements for specified occupations and employees covered by collective bargaining agreements. This bill, in addition, would provide an exemption from the meal period requirements for commercial drivers and other persons who are employed in the transportation industry and are either (a) governed by specified federal and state regulations with regard to their hours of service, or (b) employed by a "motor carrier," as defined by federal law, if compliance would commit the employer to a particular price, route, or service. The bill would provide that these exemptions apply to wage claims that are pending as of the bill's date of enactment.