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AB-2078 • 2026

Employees: meal periods: stationary engineers.

Employees: meal periods: stationary engineers.

Energy Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Rogers
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about what conditions the collective bargaining agreements must meet.

Meal Breaks for Stationary Engineers

This law allows employers to not provide meal breaks of at least 30 minutes to stationary engineers working over five hours in a day if the engineer is covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows employers to not provide meal periods of at least 30 minutes to stationary engineers who work more than 5 hours per day, if the engineer is covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement meeting certain conditions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Employers who hire stationary engineers
  • Stationary engineers covered by specific agreements

Terms To Know

Collective Bargaining Agreement
A contract between employers and a group of employees that sets terms like pay, hours, and working conditions.
Stationary Engineer
An employee who maintains and repairs building systems such as heating, air conditioning, elevators, and water supply.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a stationary engineer is not covered by the agreement.
  • It's unclear how this exception will be enforced or monitored.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-03-02 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on L. & E.

  3. 2026-02-19 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.

  4. 2026-02-18 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2078, as introduced, Rogers.
Employees: meal periods: stationary engineers.
Existing law generally prohibits an employer from employing an employee for a work period of more than 5 hours per day without providing the employee with a meal period of not less than 30 minutes. Existing law creates exceptions from this prohibition for employees in specified occupations, including employees of an electrical corporation, a gas corporation, a water corporation, or a local publicly owned electric utility covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement meeting certain conditions. Existing law charges the Labor Commissioner with enforcement of these provisions.
This bill would also create an exception from the above-described prohibition for employees who perform building maintenance work as a stationary engineer, as defined, covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement meeting certain conditions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF