AB 1066 was signed into law by California Governor Jerry Brown on September 12, 2016.
Agricultural workers are currently entitled to overtime compensation if they work more than 10 hours in a day or 60 hours in a week. However, under AB 1066, agricultural workers will eventually be paid overtime if they work more than 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week.
AB 1066 will slowly raise overtime wages for agricultural employees over a four-year period. For employers who employ more than 25 employees, the new pay regulations will commence on January 1, 2019. For these employers, the new legislation will lower the 10-hour-day threshold for overtime by a half an hour each year until it reaches the standard eight-hour workday by 2022. For example, agricultural employees will be entitled to overtime compensation after working the following amount of hours per day/week:
2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
9.5 hours/day | 9 hours/day | 8.5 hours/day | 8 hours/day |
55 hours/week | 50 hours/week | 45 hours/week | 40 hours/week |
For employers who employ 25 or fewer employees, the new pay regulations do not commence until January 1, 2022. Thereafter, agricultural employees will be entitled to overtime compensation after working the following amount of hours per day/week:
2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
9.5 hours/day | 9 hours/day | 8.5 hours/day | 8 hours/day |
55 hours/week | 50 hours/week | 45 hours/week | 40 hours/week |
For any questions regarding AB 1066 or any other employment or labor relations inquiries, please contact any of our attorneys at Sagaser, Watkins & Wieland PC at 559-421-7000.