BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair


          AB 2271 (Perea) - Franchise Tax Board: Seasonal Employees
          
          Amended: June 12, 2012          Policy Vote: PE&R 3-1
          Urgency: No                     Mandate: No
          Hearing Date: August 6, 2012                           
          Consultant: Maureen Ortiz       
          
          This bill does not meet the criteria for referral to the 
          Suspense file.
          
          
          Bill Summary:  AB 2271 provides seasonal clerks at the Franchise 
          Tax Board (FTB) with the option to carry over their accumulated 
          leave to future work seasons, as previously negotiated in the 
          agreement between the State and Bargaining Unit 4 (SEIU, Local 
          1000, Office and Allied) effective July 1, 2010 through July 1, 
          2013.

          Fiscal Impact: 
          
              Unknown savings in one year, potentially depleted by costs 
              in future years.

          Background:  The MOU between the state and Bargaining Unit 4 
          (SEIU Office and Allied) was ratified by the Legislature 
          pursuant to AB 1625 (Perez) Chapter 728/2010.  Ratification is 
          necessary when implementation of an agreement requires the 
          expenditure of funds.  Although the MOU contained a provision 
          that would allow seasonal clerks at the Franchise Tax Board to 
          carry over their accumulated leave from one tax season to the 
          next, the statutory changes needed for this authorization were 
          never made.

          Clerks hired by the Franchise Tax Board are seasonal and 
          temporary employees who are separated from state service at the 
          end of each tax season.

          Section 201 of the Labor Code permits an employee, upon 
          discharge by a state employer, to elect to defer into the next 
          calendar year payment of any or all of the employee's unused or 
          accumulated vacation, annual leave, holiday leave, or time off, 
          but only to the extent of the portion of leave that extends past 








          AB 2271 (Perea)
          Page 1




          the November pay period.

          The Franchise Tax Board hires between 100 and 200 seasonal 
          clerks annually.  

          Proposed Law:   AB 2271, notwithstanding Section 201 of the 
          Labor Code, makes statutory changes necessary so that the 
          seasonal clerks at the Franchise Tax Board will have the 
          following options with regard to their accumulated leave:

             a)   Receive a lump-sum payment for accumulated vacation or 
               annual leave credit.
             b)   By mutual agreement between the employer and the clerk, 
               schedule time off for  the vacation or annual leave.
             c)   Retain his or her vacation or annual leave credit.
             d)   Effect a combination of any or all of the actions 
               described above.

          Staff Comments:  In a Legislative Counsel Opinion dated May 1, 
          2012 entitled State Employees:  Prompt Payment, it was opined 
          that although the authorization to allow seasonal clerks to 
          carry over accumulated leave was negotiated and agreed to by the 
          State and Bargaining Unit 4, statutory changes to the Government 
          Code are necessary before this provision can be implemented.