BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 644
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Date of Hearing: July 15, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
SB 644
(Hancock) - As Amended June 30, 2015
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|Policy |Public Employees, |Vote:|6 - 0 |
|Committee: |Retirement/Soc Sec | | |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill permits a person with a developmental disability to
elect to complete an internship (paid or unpaid) in lieu of the
current written examination or readiness evaluation in order to
qualify for civil service employment under the Limited
Examination and Appointment Program (LEAP). The bill specifies
the internship shall consist of:
1)A minimum of 512 hours with the employing state agency,
designed to allow persons with developmental disabilities to
meet the minimum qualifications of the relevant LEAP
classification and receive on-the-job supportive services and
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accommodations; and
2)Certification by the employing state agency that the
individual has completed the internship and demonstrated the
skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to successfully
perform the requirements of the position.
FISCAL EFFECT:
1)Unknown, potentially substantial General and Special Fund
costs to state agencies, in excess of $150,000, to provide
internships in lieu of examinations or evaluations;
potentially significant GF administrative costs to the
Department of Human Resources (CalHR).
2)Unknown, potentially significant cost savings to state
agencies that are able to use free or low-paid interns to
temporarily fill otherwise salaried positions.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, 92% of working age
Californians with developmental disabilities are jobless, and
LEAP is not an effective alternative to the standard civil
service examination for many individuals with developmental
disabilities because it relies on a written test. The author
contends many people with developmental disabilities can be
employed successfully in jobs involving complex tasks but
require time and specialized training to learn the job.
Alameda and Santa Clara counties, as well as several other
states, offer similar internship programs for people with
developmental disabilities, providing a model for state
agencies and private businesses.
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2)Leaps and Bounds. The LEAP program provides disabled
individuals an alternative to the traditional civil service
exam and appointment process in order to compete for state
employee positions. The program is administered by CalHR,
which has responsibility for determining eligibility criteria
for participants, examinations, and appointment and appeal
procedures.
To qualify for LEAP, individuals must be certified as disabled
by the Department of Rehabilitation and meet minimum
qualifications for the position by completing a written exam
or readiness evaluation. Once selected by a hiring state
agency, LEAP candidates are appointed on a temporary and
provisional basis to allow them to demonstrate they are able
to perform the duties of their positions. During that
provisional nine-month "job examination" period, LEAP
employees do not acquire permanent civil service status but
receive the same salaries and benefits provided to other
temporary state employees. Following the job examination
period, the candidate must serve the traditional six-month
probationary period before becoming a permanent state civil
service employee.
Analysis Prepared by:Joel Tashjian / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
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