Article 2. Rights And Duties of California Education Code >> Division 3. >> Title 2. >> Part 25. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 2.

Any principal, teacher, employee, or school officer of any elementary or secondary school who refuses or willfully neglects to make such reports as are required by law is guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100).

(a) The superintendent of a school district or county office of education, or the administrator of a charter school, employing a person with a credential shall report any change in the employment status of the credentialholder to the commission not later than 30 days after the change in employment status, if the credentialholder, while working in a position requiring a credential, and as a result of an allegation of misconduct or while an allegation of misconduct is pending, is dismissed, is nonreelected, resigns, is suspended or placed on unpaid administrative leave for more than 10 days as a final adverse action, retires, or is otherwise terminated by a decision not to employ or reemploy.
  (b) For purposes of subdivision (a), a change of employment status due solely to unsatisfactory performance pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 44932 or a reduction in force pursuant to Sections 44955 to 44958, inclusive, is not a result of an allegation of misconduct.
  (c) The failure to make the report required by subdivision (a) is unprofessional conduct and may subject the superintendent of the school district or county office of education, or the administrator of a charter school, to adverse action by the commission.
  (d) (1) Notwithstanding Section 44030, refusing or willfully neglecting to make the report required by subdivision (a) is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) or more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).
  (2) All fines imposed pursuant to this subdivision are the personal responsibility of the superintendent of the school district or county office of education, or the administrator of a charter school, and may not be paid or reimbursed with public funds.

(a) Every employee has the right to inspect personnel records pursuant to Section 1198.5 of the Labor Code.
  (b) In addition to subdivision (a), all of the following shall apply to an employee of a school district:
  (1) Information of a derogatory nature shall not be entered into an employee's personnel records unless and until the employee is given notice and an opportunity to review and comment on that information. The employee shall have the right to enter, and have attached to any derogatory statement, his or her own comments. The review shall take place during normal business hours and the employee shall be released from duties for this purpose without salary reduction.
  (2) The employee shall not have the right to inspect personnel records at a time when the employee is actually required to render services to the district.
  (3) A noncredentialed employee shall have access to his or her numerical scores obtained as a result of a written examination.
  (4) Except as provided in paragraph (3), nothing in this section shall entitle an employee to review ratings, reports, or records that (A) were obtained prior to the employment of the person involved, (B) were prepared by identifiable examination committee members, or (C) were obtained in connection with a promotional examination.

The governing board of any school district shall provide for the payment of the actual and necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, of any employee of the district incurred in the course of performing services for the district, whether within or outside the district, under the direction of the governing board.

The governing board of any school district may provide for the reimbursement of employees of the district for the use of automobiles owned by the employees and used in the performance of regularly assigned duties, by establishing an allowance for such use on a mileage or monthly basis.

Any classroom teacher who, in the interest of improving his or her personal teaching techniques, wishes to use an audio recording device in a classroom to record classroom instructional presentations, may employ that device without the necessity of obtaining the approval of the school principal or other school officials.

Every permanent employee of a school district which becomes in its entirety a part of a unified school district, and every permanent employee of a school district employed in a school located in a portion of a district which becomes a part of a unified school district, where the whole of the district does not become a part of a unified school district, shall become a permanent employee of the unified school district.

(a) The governing board of a school district may grant leaves of absence to employees to appear as a witness in court other than as a litigant or to respond to an official order from another governmental jurisdiction for reasons not brought about through the connivance or misconduct of the employee.
  (b) The governing board of a school district may grant leaves of absence to employees, in positions requiring certification qualifications, regularly called for jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
  (c) The governing board may grant such leaves of absence with pay up to the amount of the difference between the employee's regular earnings and any amount he receives for jury or witness fees.

The governing board of any district shall grant leave of absence to any employee, serving in a position not requiring certification qualifications, regularly called for jury duty in the manner provided for by law. The governing board shall grant such leave with pay up to the amount of the difference between the employee's regular earnings and any amount he receives as juror's fees. It is unlawful for the governing board or personnel commission of any school district to adopt or maintain any rule, regulation, or policy which has as its purpose or effect a tendency to encourage employees to seek exemption from jury duty, or to directly or by indirection solicit or suggest to any employee that he seek exemption from jury duty, or to discriminate against any employee with respect to assignment, employment, promotion, or in any other manner because of such employee's service on any jury panel. The board or personnel commission may, however, provide by rule that only a percentage of its staff, which percentage shall not be less than 2 percent, shall be granted such leave, with pay, at any one time. Nothing in the foregoing provisions shall preclude the district superintendent or his agent from discussing with the affected employee the practicality of seeking exemption when acceptance would tend to materially disrupt the district's operations.

