Article 2. Authority To Hire, Classification, And Compensation of California Government Code >> Title 8. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 2.

(a) Each trial court may establish such job classifications and may appoint such trial court officers, deputies, assistants, and employees as are deemed necessary for the performance of the duties and the exercise of the powers conferred by law upon the trial court and its members.
  (b) Each trial court may appoint an executive or administrative officer who shall hold office at the pleasure of the trial court and shall exercise such administrative powers and perform such other duties as may be required by the trial court. The executive or administrative officer has the authority of a clerk of the trial court. The trial court shall fix the qualifications of the executive or administrative officer and may delegate to him or her any administrative powers and duties required to be exercised by the trial court.

(a) Each trial court may establish and may appoint any subordinate judicial officers that are deemed necessary for the performance of subordinate judicial duties, as authorized by law to be performed by subordinate judicial officers. However, the number and type of subordinate judicial officers in a trial court shall be subject to approval by the Judicial Council. Subordinate judicial officers shall serve at the pleasure of the trial court.
  (b) The appointment or termination of a subordinate judicial officer shall be made by order of the presiding judge or another judge or a committee to whom appointment or termination authority is delegated by the court, and shall be entered in the minutes of the court.
  (c) The Judicial Council shall promulgate rules establishing the minimum qualifications and training requirements for subordinate judicial officers.
  (d) The presiding judge of a superior court may cross-assign one type of subordinate judicial officer to exercise all the powers and perform all the duties authorized by law to be performed by another type of subordinate judicial officer, but only if the person cross-assigned satisfies the minimum qualifications and training requirements for the new assignment established by the Judicial Council pursuant to subdivision (c).
  (e) The superior courts of two or more counties may appoint the same person as court commissioner.
  (f) As of the implementation date of this chapter, all persons who were authorized to serve as subordinate judicial officers pursuant to other provisions of law shall be authorized by this section to serve as subordinate judicial officers at their existing salary rate, which may be a percentage of the salary of a judicial officer.
  (g) A subordinate judicial officer who has been duly appointed and has thereafter retired from service may be assigned by a presiding judge to perform subordinate judicial duties consistent with subdivision (a). The retired subordinate judicial officer shall be subject to the limits, if any, on postretirement service prescribed by the Public Employees' Retirement System, the county defined-benefit retirement system, as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 71624, or any other defined-benefit retirement plan from which the retired officer is receiving benefits. The retired subordinate judicial officer shall be compensated by the assigning court at a rate not to exceed 85 percent of the compensation of a retired judge assigned to a superior court.

(a) The Legislature hereby declares that due to the need to implement the 2011 Realignment Legislation addressing public safety (Chapter 15 of the Statutes of 2011), it is the intent of the Legislature to afford the courts the maximum flexibility to manage the caseload in the manner that is most appropriate to each court.
  (b) Notwithstanding Section 71622, the superior court of any county may appoint as many hearing officers as deemed necessary to conduct parole revocation hearings pursuant to Sections 3000.08 and 3000.09 of the Penal Code and to determine violations of conditions of postrelease supervision pursuant to Section 3455 of the Penal Code, and to perform related duties as authorized by the court. A hearing officer appointed pursuant to this section has the authority to conduct these hearings and to make determinations at those hearings pursuant to applicable law.
  (c) (1) A person is eligible to be appointed a hearing officer pursuant to this section if the person meets one of the following criteria:
  (A) He or she has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least 10 years continuously prior to appointment.
  (B) He or she is or was a judge of a court of record of California within the last five years, or is currently eligible for the assigned judge program.
  (C) He or she is or was a commissioner, magistrate, referee, or hearing officer authorized to perform the duties of a subordinate judicial officer of a court of record of California within the last five years.
  (2) The superior court may prescribe additional minimum qualifications for hearing officers appointed pursuant to this section and may prescribe mandatory training for those hearing officers in addition to any training and education that may be required as judges or employees of the superior court.
  (d) The manner of appointment of a hearing officer pursuant to this section and compensation to be paid to a hearing officer shall be determined by the court. That compensation is within the definition of "court operations" pursuant to Section 77003 and California Rules of Court, rule 10.810.
  (e) The superior courts of two or more counties may appoint the same person as a hearing officer under this section.

(a) Each trial court may establish a salary range for each of its employee classifications. Considerations shall include, but are not limited to, local market conditions and other local compensation-related issues such as difficulty of recruitment or retention.
  (b) All persons who are trial court employees as defined in Section 71601, as of the implementation date of this chapter shall become trial court employees at their existing salary rate. For employees who are represented by a recognized employee organization, salary ranges may be subject to modification pursuant to the terms of a memorandum of understanding or agreement, or upon expiration of an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement subject to meet and confer in good faith. For employees who are not represented by a recognized employee organization, salary ranges may be revised by the trial court. However, as provided in Section 71612, the implementation of this chapter shall not be a cause for the modification of salary ranges by a trial court.

(a) As of July 1, 2001, trial courts shall provide workers' compensation coverage for trial court employees under a workers' compensation program established by the Administrative Office of the Courts or a program selected or approved by the Administrative Office of the Courts. The Judicial Council shall adopt rules of court requiring the Administrative Office of the Courts to establish a workers' compensation program for the trial courts and to provide guidance to the trial courts to ensure that the courts' workers' compensation coverage, including workers' compensation employer liability coverage, meets all legal requirements and is cost-efficient.
  (b) If, as of the implementation date of this chapter, the county provides workers' compensation coverage for trial court employees, the county shall continue to provide the coverage, under the same terms and conditions as coverage was provided immediately preceding implementation of this chapter. This coverage shall continue for a transition period of up to 24 months after the implementation date of this chapter, unless the court gives the county 60 days' notice, or a mutually agreed to period of notice, that the court no longer needs the county to provide the coverage. Subject to approval by the Administrative Office of the Courts, the parties may mutually agree to county-provided coverage beyond the 24-month transition period.
  (c) County provision of workers' compensation coverage for trial court employees shall not be construed to create a meet and confer obligation between the county and any recognized employee organization.

(a) A county that contracts with the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System as of the implementation date of this chapter and the trial court located within that county shall establish a joint contract with the county under Section 20460.1 and subdivision (b) of Section 20469.1 in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the Public Employees' Retirement Law (Part 3 (commencing with Section 20000) of Division 5 of Title 2) and any other applicable rules of the retirement system. Eligibility to participate in the Public Employees' Retirement System shall be determined in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the Public Employees' Retirement Law and any other applicable rules of the retirement system. For all other counties and their corresponding county defined-benefit retirement system, a trial court employee shall be eligible to participate as a member in the existing county defined-benefit retirement system in the county in which the court is located.
  (b) If a trial court employee participates as a member in a county defined-benefit retirement system, his or her participation shall be subject to the applicable statutes, rules, regulations, policies, and plan and contract terms of the retirement system as is any other member of the system. In accordance with these provisions, the trial court employee who is a member of a county defined-benefit retirement system shall have the right to receive the same defined-benefit retirement plan benefits as county employees without the opportunity to meet and confer with the county as to those benefits. For all county defined-benefit systems other than the Public Employees' Retirement System, the trial court shall pay to the county retirement system at the same rate of contribution for trial court employees as is required of the county for county employees under the county retirement system for the same benefit level. Provided that a county and a trial court are parties to a joint contract with CalPERS for the provision of retirement benefits under Sections 20460.1 and 20469.1, the county defined-benefit retirement system contribution rates for the trial court shall be the same as the contribution rates for the county for the same benefit levels.
  (c) Unless otherwise required by law, as provided in Section 71612, the implementation of this chapter shall not be a cause for the modification of the trial court employee's contractual coverage under, or exclusion from, social security.
  (d) To facilitate trial court employee participation in county defined-benefit retirement plans, the trial court and county may mutually agree that the county shall administer the payroll for trial court employees.
  (e) Nothing in this section precludes a trial court from offering a different defined-benefit retirement plan for trial court employees that is separate from the county defined-benefit retirement plan, subject to the terms of a memorandum of understanding or agreement for represented employees, or the terms of trial court policies, procedures, or plans, for unrepresented employees. The mechanism for implementation of these plans shall be created by statute.
