Section 750.5.

Notwithstanding Section 750, an employee may be employed for a period that exceeds eight hours within a 24-hour period, under the circumstances specified in subdivision (a), (b), or (c), as follows:

(a) If the employer and a labor organization representing employees of the employer have entered into a valid collective bargaining agreement that expressly provides for the wages, hours of work, and working conditions of the employees.

(b) If a two-thirds majority of the affected employees of that employer whose hours are regulated by this chapter have voted in an election to adopt a policy that specifies periods of work that may exceed eight hours in a 24-hour period, and the employer adopts that policy, subject to all of the following conditions:

(1) The agreement adopted with respect to that policy reflects the results of the election.

(2) The election is conducted, at the expense of the employer, with the use of secret ballots, during regular working hours. Upon the written request of an employee to his or her employer, or to the Labor Commissioner, made no later than 10 days prior to the date set for the election, the employer shall cause the election to be conducted by a neutral third party with experience in conducting employee elections. If such a written request is made to the commissioner pursuant to this paragraph, the commissioner shall not disclose the identity of the employee and shall notify the employer, no later than five days prior to the date set for the election, that the election is required to be conducted by a neutral third party. Such an election may be conducted by utilizing mail ballots.

(3) All employees of that employer whose hours are regulated by this chapter and who have become employed by that employer within 24 hours of the time the election is commenced are eligible to vote in the election.

(4) The policy shall be effective for the period specified therein, not exceeding 12 months.

(5) No later than 14 days prior to the date set for an election, the employer shall do all of the following:

(A) Provide a written notice to the affected employees that describes the effects the proposed work schedule would have on the employees' wages, hours, and benefits, and the employees' rights under this chapter, including the right to request that the election be conducted by a neutral third party pursuant to this section, and to file a complaint against the employer pursuant to this chapter.

(B) Provide a written statement to the affected employees, prepared by a neutral source knowledgeable in health and safety matters and unaffiliated with the employer, that explains any health and safety considerations of extended work shifts.

(C) Hold informational meetings for the affected employees on each shift during the regular working hours of the affected employees. At each of these meetings, the employer shall explain the effect of the proposed policy on the hours and compensation of the employees. Written notice of the time, date, place, and purpose of these informational meetings shall be conspicuously posted in at least three locations throughout the mine site for at least seven consecutive days before the date of the meetings. Written notice of the time, date, place, and purpose of the election shall be posted in the same manner and for the same period. Failure to comply with the procedural requirements of this paragraph shall void the results of the election for purposes of this section.

(6) Any employer that establishes a regular scheduled workday pursuant to this subdivision shall make a reasonable attempt to place an employee, who was eligible to participate in the election that authorized an extended workday schedule and who is unable or unwilling to work the extended schedule, in an alternative work assignment that the employee is capable of performing. An employer shall not be required to offer an alternative work assignment to an employee if an alternative work assignment that the employee is capable of performing is not available or if the employee commenced his or her employment after the election.

(c) On the day a scheduled change of shift takes effect.

(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 903, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1996.)