The governing board of any school district may use school district funds for cash deposits, when required to guarantee payment for transportation purchased on credit for school district employees or other representatives who are directed by the governing board to travel on school district business.

The governing board of any school district may use school district funds for cash deposits, when required to guarantee payment for health plans purchased on credit for school district employees.

No contract with any insurer or other employee welfare benefit provider shall be approved or renewed if an administrative employee of a school district, as defined pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 33150, or any employee organization, as defined pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 3540.1 of the Government Code, or any employee or agent thereof, has a direct financial interest in any plan or program which is being approved or renewed. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any employee welfare benefit fund jointly administered by one or more employers and one or more employee organizations or to any employee welfare benefit fund established by the school district for the purpose of self insuring. As used in this section, "direct financial interest" means the receipt of or entitlement to a commission, fee, or other remuneration, including the payment of fees for administrative services rendered on behalf of such plans.

It shall be unlawful for any person authorized to invoke disciplinary action against any employee of a school district or employee in the office of the county superintendent of schools either in his individual capacity or as a member of any board, to invoke or attempt to invoke disciplinary action against any such employee or to discriminate against such employee in the terms, conditions and privileges of employment solely because of the employee's appearance before the governing board of a school district, the county board of education, legislative committees, or any other duly constituted governmental board, commission or council, whether such appearance was undertaken voluntarily or otherwise. Violation of the provisions of this section shall be a misdemeanor.

(a) (1) The governing board of each school district when drawing an order for the salary payment due to employees of the district shall, without charge, reduce the order by the amount which it has been requested in a revocable written authorization by the employee to deduct for any or all of the following purposes:
  (A) Paying premiums on any policy or certificate of group life insurance for the benefit of the employee or for group disability insurance, or legal expense insurance, or any of them, for the benefit of the employee or his or her dependents issued by an admitted insurer on a form of policy or certificate approved by the Insurance Commissioner.
  (B) Paying rates, dues, fees, or other periodic charges on any hospital service contract for the benefit of the employee, or his or her dependents, issued by a nonprofit hospital service corporation on a form approved by the Insurance Commissioner pursuant to the former provisions of Chapter 11A (commencing with Section 11491) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Insurance Code.
  (C) Paying periodic charges on any medical and hospital service agreement or contract for the benefit of the employee, or his or her dependents, issued by a nonprofit corporation subject to Part 2 (commencing with Section 5110) of, Part 3 (commencing with Section 7110) of, or Part 11 (commencing with Section 10810) of, Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code.
  (D) Paying periodic charges on any legal services contract for the benefit of the employee, or his or her dependents issued by a nonprofit corporation subject to Part 3 (commencing with Section 7110) of, or Part 11 (commencing with Section 10810) of, Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code.
  (2) The requirements of this subdivision shall not apply to subdivision (b).
  (b) For purposes of a deferred compensation plan authorized by Section 403(b) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code or an annuity program authorized by Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code that is offered by the school district which provides for investments in corporate stocks, bonds, securities, mutual funds, or annuities, except as prohibited by the California Constitution, the governing board of each school district when drawing an order for the salary payment due to an employee of the district shall, with or without charge, reduce the order by the amount which it has been requested in a revocable written authorization by the employee to deduct for participating in a deferred compensation plan or annuity program offered by the school district. The governing board shall determine the cost of performing the requested deduction and may collect that cost from the organization, entity, or employee requesting or authorizing the deduction. For purposes of this subdivision, the governing board of a school district is entitled to include in the amounts reducing the order the costs of any compliance or administrative services that are required to perform the requested deduction in compliance with federal or state law, and may collect these costs from the participating employee, the employee's participant account, or the organization or entity authorizing the deduction.
  (c) The governing board of the district shall, beginning with the month designated by the employee and each month thereafter until authorization for the deduction is revoked, draw its order upon the funds of the district in favor of the insurer which has issued the policies or certificates or in favor of the nonprofit hospital service corporation which has issued hospital service contracts, or in favor of the nonprofit corporation which has issued medical and hospital service or legal service agreements or contracts, for an amount equal to the total of the respective deductions therefor made during the month. The governing board may require that the employee submit his or her authorization for the deduction up to one month in advance of the effective date of coverage.
  (d) "Group insurance" as used in this section shall mean only a bona fide group program of life or disability or life and disability insurance where a master contract is held by the school district or an employee organization but it shall, nevertheless, include annuity programs authorized by Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code when approved by the governing board.