  (f) For purposes of this section, "county defined-benefit retirement system" means a defined-benefit retirement system administered by the county or applicable governing body, including systems established pursuant to the Public Employees Retirement Law (Part 3 (commencing with Section 20000) of Division 5 of Title 2), the County Employees' Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 3 of Title 3), or an independent retirement system or plan.
  (g) On the date this chapter is implemented, a trial court employee who is a member of any county defined-benefit retirement system shall continue to be eligible to receive the same level of benefits that the member was eligible to receive prior to implementation of this chapter.

(a) Trial court policies related to accrued leave benefits, including the type and accrual rate of accrued leave benefits, in effect on the implementation date of this chapter shall remain in effect unless modified pursuant to subdivision (c).
  (b) The implementation of this chapter shall not cause a termination of employment and rehire for purposes of accrued leave benefits and shall not result in either the trial court or the county cashing out trial court employees' accrued leave balances. A trial court employee shall retain his or her accrued leave balances upon implementation of this chapter. A trial court employee shall not cash out his or her accrued leave balances solely as a result of implementation of this chapter.
  (c) For employees who are represented by a recognized employee organization, the type and accrual rate of, and policies relating to, accrued leave benefits are subject to modification pursuant to the terms of a memorandum of understanding or agreement, or upon expiration of an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement, or upon revision to personnel, policies, procedures and plans, subject to meet and confer in good faith. For employees who are not represented by a recognized employee organization, the type and accrual rate of, and policies relating to, accrued leave benefits may be revised by the trial court. However, as provided in Section 71612, the implementation of this chapter shall not be a cause for the modification of the type and accrual rate of, and policies relating to, accrued leave benefits.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, with respect to benefits which those persons who are trial court employees on and after the implementation date of this chapter would receive upon retirement, the following provisions shall apply:
  (a) As provided in Section 71612, the implementation of this chapter shall not be a cause for the modification of the level of retiree group insurance benefits accruing to a trial court employee or provided to a retired trial court employee. The level of retiree group insurance benefits accruing to a trial court employee or provided to a retired trial court employee as of the implementation date of this chapter shall remain in effect unless modified pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c). If the same retiree group insurance benefits are not otherwise permitted by law or the vendor, the same level of retiree group insurance benefits shall be provided subject to subdivision (b).
  (b) (1) For employees who are represented by a recognized employee organization, (A) the level of retiree group insurance benefits accruing to a trial court employee or provided to a retired trial court employee pursuant to the terms of a memorandum of understanding or agreement is subject to modification only pursuant to the terms of that memorandum of understanding or agreement, and upon expiration of that memorandum of understanding or agreement, those retiree group insurance benefits may not be modified except pursuant to a subsequent memorandum of understanding or agreement; and (B) the level of retiree group insurance benefits accruing to a trial court employee or provided to a retired trial court employee pursuant only to personnel, policies, procedures, and plans, may be modified by the trial court, subject to meet and confer in good faith.
  (2) For employees who are not represented by a recognized employee organization, the level of retiree group insurance benefits may be revised by the trial court.
  (c) A county shall have the authority to provide retiree group insurance benefits to retired trial court employees. If the county administers retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees or retired trial court employees, or if the trial court contracts with the county to administer retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees or retired trial court employees, a trial court employee or retired trial court employee shall be eligible to participate in county retiree group insurance benefits and plans subject to county retiree group insurance benefit regulations, policies, terms and conditions, and subject to both of the following:
  (1) A trial court employee or retired trial court employee shall have the right to accrual of retiree group insurance benefits, or to receive the same level of retiree group insurance benefits as county employees in similar classifications as designated by the trial court subject to meet and confer in good faith, without the opportunity to meet and confer with the county as to those benefits.
  (2) The level of retiree group insurance benefits accruing to a trial court employee or provided to a retired trial court employee is subject to modification by the county, if the county changes the level of retiree group insurance benefits of county employees in classifications that have been designated as similar classifications pursuant to paragraph (1).
