Rule 211 is the regulation that requires Ventura County employers with more than 100 employees to collect information about their employees’ commuting habits. It also urges employers to help take cars off the road by voluntarily encouraging their employees to carpool, van-pool, walk, bike or take the bus or train.
The goal is to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion in Ventura County. If your organization employs more than 100 people at worksites in Ventura County, you must comply.
Where does it stop? Employers are business owners working hard to make sure they meet the needs of their clients, employees, vendors and financial obligations. Is it a violation of privacy for an employer to ask about an employee’s commuting choices? What if an employee must drive their car because they have to go to dialysis immediately after work? What if an employee rides their bike because their driver’s license is suspended or their car was recently repossessed? Is an employee’s commute their private time and personal choice?