(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
  (1) "Annuity contract" means an annuity contract described in Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code that is available to employees as described in Section 770.3 of the Insurance Code.
  (2) "Custodial account" means a custodial account described in Section 403(b)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code.
  (3) "Deferred compensation plan" means a plan described in Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code.
  (4) "Employer" means a school district or county office of education.
  (5) "Third-party administrator" means a person or entity that provides administrative or compliance services to an employer as described in subdivision (b).
  (b) An employer may enter into a written contract with a third-party administrator for services regarding an annuity contract and custodial account or a deferred compensation plan provided by the employer. That contract may include any of the following:
  (1) Services to ensure compliance with either Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code regarding the annuity contract and custodial account or Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code regarding a deferred compensation plan, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
  (A) Administer and maintain written plan documents governing the employer's plan.
  (B) Review and authorize hardship withdrawal requests under Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, transfer requests, loan requests, unforeseeable emergency withdrawals under Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code and other disbursements permitted under either Section 403(b) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code.
  (C) Review and determine domestic relations orders as qualified domestic relations orders as described in Section 414(p) of the Internal Revenue Code.
  (D) Provide notice to eligible employees that is consistent with Title 26 of the Code of Federal Regulations that those employees may participate in an annuity contract and custodial account.
  (E) Administer and maintain specimen salary reduction agreements for the employer and employees of that employer to initiate payroll deferrals.
  (F) Monitor, from information provided either directly from the employee, as part of the common remitting services provided pursuant to paragraph (2), through information provided by the employer, or through information provided by vendors authorized by the employer to provide investment products, the maximum contributions allowed by employees participating in either the annuity contract and custodial account as described in Sections 402(g), 414(v), and 415 of the Internal Revenue Code or the deferred compensation plan as described in Section 414(v) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code.
  (G) Calculate and maintain vesting information for contributions made by the employer to the annuity contract and custodial account or deferred compensation plan.
  (H) Identify and notify employees that are required to take a minimum distribution of the funds in that employee's annuity contract and custodial account or deferred compensation plan as described in Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code.
  (I) Coordinate responses to the Internal Revenue Service if there is an Internal Revenue Service audit of the annuity contract and custodial account or deferred compensation plan.
  (2) Services to administer the annuity contract and custodial account or a deferred compensation plan that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
  (A) Common remitting services.
  (B) General educational information to employees about the annuity contract and custodial account or the deferred compensation plan that includes, but is not limited to, the enrollment process, program eligibility, and investment options.
  (C) Internal reports for the employer to ensure compliance with either Section 403(b) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code and compliance with Title 26 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
  (D) Consulting services related to the design, operation, and administration of the plan.
  (E) Internal audits, on behalf of an employer, of a provider's plan compliance procedures with respect to the provider's annuity contract or custodial account offered under the employer's plan. These audits shall not be conducted more than once per year for any provider's plan unless documented evidence indicates a problem in complying with either Section 403(b) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code.
  (c) (1) If an employer elects to contract with a third-party administrator for the administrative or compliance services to employers described in subdivision (b), the employer shall do all of the following:
  (A) Require the third-party administrator to provide proof of liability insurance and a fidelity bond in an amount determined by the employer to be sufficient to protect the assets of participants and beneficiaries in the annuity contract and custodial account or deferred compensation plan.
  (B) Require the third-party administrator to provide evidence of a safe chain-of-custody of assets process for ensuring fulfillment of fiduciary responsibilities and timely placement of participant investments.
  (C) Require evidence, if the third-party administrator is related to or affiliated with a provider of investment products pursuant to Section 403(b) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code, that data generated from the services provided by the third-party administrator are maintained in a manner that prevents the provider of investment products from accessing that data unless access to the data is required to provide the services in accordance with the contract entered into with the employer pursuant to subdivision (b).
  (2) This subdivision shall apply to any administrative or compliance services provided pursuant to a contract for services between an employer and the State Teachers' Retirement System if the system does not contract with a third-party administrator to provide those administrative and compliance services on behalf of the system.
  (d) A third-party administrator shall disclose to any employer seeking his or her services any fees, commissions, cost offsets, reimbursements, or marketing or promotional items received by the administrator, a related entity, or a representative or agent of the administrator or related entity from any plan provider selected as a vendor of a annuity contract, custodial account, or deferred compensation plan by the employer. A third-party administrator that is affiliated with or has a contractual relationship with a provider of annuity contracts, custodial accounts, or deferred compensation plans shall disclose the existence of the relationship to each employer and each individual participant in the annuity contract, custodial account or deferred compensation plan.
  (e) Any personal information obtained by the third-party administrator in providing services pursuant to this section shall be used by the third-party administrator only to provide those services for the employer in accordance with the contract entered into with the employer pursuant to subdivision (b).
  (f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to interfere with either of the following:
  (1) The rights of employees or beneficiaries as described in Section 770.3 of the Insurance Code.
  (2) The ability of the employer to establish nonarbitrary requirements upon providers of an annuity contract that, in the employer's discretion, aid in the administration of its benefit programs and do not unreasonably discriminate against any provider of an annuity contract or interfere with the rights of employees or beneficiaries as described in Section 770.3 of the Insurance Code.
  (g) This section shall not apply to any services provided by a third-party administrator pursuant to a contract for services between an employer and the State Teachers' Retirement System. Any services provided by a third-party administrator pursuant to a contract for services between an employer and the State Teachers' Retirement System shall be subject to either Section 24953, in the case of an annuity contract or custodial account, or Section 24977, in the case of a deferred compensation plan.