  (d) For purposes of this section:
  (1) "Retiree group insurance benefits" means group insurance benefits which trial court employees would receive upon retirement.
  (2) "County," means the board of supervisors of the county where the trial court is located, or the applicable governing body for the retirement system of such county.
  (e) The trial court shall reimburse the county for the cost of coverage of retired trial court employees in county retiree group insurance benefit plans. The county may charge the trial court for retiree group insurance benefits only the amount that the county is required to pay in excess of the retirement system funding or prefunding of the retiree group insurance benefits. The county and the trial court may agree to an alternative arrangement to fund retiree group insurance benefits.

(a) Any trial court receiving cleaning or maintenance services from persons employed directly by the court or county shall continue to receive those services from persons employed directly by a trial court or county in which the trial court is located.
  (b) If the trial court replaces the county in providing cleaning or maintenance services, county employees who have been providing those services to the trial court have the right, prior to any other hiring by the trial court of persons to provide those services, to, at their own option, transfer employment directly from the county to the trial court without a break in service, either when those services are transferred from the county to the trial court, or anytime within two years from the date of that transfer of services if a vacancy exists at the time of the requested transfer. Furthermore, the trial court and an employee organization may by mutual agreement permit county employees providing cleaning or maintenance services in county facilities other than the trial court the option of transferring to the trial court upon such terms as are agreed upon by the trial court and the employee organization if there is a vacancy that no county employee who has been providing cleaning and maintenance services to the trial court opts to fill.
  (c) If a county employee who provides cleaning or maintenance services to a trial court transfers employment directly from the county to the trial court without a break in service, upon the date of transfer, that employee shall be considered a trial court employee, as defined in Section 71601 subject to all applicable provisions of this chapter.
  (d) The transfer of employment from the county to the trial court under this section shall not be deemed a termination of employment by the county and rehire by the trial court for the purposes of accrued leave benefits, employment seniority, and employment status as a probationary or regular employee. The transfer of employment shall not be the sole cause for a modification of wages or benefits of any kind.

(a) As of the implementation date of this chapter:
  (1) If a trial court employee receives county retiree group insurance benefits pursuant to Section 71626 and that county funds retiree group insurance benefits from excess funds in the county's retirement system, or prefunds retiree group insurance benefits, the county or county retirement board shall administer retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees who retire from the county retirement system. However, the county and the trial court may agree to an alternative arrangement to administer retiree group insurance benefits.
  (2) In all other counties in which the trial court exercises its authority to provide retiree group insurance benefits to its employees, (A) if the trial court administers retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees separately from the county, the trial court shall continue to administer these benefits as provided under existing personnel policies, procedures, plans, or a trial court employee memorandum of understanding or agreement; and (B) if the county administers retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees or if the trial court contracts with the county to administer retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees, the county may continue to administer retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 71626 or the trial court may administer retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees pursuant to the following transition process:
  (i) While an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement remains in effect or for a transition period of up to 24 months, whichever is longer, the county shall administer retiree group insurance benefits for represented trial court employees who retire during that period, as provided in the applicable memorandum of understanding or agreement, unless the county is notified by the trial court pursuant to subparagraph (iv) that the trial court no longer needs the county to administer specified benefits, or the trial court and the county mutually agree that the county will no longer administer specified benefits.
  (ii) For a transition period of up to 24 months after the implementation date of this chapter, the county shall administer retiree group insurance benefits for unrepresented trial court employees who retire during that period, unless notified by the trial court pursuant to subparagraph (iv) that the trial court no longer needs the county to administer specified benefits, or the trial court and the county mutually agree that the county will no longer administer specified benefits. During the 24-month transition period, if the county decides to change how it administers unrepresented trial court employees' retiree group insurance benefits, the county shall provide the trial court with at least 60 days' notice, or a mutually agreed to amount of notice, before any change in the administration of the benefits is implemented so the trial court can decide whether to accept the county's change or consider alternatives and arrange to administer or provide benefits on its own.
