(Sacramento) – Working to expand workplace protections to Emergency Medical Service (EMS) workers across California's private EMS workforce, Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D-Pomona) authored Assembly Bill 263. "Its time we start looking out for those we count on to be looking out for us in a time of need," Rodriguez said.
Assembly Bill 263 seeks to improve the working conditions for private sector employees in the Emergency Medical Services field by addressing inadequate rest breaks and violence in the workplace. AB 263 requires private EMS employers to provide 10-minute uninterrupted rest breaks to employees or provide an additional hour’s worth of pay if a rest break is not provided. This bill also requires the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to adopt a workplace violence prevention plan to educate EMS employees on techniques for deescalating violent situations. Lastly, this bill requires the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to publish a report regarding violent incidences in the EMS field to its website on an annual basis.