School districts may, but shall not be required to, provide payroll deduction for the collection of insurance premiums except as expressly authorized by Section 44041.

Any school employee of a school district who is absent because of injury or illness which arose out of and in the course of the person's employment, and for which the person is receiving temporary disability benefits under the workers' compensation laws of this state, shall not be entitled to receive wages or salary from the district which, when added to the temporary disability benefits, will exceed a full day's wages or salary. During such periods of temporary disability so long as the employee has available for the employee's use sick leave, vacation, compensating time off or other paid leave of absence, the district shall require that temporary disability checks be endorsed payable to the district. The district shall then cause the employee to receive the person's normal wage or salary less appropriate deductions including but not limited to employee retirement contributions. When sick leave, vacation, compensating time off or other available paid leave is used in conjunction with temporary disability benefits derived from workers' compensation, as provided in this section, it shall be reduced only in that amount necessary to provide a full day's wage or salary when added to the temporary disability benefits.

(a) The governing board of a school district or county office of education may establish a catastrophic leave program to permit employees of that district or county office to donate eligible leave credits to an employee when that employee or a member of his or her family suffers from a catastrophic illness or injury. For the purposes of this section the following terms are defined as follows:
  (1) "Catastrophic illness" or "injury" means an illness or injury that is expected to incapacitate the employee for an extended period of time, or that incapacitates a member of the employee's family which incapacity requires the employee to take time off from work for an extended period of time to care for that family member, and taking extended time off work creates a financial hardship for the employee because he or she has exhausted all of his or her sick leave and other paid time off.
  (2) "Eligible leave credits" means vacation leave and sick leave accrued to the donating employee.
  (b) Eligible leave credits may be donated to an employee for a catastrophic illness or injury if all of the following requirements are met:
  (1) The employee who is, or whose family member is, suffering from a catastrophic illness or injury requests that eligible leave credits be donated and provides verification of catastrophic injury or illness as required by the governing board of the school district or county office in which he or she is employed.
  (2) The governing board of the school district or county office determines that the employee is unable to work due to the employee's or his or her family member's catastrophic illness or injury.
  (3) The employee has exhausted all accrued paid leave credits.
  (c) If the transfer of eligible leave credits is approved by the governing board of the school district or county office, any employee may, upon written notice to the governing board of the district or county office, donate eligible leave credits at a minimum of eight hours, and in hour increments thereafter.
  (d) The governing board of a school district or county office that provides a catastrophic leave program pursuant to this section shall adopt rules and regulations for the administration of this section, including, but not limited to, the following:
  (1) The maximum amount of time for which donated leave credits may be used, but not to exceed use for a maximum period of 12 consecutive months.
  (2) The verification of catastrophic injury or illness required pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).
  (3) Making all transfers of eligible leave credit irrevocable.
  (e) An employee who receives paid leave pursuant to this section shall use any leave credits that he or she continues to accrue on a monthly basis prior to receiving paid leave pursuant to this section.
  (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the governing board of a school district or county office and an exclusive bargaining representative of employees in that district or county may agree to include in any collective bargaining agreement, a provision setting forth requirements for a catastrophic leave program.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 44043, 44984 and 45192, a school district may waive the requirement that temporary disability checks be endorsed payable to the district, and may in lieu thereof, permit the employee to retain his temporary disability check, providing that notice be given to the district that such check has been delivered to the employee. In such cases, the district shall then cause the employee to receive his normal wage or salary less appropriate deductions, including, but not limited to, employee retirement contributions, and an amount equivalent to the face amount of the temporary disability check, which the employee has been permitted to retain. In all cases, employee benefits are to be computed on the basis of the employee's regular wage or salary prior to the deduction of any amounts for temporary disability payments. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to in any way diminish those rights and benefits which are granted to a school employee pursuant to the provisions of Sections 44043, 44984 and 45192.