  (iii) If, during the 24-month transition period, the trial court decides to offer particular retiree group insurance benefits different from what the county is administering, the trial court shall be responsible for administering those particular retiree group insurance benefits.
  (iv) If the trial court intends to give notice to the county that it no longer needs the county to administer specified retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees, the trial court shall provide the county with at least 60 days' notice, or a mutually agreed to amount of notice.
  (b) A county's agreement to administer retiree group insurance benefits shall not be construed to create a meet and confer obligation between the county and any recognized employee organization.
  (c) Nothing in this section precludes a trial court from offering a different retiree group insurance benefits plan for trial court employees that is separate from the county retiree group insurance benefits plans, subject to the terms of a memorandum of understanding or agreement for represented employees, or the terms of trial court policies, procedures, or plans, for unrepresented employees.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law:
  (a) As provided in Section 71612, the implementation of this chapter shall not be a cause for the modification of the level of federally regulated benefits provided to a trial court employee. The level of federally regulated benefits provided to a trial court employee as of the implementation date of this chapter shall remain in effect unless modified pursuant to subdivision (b). If the same federally regulated benefits are not permitted by law or by the vendor, the same level of federally regulated benefits shall be provided by the trial court subject to the provisions of subdivision (b).
  (b) (1) For employees who are represented by a recognized employee organization, (A) the level of federally regulated benefits accruing to a trial court employee pursuant to the terms of a memorandum of understanding or agreement is subject to modification only pursuant to the terms of that memorandum of understanding or agreement, and upon expiration of that memorandum of understanding or agreement, those federally regulated benefits may not be modified except pursuant to a subsequent memorandum of understanding or agreement; and (B) the level of federally regulated benefits accruing to a trial court employee pursuant only to personnel, policies, procedures, and plans may be modified by the trial court, subject to meet and confer in good faith.
  (2) For employees who are not represented by a recognized employee organization, the level of federally regulated benefits may be revised by the trial court.
  (c) If the county administers federally regulated benefits to trial court employees, or if the trial court contracts with the county to administer federally regulated benefits to trial court employees, a trial court employee shall be eligible to participate in federally regulated benefits subject to federally regulated benefit regulations, policies, terms, and conditions, and subject to both of the following requirements:
  (1) A trial court employee shall have the right to receive the same level of federally regulated benefits as county employees in similar classifications, as designated by the trial court subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith, without the opportunity to meet and confer with the county as to those benefits.
  (2) The level of federally regulated benefits accruing to a trial court is subject to modification by the county if the county changes the level of federally regulated benefits of county employees in classifications that have been designated as similar classifications pursuant to paragraph (1).
  (d) For purposes of this section, "federally regulated benefits" means benefits that provide tax-favored treatment for employees pursuant to federal laws or regulations, including, but not limited to, cafeteria plans under Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code, educational assistance benefits under Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code, and fringe benefits under Section 132 of the Internal Revenue Code, but not including federally-regulated deferred compensation plan benefits provided to trial court employees pursuant to Section 71628.
  (e) As of the implementation date of this chapter:
  (1) If the trial court administers federally regulated benefits for trial court employees separately from the county, the trial court shall administer these benefits as provided under existing personnel policies, procedures, plans, or a memorandum of understanding or agreement applicable to trial court employees.
  (2) If the county administers federally regulated benefits for trial court employees, or if the trial court contracts with the county to administer federally regulated benefits, the following provisions govern the transition of responsibility for administering these benefits to the trial court:
  (A) Until the effective date of the transition of responsibility, the county shall continue to administer represented trial court employees' federally regulated benefits as provided in the memorandum of understanding or agreement and unrepresented trial court employees' federally regulated benefits as provided in personnel policies, procedures, and plans.
  (B) During the period of time between the implementation date of this chapter and the effective date of the transition of responsibility, both the trial court and the county shall cosponsor the federally regulated benefit plan. Cosponsorship shall continue as long as trial court employees are governed by a plan not offered by the trial court, but in no event longer than 18 months after the implementation date of this chapter, or the term of the memorandum of understanding or agreement applicable to trial court employees, whichever is longer, unless the trial court and the county agree to continued cosponsorship.
