Section 517.

(a) The Industrial Welfare Commission shall, at a public hearing to be concluded by July 1, 2000, adopt wage, hours, and working conditions orders consistent with this chapter without convening wage boards, which orders shall be final and conclusive for all purposes. These orders shall include regulations necessary to provide assurances of fairness regarding the conduct of employee workweek elections, procedures for employees to petition for and obtain elections to repeal alternative workweek schedules, procedures for implementation of those schedules, conditions under which an adopted alternative workweek schedule can be repealed by the employer, employee disclosures, designations of work, and processing of workweek election petitions pursuant to Parts 2 and 4 of this division and in any wage order of the commission and such other regulations as may be needed to fulfill the duties of the commission pursuant to this part.

(b) Prior to July 1, 2000, the Industrial Welfare Commission shall conduct a review of wages, hours, and working conditions in the ski industry, commercial fishing industry, and health care industry, and for stable employees in the horseracing industry. Notwithstanding subdivision (a) and Sections 510 and 511, and consistent with its duty to protect the health, safety, and welfare of workers pursuant to Section 1173, the commission may, based upon this review, convene a public hearing to adopt or modify regulations at that hearing pertaining to the industries herein, without convening wage boards. Any hearing conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall be concluded not later than July 1, 2000.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 515, prior to July 1, 2000, the commission shall conduct a review of wages, hours, and working conditions of licensed pharmacists. The commission may, based upon this review, convene a public hearing to adopt or modify regulations at that hearing pertaining to licensed pharmacists without convening wage boards. Any hearing conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall be concluded not later than July 1, 2000.

(d) Notwithstanding sections 1171 and subdivision (a) of Section 515, the Industrial Welfare Commission shall conduct a review of wages, hours, and working conditions of outside salespersons. The commission may, based upon this review, convene a public hearing to adopt or modify regulations at that hearing pertaining to outside salespersons without convening wage boards. Any hearing conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall be concluded not later than July 1, 2000.

(e) Nothing in this section is intended to restrict the Industrial Welfare Commission in its continuing duties pursuant to Section 1173.

(f) No action taken by the Industrial Welfare Commission pursuant to this section is subject to the requirements of Article 5 (commencing with Section 11346) of Chapter 3.5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(g) All wage orders and other regulations issued or adopted pursuant to this section shall be published in accordance with Section 1182.1.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 134, Sec. 11. Effective January 1, 2000.)