Whenever, as a result of any school district unification proceeding all of the territory under the jurisdiction of the county superintendent of schools is included in a single unified school district and the maintenance of any schools or classes or the performance of any other function theretofore under the jurisdiction of the county superintendent of schools is assumed by such unified school district, the inclusion shall, with respect to any employee, whether in a position requiring certification qualifications or in a position not requiring certification qualifications, who was theretofore employed by the county superintendent of schools in connection with such school, class, or function, be deemed to be the inclusion of a school district in the unified district. The rights of such an employee to employment with the unified district shall be governed by the laws defining the rights of employees of a predecessor school district included within a unified school district to continue in employment as employees of the including unified school district.

(a) The governing board of a small school district, which does not employ persons charged with school-community duties of counseling students and parents or guardians in their homes, may contract with any qualified social service agency or organization to secure the services, on a part-time or full-time basis, of qualified social workers as counselors in schools and in the homes of pupils. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and regulations for the implementation of this section, but such social workers shall not be required to hold credentials or certification documents otherwise required under this code for service in the public schools.
  (b) Social workers authorized to serve under this section, as well as credentialed school social workers in districts other than small school districts, may perform, but are not limited to, the performance of the following service to children, parents, school personnel, and community agencies:
  (1) Group and individual counseling and casework with parents and children relating to learning and adjustment problems of children, including parent education.
  (2) Liaison with community resources offering services to schoolchildren and their families.
  (3) Consultation with parents and others in crisis situations, such as truancy, drug abuse, suicide threats, assaults, and child abuse.
  (4) Assessment of social and behavioral disabilities affecting learning, including but not limited to case study evaluation, recommendations for remediation or placement, and periodic reevaluation.
  (5) Participation in and coordination of staff development programs for professional, paraprofessional, and classified school staff and supervision of pupil personnel services workers.
  (6) Coordination of social service and mental health components of children's centers and other early childhood development programs in the public schools.
  (7) Consultation and collaboration with school personnel to promote a school environment responsive to the needs of children and the planning of educational programs which will prepare children to function in a culturally diversified society.
  (c) As used in this section "small school district" means any of the following school districts:
  (1) A unified school district having an average daily attendance of less than 1,501.
  (2) A high school district having an average daily attendance of less than 301.
  (3) An elementary school district having an average daily attendance of less than 901.

Prior to implementing in any school of the district classes on Saturday or Sunday, or both, the governing board of a school district shall consult in good faith in an effort to reach agreement with the certificated and classified employees of the school, with the parents of pupils who would be affected by the change, and with the community at large. Such consultation shall include at least one public hearing for which the board has given adequate notice to the employees and to the parents of pupils affected.

A classified school employee currently employed by any school district or a county superintendent of schools which decides to maintain classes on Saturday or Sunday, or both, shall not, without his or her written consent, be required to change his or her workweek to include Saturday or Sunday, or both. No such classified employee shall be assigned to perform services on a Saturday or Sunday if such classified employee objects in writing that such assignment would conflict with his or her religious beliefs or practices. Enactment of this section shall cause no change or disruption in existing work schedules which may already include Saturday or Sunday as regular workdays. This section shall not be construed as limiting the power of any governing board of a school district, or a county superintendent of schools, to govern the schools of the district, including the assignment of classified employees employed by such district or county superintendent of schools. This section shall not be construed as modifying or otherwise affecting in any way the provisions of Sections 45127, 45128, or 45131, or any other provisions of this code relating to employment of classified employees.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), any principal or person designated by the principal who, in his or her professional capacity or within the scope of his or her employment, has knowledge of or observes a pupil whom he or she knows, or reasonably suspects as evidenced by the pupil's apparent intoxication, has consumed an alcoholic beverage or abused a controlled substance, as listed in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11053) of the Health and Safety Code, may report the known or suspected instance of alcohol or controlled substance abuse to the parent or parents, or other person having legal custody, of the student.
  (b) No principal or his or her designee who reports a known or suspected instance of alcohol or controlled substance abuse by a pupil to the parent or parents, or other person having legal custody, of the pupil shall be civilly or criminally liable, for any report or as a result of any report, unless it can be proven that a false report was made and the principal or his or her designee knew that the report was false or was made with reckless disregard for the truth or falsity of the report. Any principal or his or her designee who makes a report known to be false or with reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the report is liable for any damages caused.
  (c) No principal or person designated by the principal shall report a known or suspected instance of alcohol or controlled substance abuse by a pupil to the parent or parents, or other person having legal custody, of the pupil if the report would require the disclosure of confidential information in violation of Section 49602 or 72621.