Opinion ID: 1434803
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Labor Code Sections 1173 and 1178 )

Text: (1) The association argues that section 1178 requires the commission to investigate and find that wages are inadequate, or hours and conditions of employment are prejudicial to the health, morals, or welfare of employees, before selecting a wage board to consider any such matters. [8] According to the association, the commission did not so investigate and find before convening a wage board to consider such matters in the public housekeeping industry. The association contends that the resulting Order 5-76 is therefore invalid. The history of the commission's statutory authority is relevant to resolve this issue. Prior to 1972, the commission had authority to determine the wages, hours, and working conditions of women and minors, but not of men. The Legislature extended the authority of the commission to determine the minimum wage for men in 1972 [9] and the hours and working conditions for men in 1973. [10] The Legislature in 1973 also mandated that the commission take immediate action to implement this extended authority. The Legislature amended section 1173, outlining the duties of the commission, to provide as follows: No rules, regulations, or policies of the Industrial Welfare Commission existing on the effective date of the amendments to this section enacted at the 1973-1974 Regular Session[ [11] ] shall be extended or changed without review and hearings, upon proper notice, on the proposed changes. The commission shall forthwith undertake a full review, with hearings upon proper notice, of all such existing rules, regulations, and policies made under its jurisdiction. Such review shall be directed toward the end of accomplishing the objectives of this chapter, and updating such rules, regulations, and policies to the extent found by the commission to be necessary to provide adequate and reasonable wages, hours, and working conditions appropriate for all employees in the modern society. The commission shall amend, repeal, or otherwise modify its rules, regulations, and policies in such manner as the commission, on the basis of such review, deems necessary to comply with the objectives of this chapter. [12] These amendments, extending the authority of the commission and requiring full review of existing rules, regulations, and policies forthwith, significantly increased the burdens on the commission. Prior to 1974, section 1182 required that the commission make an order fixing the wages, hours, or working conditions during the first three calendar months of the year. [13] However, in 1974 the Legislature found that the commission was having extreme difficulty in complying with the current three-month time limit. [14] The Legislature therefore passed an urgency statute [15] eliminating the three-month requirement. [16] In summary, the Legislature extended the authority of the commission to determine the wages, hours, and working conditions of all employees, men as well as women and minors, except outside salesmen. But before the commission could update, extend, change, amend, repeal, or otherwise modify its previous orders, rules, regulations, or policies, which covered only women and minors, to exercise its extended authority, the Legislature required the commission to undertake a full review of such orders, rules, regulations, or policies. The Legislature perceived an urgent need for the commission to do so forthwith. These three legislative pronouncements together relieved the commission, in the present instance, of meeting any separate requirement under section 1178 that the commission investigate and find that wages, hours, or working conditions were inadequate or prejudicial. Order 5-76 is the product of the 1973-1974 mandate in section 1173. [17] The commission did not promulgate the order in violation of section 1178. [18]