Section 44949 Of Article 3. Resignations, Dismissals, And Leaves Of Absence From California Education Code >> Division 3. >> Title 2. >> Part 25. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 3.
44949
. (a) (1) No later than March 15 and before an employee is
given notice by the governing board that his or her services will not
be required for the ensuing year for the reasons specified in
Section 44955, the governing board and the employee shall be given
written notice by the superintendent of the district or his or her
designee, or in the case of a school district that has no
superintendent by the clerk or secretary of the governing board, that
it has been recommended that the notice be given to the employee,
and stating the reasons therefor.
(2) Until the employee has requested a hearing as provided in
subdivision (b) or has waived his or her right to a hearing, the
notice and the reasons therefor shall be confidential and shall not
be divulged by any person, except as may be necessary in the
performance of duties. However, the violation of this requirement of
confidentiality, in and of itself, shall not in any manner be
construed as affecting the validity of any hearing conducted pursuant
to this section.
(b) The employee may request a hearing to determine if there is
cause for not reemploying him or her for the ensuing year. A request
for a hearing shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the
person who sent the notice pursuant to subdivision (a), on or before
a date specified in that subdivision, which shall not be less than
seven days after the date on which the notice is served upon the
employee. If an employee fails to request a hearing on or before the
date specified, his or her failure to do so shall constitute his or
her waiver of his or her right to a hearing. The notice provided for
in subdivision (a) shall advise the employee of the provisions of
this subdivision.
(c) If a hearing is requested by the employee, the proceeding
shall be conducted and a decision made in accordance with Chapter 5
(commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of
the Government Code and the governing board shall have all the power
granted to an agency in that chapter, except that all of the
following shall apply:
(1) The respondent shall file his or her notice of participation,
if any, within five days after service upon him or her of the
District Statement of Reduction in Force and he or she shall be
notified of this five-day period for filing in the District Statement
of Reduction in Force.
(2) The discovery authorized by Section 11507.6 of the Government
Code shall be available only if request is made therefor within 15
days after service of the District Statement of Reduction in Force,
and the notice required by Section 11505 of the Government Code shall
so indicate.
(3) The hearing shall be conducted by an administrative law judge
who shall prepare a proposed decision, containing findings of fact
and a determination as to whether the charges sustained by the
evidence are related to the welfare of the schools and the pupils of
the schools. The proposed decision shall be prepared for the
governing board and shall contain a determination as to the
sufficiency of the cause and a recommendation as to disposition.
However, the governing board shall make the final determination as to
the sufficiency of the cause and disposition. None of the findings,
recommendations, or determinations contained in the proposed decision
prepared by the administrative law judge shall be binding on the
governing board. Nonsubstantive procedural errors committed by the
school district or governing board of the school district shall not
constitute cause for dismissing the charges unless the errors are
prejudicial errors. Copies of the proposed decision shall be
submitted to the governing board and to the employee on or before May
7 of the year in which the proceeding is commenced. All expenses of
the hearing, including the cost of the administrative law judge,
shall be paid by the governing board from the district funds.
(d) Any notice or request shall be deemed sufficient when it is
delivered in person to the employee to whom it is directed, or when
it is deposited in the United States registered mail, postage prepaid
and addressed to the last known address of the employee.
(e) If after a request for hearing pursuant to subdivision (b) a
continuance is granted pursuant to Section 11524 of the Government
Code, the dates prescribed in subdivision (c) that occur on or after
the date of granting the continuance and the date prescribed in
subdivision (c) of Section 44955 that occurs after the date of
granting the continuance shall be extended for a period of time equal
to the continuance.
(f) The governing board may adopt from time to time rules and
procedures not inconsistent with this section as may be necessary to
effectuate this section.