1798.200
. (a) (1) (A) Except as provided in paragraph (2), an
employer of an EMT-I or EMT-II may conduct investigations, as
necessary, and take disciplinary action against an EMT-I or EMT-II
who is employed by that employer for conduct in violation of
subdivision (c). The employer shall notify the medical director of
the local EMS agency that has jurisdiction in the county in which the
alleged violation occurred within three days when an allegation has
been validated as a potential violation of subdivision (c).
(B) Each employer of an EMT-I or EMT-II employee shall notify the
medical director of the local EMS agency that has jurisdiction in the
county in which a violation related to subdivision (c) occurred
within three days after the EMT-I or EMT-II is terminated or
suspended for a disciplinary cause, the EMT-I or EMT-II resigns
following notification of an impending investigation based upon
evidence that would indicate the existence of a disciplinary cause,
or the EMT-I or EMT-II is removed from EMT-related duties for a
disciplinary cause after the completion of the employer's
investigation.
(C) At the conclusion of an investigation, the employer of an
EMT-I or EMT-II may develop and implement, in accordance with the
guidelines for disciplinary orders, temporary suspensions, and
conditions of probation adopted pursuant to Section 1797.184, a
disciplinary plan for the EMT-I or EMT-II. Upon adoption of the
disciplinary plan, the employer shall submit that plan to the local
EMS agency within three working days. The employer's disciplinary
plan may include a recommendation that the medical director of the
local EMS agency consider taking action against the holder's
certificate pursuant to paragraph (3).
(2) If an EMT-I or EMT-II is not employed by an ambulance service
licensed by the Department of the California Highway Patrol or a
public safety agency or if that ambulance service or public safety
agency chooses not to conduct an investigation pursuant to paragraph
(1) for conduct in violation of subdivision (c), the medical director
of a local EMS agency shall conduct the investigations, and, upon a
determination of disciplinary cause, take disciplinary action as
necessary against the EMT-I or EMT-II. At the conclusion of these
investigations, the medical director shall develop and implement, in
accordance with the recommended guidelines for disciplinary orders,
temporary orders, and conditions of probation adopted pursuant to
Section 1797.184, a disciplinary plan for the EMT-I or EMT-II. The
medical director's disciplinary plan may include action against the
holder's certificate pursuant to paragraph (3).
(3) The medical director of the local EMS agency may, upon a
determination of disciplinary cause and in accordance with
regulations for disciplinary processes adopted pursuant to Section
1797.184, deny, suspend, or revoke any EMT-I or EMT-II certificate
issued under this division, or may place any EMT-I or EMT-II
certificate holder on probation, upon the finding by that medical
director of the occurrence of any of the actions listed in
subdivision (c) and the occurrence of one of the following:
(A) The EMT-I or EMT-II employer, after conducting an
investigation, failed to impose discipline for the conduct under
investigation, or the medical director makes a determination that the
discipline imposed was not according to the guidelines for
disciplinary orders and conditions of probation and the conduct of
the EMT-I or EMT-II certificate holder constitutes grounds for
disciplinary action against the certificate.
(B) Either the employer of an EMT-I or EMT-II further determines,
after an investigation conducted under paragraph (1), or the medical
director determines after an investigation conducted under paragraph
(2), that the conduct requires disciplinary action against the
certificate.
(4) The medical director of the local EMS agency, after
consultation with the employer of an EMT-I or EMT-II, may temporarily
suspend, prior to a hearing, any EMT-I or EMT-II certificate or both
EMT-I and EMT-II certificates upon a determination that both of the
following conditions have been met:
(A) The certificate holder has engaged in acts or omissions that
constitute grounds for revocation of the EMT-I or EMT-II certificate.
(B) Permitting the certificate holder to continue to engage in the
certified activity without restriction would pose an imminent threat
to the public health or safety.
