The Act has the potential to significantly increase wages for restaurant employees and to impose work scheduling limitations on restaurant companies.

Key Points:

..Restaurant companies that are part of a chain with 100 or more establishments nationally should analyze whether their establishments in California meet the test for “fast food restaurants” under the Act, which is broad and covers a number of restaurant concepts that are not typically considered fast food.

..The Act establishes a Fast Food Council, which is authorized to adopt working standards for “fast food restaurants” in California, but whose authority is contingent upon 10,000 California fast food restaurant employees signing a petition approving its creation.

..The anti-retaliation provisions of the Act will require employers to carefully consider disciplinary decisions regarding employees who have a history of raising complaints concerning labor code, employee or public health and safety compliance.

..For now, the Act does not extend liability to franchisors for actions by franchisees.