Bill Text: CA SB950 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Excluded employees: arbitration.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2016-11-30 - Last day to consider Governor's veto pursuant to Joint Rule 58.5. [SB950 Detail]

Download: California-2015-SB950-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 950	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Nielsen

                        FEBRUARY 4, 2016

   An act to add Chapter 10.6 (commencing with Section 3539.75) to
Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code, relating to state
employees.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 950, as introduced, Nielsen. Excluded employees: arbitration.
   The Bill of Rights for State Excluded Employees permits, among
other things, excluded employee organizations to represent their
excluded members in their employment relations, including grievances,
with the state. That law defines excluded employees as all
managerial employees, confidential employees, supervisory employees,
and specified employees of the Department of Personnel
Administration, the Department of Finance, the Controller's office,
the Legislative Counsel Bureau, the Bureau of State Audits, the
Public Employment Relations Board, the Department of Industrial
Relations, and the State Athletic Commission.
   This bill would enact the Excluded Employee Arbitration Act to
permit an excluded employee who has filed a grievance with the
California Human Resources Administration (CALHR), or an employee
organization that represents that employee, to request arbitration of
the grievance if specified conditions are met. The bill would
require the designation of a standing panel of arbitrators, and,
under specified circumstances, the provision of arbitrators from the
California State Mediation and Conciliation Service within the
Department of Industrial Relations. The bill would then require the
arbitrator to be chosen in a specified manner, and would prescribe
the duties of that arbitrator. The bill would also require the losing
party to bear the costs of arbitration, and would make a statement
of legislative intent with regard to the above.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  It is the intent of the Legislature that state excluded
employees shall have the right to arbitration as a fifth step to the
excluded employee grievance procedure. The present grievance
procedure leaves too many grievances unresolved. This lack of
resolution has caused more cases to be filed in California's courts,
which should have been resolved at a lower level.
  SEC. 2.  Chapter 10.6 (commencing with Section 3539.75) is added to
Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 10.6.  EXCLUDED EMPLOYEE MEDIATION ACT


   3539.75.  This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the
Excluded Employee Arbitration Act.
   3539.76.  For purposes of this chapter:
   (a) "Department" means the California Human Resources
Administration (CALHR).
   (b) "Employee" means an excluded employee of the state, as defined
in subdivision (b) of Section 3527.
   (c) "Employee organization" means any organization that represents
excluded employees of the state.
   (d) "Employer" means the State of California.
   (e) "Arbitration" means the binding ruling that resolves an
excluded employee grievance at the fifth level of the excluded
employee grievance process.
   3539.77.  An employee who has filed a grievance with the
department or an employee organization representing that employee may
request arbitration of the grievance if all of the following
conditions are met:
   (a) The grievance alleges a violation of Title 2 or 15 of the
California Code of Regulations, this code, the Labor Code, or a
federal statute relating to employer-employee relations.
   (b) The grievance has not been resolved to the employee's or
employee organization's satisfaction after the third or fourth level
of review pursuant to regulations of the department governing
grievances for excluded employees.
   (c) The employee or employee organization requests arbitration in
writing, submitted to the department, within 21 days of a decision
rendered in the third or fourth level of review.
   3539.78.  (a) After a request for arbitration is made, the
department and the employee organization shall designate a standing
panel of at least 20 arbitrators who shall be available for
arbitration under this chapter.
   (b) If there are fewer than three arbitrators available, then the
employee organization or the employer may obtain the names of an
additional five arbitrators from the California State Mediation and
Conciliation Service within the Department of Industrial Relations.
   (c) From that standing panel, the employee organization and the
employer may consecutively strike any arbitrator from that panel
until the name of one arbitrator is agreed upon, or, if no agreement
is made, the last remaining person on the panel shall be designated
the arbitrator. The name of that arbitrator shall be submitted in
writing to the department.
   (d) If the employee organization does not submit its choice of an
arbitrator within 45 days after requesting arbitration, the request
for arbitration shall be considered withdrawn.
   3539.79.  (a) The arbitrator shall issue a decision for each
grievance heard during the arbitration. The decision shall be based
solely on the written record in the grievance, the grievance
response, and the oral presentations made at the arbitration. The
arbitrator's decision shall be legally binding.
   (b) The arbitrator shall issue a written decision within 45 days
of the conclusion of the hearing.
   (c) The arbitrator shall order the nonprevailing party to pay the
cost of the arbitration.