BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1203 Page 1 CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS AB 1203 (Mendoza) As Amended August 22, 2011 Majority vote ----------------------------------------------------------------- |ASSEMBLY: |50-23|(May 5, 2011) |SENATE: |22-13|(August 30, | | | | | | |2011) | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Original Committee Reference: P.E.,R. & S.S. SUMMARY : Expands provisions governing leaves of absences for classified school employees and local public agency employees who are representatives of employee organizations, as specified. Specifically, this bill : 1)Requires a school district or community college district to provide a paid leave of absence to a classified school employee who is a member of an employee organization in order to participate in activities the member is authorized by the organization to attend. 2)Requires the employee organization to reimburse the school district or community college district for the cost of releasing the employee. 3)Requires a local public agency to give reasonable time off to representatives of employee organizations to testify or represent the employee organization in proceedings before the Public Employment Relations Board, as specified, or to testify or represent the employee organization in employment relations at other specified hearings or meetings. 4)Requires the employee organization to provide reasonable notification to the employer when a leave of absence is requested. The Senate amendments : 1)Require the employee organization to always provide reasonable notification to the employer when a leave of absence is requested rather than just whenever it is possible. 2)Delete the ability for local public agency representatives of AB 1203 Page 2 employee organizations to receive reasonable time off to participate in specified employee organization activities. A local public agency would only be required to provide reasonable time off to testify or represent the employee organization, as specified. EXISTING LAW : 1)Requires school districts and community college districts to grant a classified employee a paid leave of absence in order for that employee to serve as an elected officer of an employee organization. 2)Requires the employee organization to reimburse the school district or community college district for the cost of releasing the employee. 3)Requires that local public agencies allow a reasonable number of employee organization representatives compensated reasonable time off to attend formal negotiations on matters within the scope of representation. AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially similar to the version approved by the Senate. FISCAL EFFECT : This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel. COMMENTS : According to the author, "The Meyers-Milias-Brown Act provides that public agencies must allow reasonable time off for representatives of employee organizations to attend formal negotiations on matters within the scope of collective bargaining. However, the statute does not require public agencies to provide time off for representatives to participate in other matters that are equally critical to the employee organization's purpose and mission. Although representatives have the right to time off to negotiate collective bargaining agreements, they do not have the right to time off for the purposes of enforcing collective bargaining agreements or advocating on behalf of the rights of unions and workers." Supporters go on to state, "Under current law, organizational representatives who seek to participate, testify or represent their union in grievance adjustment meetings, arbitrations and proceedings before the Public Employment Relations Board do not AB 1203 Page 3 have a clear statutory right to time off to perform theses duties. Instead, they often must take unpaid time off from work in order to take part in these matters. ?The unintended but inevitable result of this omission is that employee organizations are dissuaded from enforcing the rights of the union and of workers." Supporters also state, "Under current law, school districts and community colleges are reimbursed for the cost to release a classified school employee from their work to attend to their union activities, only if the classified employee is an elected official of the union. This bill authorizes school districts and community colleges to be reimbursed for the cost to release a classified school employee from their work, regardless of whether the employee is an elected official or not. This clarification is needed to give school districts and community colleges the assurance that their costs will be reimbursed by the union." Opponents state, "While current law requires paid leave for employee organization officers, this bill would expand the requirements to any employee for any reason. This requirement skirts the local collective bargaining process which is where we feel it belongs. Additionally, providing reimbursement provide little comfort to local districts which would be required to find adequate substitutes to replace the person on leave. Ensuring the same level of service to students, employees and public requires substantial effort; simply being reimbursed for the salary does not make up for the extra effort required of management and those non-managers who remain in their positions." Analysis Prepared by : Karon Green / P.E., R. & S.S. / (916) 319-3957 FN: 0002323