Under current law, school districts and community college districts are required to grant any certified and classified employees, upon request, a leave of absence without loss of pay to serve as an elected officer of their local employee organization, or the statewide or national organization the local union is affiliated with. Under this law, the applicable union is required to reimburse the employer for the compensation paid during the leave. In addition, both the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) and the State Teachers’ Retirement System (STRS) allow members to accrue up to 12 years of retirement service credit during this leave of absence.
SB 294 removes the 12-year limitation. The bill expressly applies retroactively to service as an elected union officer occurring after August 31, 1978, if the employee makes a written request to the employer and the union pays for all required member and employer contributions, with interest.
(SB 294 amends Sections 22711, 44987, 45210, 87768.5, and 88210 of the Education Code, and amends Section 20906 of the Government Code.)