BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1066 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 20, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Jimmy Gomez, Chair AB 1066 (Gonzalez) - As Amended May 14, 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Public Employees, |Vote:|6 - 0 | |Committee: |Retirement/Soc Sec | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | |Higher Education | |10 - 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable: Yes SUMMARY: This bill revises the definition of "short-term employee" to require the position not to continue on a year-after-year basis in a school district or community college. AB 1066 Page 2 FISCAL EFFECT: Significant Proposition 98/GF cost pressures on school districts and community colleges, potentially in the millions of dollars, to provide increased employment benefits (health and retirement benefits, vacation, holiday and sick leave) to thousands of workers not currently serving in a classified position. COMMENTS: Purpose. Current law defines "substitute" and "short-term" employees as those employed and paid for less than 75% of a school year or college year. These employees are not part of classified service. This bill extends the definition of "short-term" employee to also prohibit this designation of employee from continuing on a year-after-year basis. As a result, if the school district or community college decides to continue employment of a currently designated "short-term" employee beyond one year, the school district or community college would need to deem the position part of classified service. Inclusion in classified service confers statutory rights and benefits to employees, such as a process for obtaining permanent status, due process rights, fixed and delineated work duties, vacation days, holidays and other benefits. AB 1066 Page 3 Examples of positions that may currently be considered "short-term" include coaches, AVID tutors, non-certificated adult education instructors, community service lecturers, artists-in-residence, student workers, seasonal workers. Coaches, for example, are paid on a stipend regardless of hours worked. Providing classified status could result in districts negotiating overtime or additional pay for extended seasons, playoffs, travel time, evening, weekend, and holiday games. The California Federation of Teachers is sponsoring this bill to prevent "wrongful exclusions" of employees from classified service. They state current law and practice has resulted in a permanent class of 'temporary' employees. They support this bill to "uphold and protect the original intent of creating a permanent classified service." Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 AB 1066 Page 4