Cal Jobs- What You Need to Know

Ah, California. Mountains, oceans, forests, art and culture, all within sight of the beach. Who wouldn’t want to live here? I got sick of asking myself that question and moved here about 4 years ago- I’ve never looked back. I have come across some things in the job market that are a bit different in California, and I would like to pass them along to you in the hopes that you learn from my experiences! So what’s so different about these Cal jobs than jobs in other places?

The biggest thing that may be different out here as opposed to other places you’ve worked is that California is an at-will state. This means that both employer and employee are free to terminate their relationship at any time and for any reason- or for no reason at all. However, anti-discrimination laws still apply- you can’t be let go based on any of the following conditions, as defined by the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA):

Race

Color

Religion

National Origin/Ancestry

Physical Disability

Mental Disability

Medical Condition

Marital Status

Sex or Sexual Orientation

Age (with respect to people over 40 years old)

Pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition

Now, let’s talk taxes, everybody’s favorite topic, to be sure! California has some very specific laws about what employers may deduct from your paycheck- they may only deduct the taxes required by law. This means that they may not charge you for a uniform, for a physical, for having a picture taken, or for any “business expenses”. They also can’t deduct your gratuities from your check, and they are solely responsible for absorbing “breakage” as a cost of doing business.

Minimum wage in California is also different than in other places- namely, at $8 an hour, it’s even higher than the Federally mandated minimum. This also applies to servers, so if you are used to making $2.51 an hour waiting tables, your first Cal paycheck may be a nice surprise! In cases where there’s a conflict between State and Federal law- the jobseeker wins, and must be paid at the higher rate!

As far as holidays are concerned, there is nothing in the law that says that an employer has to close on a certain day, or that they must pay you more for working on a Saturday, Sunday or Holiday. Make sure you check with your potential employer to see if their holiday policy is in line with what you’ve come to expect.

Lastly, let’s talk pay periods. There are specific rules in California about when you get paid, namely, you must be paid by the 26^th of the month for all hours worked between the 1^st and the 16^th, and you must be paid by the 10^th day of the following month for all hours worked between the 16^th and month-end. Bear all of the above in mind when you start your Cal jobs search, and you won’t be in for any nasty surprises!

Your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)

Now that we’ve discussed some of the more general aspects of truck driving jobs, let’s get a little more specific. Today, we are going to discuss the one piece of documentation any truck driver needs to have- the Commercial Driver’s License, hereafter referred to as the CDL.

You must have a CDL to operate any vehicle with a weight of 26,000 or more pounds, and it’s also required to operate a tow truck or a bus. A tractor-trailer requires more expertise to drive than a regular passenger car, which is why the Federal government mandates a special license- namely, the CDL- for large, heavy vehicles. Up until 1986, drivers could get a separate license from every state, allowing them to cover up poor driving records and accidents, which is why the Department of Transportation (DOT) passed the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986, which standardized minimum requirements for obtaining a CDL and mandated both a written and road test.

You do not have to attend a school to take the test, you simply need to demonstrate competency on the road and pass the written test with 80% of the questions correctly. Employers, training facilities, States, governmental departments, and private institutions can administer knowledge and driving test for the State. The test must be the same as those given by the State issuing the CDL and the instructors must meet the same professional certification as State instructors.

A CDL allows an 18-21 year old to operate a commercial vehicle within their own state only. Once a driver turns 21, the license automatically converts to a national license that lets them transport cargo across state lines. New York and New Jersey also have additional laws related to the CDL which apply to limousines and school buses.

There are also several additional endorsements a driver may earn for their CDL:

T- Double or Triple Semi Trailer- Written Test

P- Passenger Vehicle – Written and Driving Tests

S- School Bus- Written Test, Driving Test, Background Check, Sex Offender Registry Check and “P” endorsement

N- Tanker Truck- Written Test

H- Hazardous Materials- Written Test, Background check through the TSA

X- Combination Tank/Hazardous Materials- Written Test

Operating a commercial vehicle without a CDL is a civil penalty of up to $2,500, in more extreme cases; a criminal charge may be levied with a penalty of up to $5,000 and 90 days in jail. An employer may be fined up to $10,000 if they willingly and/or knowingly allow a driver to operate one of their vehicles without having obtained their CDL. You may lose your CDL if you commit two or more serious traffic violations (90-day to 5-year suspension) or one serious traffic violation (one year suspension). You may also lose your CDL if you are found to be driving under the influence of an illicit substance or are convicted of using a CMV to commit a felony (3 year suspension).

To get your CDL, the best course of action is to attend an accredited CDL training program through a truck driving school, where you will learn how to read a map, how to plan your trips, and how to comply with DOT law, as well as the mechanics of driving the truck like backing up, turning, hooking up a trailer, and driving on the road.

Here are some tips on choosing a CDL training program:

Shop around- there can be massive variations in price and quality of instruction from school to school

Community college and vocational/technical schools are almost always accredited, and provide an excellent value

Most trucking companies won’t hire you if your CDL training was completed in a week or two- try to find an eight-week school.

“FREE TRAINING” is not always free- some companies require you to work for them for a year in exchange for “free” training.

You will need a physical exam and your driving record will be checked by any trucking company you apply with. Don’t pay for training that you won’t be able to use.

Most companies will disqualify you if you have been convicted of certain felonies. Again, don’t pay for training that you won’t be able to use.