(5) If the medical director of the local EMS agency temporarily
suspends a certificate, the local EMS agency shall notify the
certificate holder that his or her EMT-I or EMT-II certificate is
suspended and shall identify the reasons therefor. Within three
working days of the initiation of the suspension by the local EMS
agency, the agency and employer shall jointly investigate the
allegation in order for the agency to make a determination of the
continuation of the temporary suspension. All investigatory
information not otherwise protected by law held by the agency and
employer shall be shared between the parties via facsimile
transmission or overnight mail relative to the decision to
temporarily suspend. The local EMS agency shall decide, within 15
calendar days, whether to serve the certificate holder with an
accusation pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of
Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. If the
certificate holder files a notice of defense, the hearing shall be
held within 30 days of the local EMS agency's receipt of the notice
of defense. The temporary suspension order shall be deemed vacated if
the local EMS agency fails to make a final determination on the
merits within 15 days after the administrative law judge renders the
proposed decision.
(6) The medical director of the local EMS agency shall refer, for
investigation and discipline, any complaint received on an EMT-I or
EMT-II to the relevant employer within three days of receipt of the
complaint, pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of
subdivision (a).
(b) The authority may deny, suspend, or revoke any EMT-P license
issued under this division, or may place any EMT-P license issued
under this division, or may place any EMT-P licenseholder on
probation upon the finding by the director of the occurrence of any
of the actions listed in subdivision (c). Proceedings against any
EMT-P license or licenseholder shall be held in accordance with
Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of
Title 2 of the Government Code.
(c) Any of the following actions shall be considered evidence of a
threat to the public health and safety and may result in the denial,
suspension, or revocation of a certificate or license issued under
this division, or in the placement on probation of a certificate
holder or licenseholder under this division:
(1) Fraud in the procurement of any certificate or license under
this division.
(2) Gross negligence.
(3) Repeated negligent acts.
(4) Incompetence.
(5) The commission of any fraudulent, dishonest, or corrupt act
that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, and
duties of prehospital personnel.
(6) Conviction of any crime which is substantially related to the
qualifications, functions, and duties of prehospital personnel. The
record of conviction or a certified copy of the record shall be
conclusive evidence of the conviction.
(7) Violating or attempting to violate directly or indirectly, or
assisting in or abetting the violation of, or conspiring to violate,
any provision of this division or the regulations adopted by the
authority pertaining to prehospital personnel.
(8) Violating or attempting to violate any federal or state
statute or regulation that regulates narcotics, dangerous drugs, or
controlled substances.
(9) Addiction to, the excessive use of, or the misuse of,
alcoholic beverages, narcotics, dangerous drugs, or controlled
substances.
(10) Functioning outside the supervision of medical control in the
field care system operating at the local level, except as authorized
by any other license or certification.
(11) Demonstration of irrational behavior or occurrence of a
physical disability to the extent that a reasonable and prudent
person would have reasonable cause to believe that the ability to
perform the duties normally expected may be impaired.
(12) Unprofessional conduct exhibited by any of the following:
(A) The mistreatment or physical abuse of any patient resulting
from force in excess of what a reasonable and prudent person trained
and acting in a similar capacity while engaged in the performance of
his or her duties would use if confronted with a similar
circumstance. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit an
EMT-I, EMT-II, or EMT-P from assisting a peace officer, or a peace
officer who is acting in the dual capacity of peace officer and
EMT-I, EMT-II, or EMT-P, from using that force that is reasonably
necessary to effect a lawful arrest or detention.
(B) The failure to maintain confidentiality of patient medical
information, except as disclosure is otherwise permitted or required
by law in Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division 1 of the
Civil Code.
(C) The commission of any sexually related offense specified under
Section 290 of the Penal Code.
(d) The information shared among EMT-I, EMT-II, and EMT-P
employers, medical directors of local EMS agencies, the authority,
and EMT-I and EMT-II certifying entities shall be deemed to be an
investigative communication that is exempt from public disclosure as
a public record pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 6254 of the
Government Code. A formal disciplinary action against an EMT-I,
EMT-II, or EMT-P shall be considered a public record available to the
public, unless otherwise protected from disclosure pursuant to state
or federal law.
(e) For purposes of this section, "disciplinary cause" means an
act that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions,
and duties of an EMT-I, EMT-II, or EMT-P and is evidence of a threat
to the public health and safety described in subdivision (c).