Attorney General Becerra Calls On Federal Government to Protect Meal and Rest Breaks for Truck Drivers

SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Transportation addressing a petition filed by the American Trucking Association (ATA) regarding guaranteed meal and rest breaks for California workers. Attorney General Becerra urges the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to deny ATA’s petition, which incorrectly claims that California labor protections for truck drivers are preempted by federal law.

“California labor protections for truck drivers are critical to the welfare of our workers,” said Attorney General Becerra. “The men and women behind the wheel delivering the goods that we rely on every day deserve breaks and California has a right to require these meal and rest breaks. This is not only a matter of what is right for workers, it’s also about California’s right to determine its own employment standards.”

Attorney General Becerra has strongly defended and enforced labor and employment laws in California. Attorney General Becerra is currently involved in an ongoing lawsuit filed against Pac Anchor Transportation Inc. and its owner, Alfredo Barajas. The company has allegedly misclassified hundreds of its drivers as independent contractors over the years to dodge paying worker benefits, insurance and taxes. 

A copy of the letter submitted today can be found here.