  (C) If during the cosponsorship period the trial court decides to offer particular benefits that are different from what the county is administering, then the trial court shall be responsible for administering those particular benefits unless the trial court and county agree otherwise.
  (D) The effective date of the transition of responsibility shall coincide with the first day of the applicable federally regulated benefits plan year to ensure that there is no financial impact on the employee or on either employer.
  (f) To facilitate trial court employee participation in county federally regulated benefits plans, the trial court and county may mutually agree that the county shall administer the payroll for trial court employees.
  (g) The trial court shall reimburse the county for the cost of any coverage of trial court employees in county federally regulated benefit plans.
  (h) A county shall have authority to cosponsor federally regulated benefits with a trial court to provide those benefits to trial court employees if those benefits are requested by the trial court subject to county agreement to cosponsor those benefits. A county's agreement to cosponsor those benefits shall not be construed as creating a meet and confer obligation between the county and any recognized trial court employee organization.
  (i) Nothing in this section shall prevent a trial court from offering to trial court employees a future option of participating in other federally regulated benefit plans that may be developed subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law:
  (a) As provided in Section 71612, the implementation of this chapter shall not be a cause for the modification of the level of deferred compensation plan benefits provided to a trial court employee. If the same deferred compensation plan benefits are not permitted by law or the plan vendor, the trial court shall provide other deferred compensation plan benefits at the same level, subject to the provisions of subdivision (b). The level of deferred compensation plan benefits provided to a trial court employee as of the implementation date of this chapter shall remain in effect unless modified pursuant to subdivision (b).
  (b) (1) For employees who are represented by a recognized employee organization, (A) the level of deferred compensation plan benefits accruing to a trial court employee pursuant to the terms of a memorandum of understanding or agreement is subject to modification only pursuant to the terms of that memorandum of understanding or agreement, and upon expiration of that memorandum of understanding or agreement, those deferred compensation plan benefits may not be modified except pursuant to a subsequent memorandum of understanding or agreement; and (B) the level of deferred compensation plan benefits accruing to a trial court employee pursuant only to personnel, policies, procedures, and plans may be modified by the trial court, subject to meet and confer in good faith.
  (2) For employees who are not represented by a recognized employee organization, the level of deferred compensation plan benefits may be modified by the trial court.
  (c) If the county administers deferred compensation plan benefits to trial court employees, or if the trial court contracts with the county to administer deferred compensation plan benefits to trial court employees, a trial court employee shall be eligible to participate in deferred compensation plan benefits subject to deferred compensation plan regulations, policies, terms and conditions, and subject to both of the following:
  (1) A trial court employee shall have the right to receive the same level of deferred compensation plan benefits as county employees in similar classifications, as designated by the trial court subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith, without the opportunity to meet and confer with the county as to those benefits.
  (2) The level of deferred compensation plan benefits accruing to a trial court employee is subject to modification by the county if the county changes the level of deferred compensation plan benefits of county employees in classifications that have been designated as similar classifications pursuant to paragraph (1).
  (d) If the implementation of this chapter causes a change in deferred compensation plans and requires the transfer of trial court employees' plan balances to the trial court's deferred compensation plan, trial court employees shall not suffer a financial loss due to transfer-related penalties, such as deferred sales charges, and any financial loss due to transfer-related penalties shall be borne by the trial court.
  (e) Trial court employees shall continue to be eligible to receive deferred compensation plan benefits from the county or the trial court. For purposes of deferred compensation plans established under Section 401(k) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code, one of the following shall apply:
  (1) If permitted by federal law and deferred compensation plan vendors, trial court employees shall continue to receive federal 401 (k) or 457 deferred compensation plan benefits through county plans unless the trial court modifies its plan benefits pursuant to personnel rules, subject to meet and confer in good faith.
  (2) If not permitted by federal law or deferred compensation plan vendors, the trial court shall provide deferred compensation plan benefits at the same level subject to meet and confer in good faith, in which case upon transition to the new deferred compensation plan, (A) to provide the trial court time to investigate plan options, negotiate plan contracts, and establish plans, there shall be a transition period of at least six months, during which trial court employees shall continue to receive deferred compensation plan benefits from the county; and (B) a county may require that trial court employees leave their plan balances in the county's deferred compensation plan or may transfer trial court employees' plan balances to the trial court's deferred compensation plan.
  (f) To facilitate trial court employee participation in county deferred compensation plans, the trial court and county may mutually agree that the county shall administer the payroll for trial court employees.
  (g) The trial court shall reimburse the county for the cost of any coverage of trial court employees in county deferred compensation plans.
  (h) A county is authorized to amend the documents of a deferred compensation plan established under Section 401(k) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code as necessary to achieve the objectives of this section.
  (i) Nothing in this section precludes the possibility that a trial court employee may have a future option of participating in other deferred compensation plans that may be developed subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith.

Except as provided in Sections 71624, 71625, 71626, 71626.5, 71627, and 71628, and notwithstanding any other provision of law:
  (a) As provided in Section 71612, the implementation of this chapter shall not be a cause for the modification of the level of trial court employment benefits. If the same trial court employment benefits are not permitted by law or the plan vendor, the trial court shall provide other trial court employment benefits at the same level subject to the provisions of subdivision (b). The level of trial court employment benefits provided to a trial court employee as of the implementation date of this chapter shall remain in effect unless modified pursuant to subdivision (b).
  (b) For employees who are represented by a recognized employee organization, the level of trial court employment benefits provided to a trial court employee may not be modified until after the expiration of an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement or a period of 24 months, whichever is longer, unless the trial court and recognized employee organization mutually agree to a modification. For employees who are not represented by a recognized employee organization, the level of trial court employment benefits may be revised by the trial court.
  (c) The trial court shall reimburse the county for the cost of coverage of trial court employees in trial court employment benefit plans. If the county administers trial court employment benefits to trial court employees, or if the trial court contracts with the county to administer trial court employment benefits to trial court employees, a trial court employee shall be eligible to participate in trial court employment benefits subject to trial court employment benefit regulations, policies, terms and conditions, and subject to both of the following:
  (1) A trial court employee shall have the right to receive the same level of trial court employment benefits as county employees in similar classifications, as designated by the trial court subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith, without the opportunity to meet and confer with the county as to those benefits.
  (2) The level of trial court employment benefits accruing to a trial court employee is subject to modification by the county if the county changes the level of the same employment benefits accruing to county employees in classifications that have been designated as similar classification pursuant to paragraph (1).
  (d) As of the implementation date of this chapter:
  (1) If the trial court administers trial court employment benefits to trial court employees separately from the county, the trial court shall continue to administer these benefits as provided under existing personnel policies, procedures, plans, or trial court employee memoranda of understanding or agreements.
  (2) If the county administers trial court employment benefits to trial court employees or if the trial court contracts with the county to administer trial court employment benefits to trial court employees, the county may continue to administer trial court employment benefits to trial court employees pursuant to subdivision (e) or the trial court may administer trial court employment benefits to trial court employees pursuant to the following transition process:
  (A) While an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement remains in effect or for a transition period of 24 months, whichever is longer, the county shall administer trial court employment benefits for represented trial court employees as provided in the applicable memorandum of understanding or agreement, unless the county is notified by the trial court pursuant to subparagraph (D) that the trial court no longer needs the county to administer specified benefits, or the trial court and the county mutually agree that the county will no longer administer specified benefits.
  (B) For a transition period of up to 24 months after the implementation date of this chapter, the county shall administer trial court employment benefits for unrepresented trial court employees, unless notified by the trial court pursuant to subparagraph (D) that the trial court no longer needs the county to administer specified benefits, or the trial court and the county mutually agree that the county will no longer administer specified benefits. During the transition period, if the county intends to change unrepresented trial court employees' trial court employment benefits, the county shall provide the trial court with at least 60 days' notice, or a mutually agreed to amount of notice, before any change in benefits is implemented so the trial court can decide whether to accept the county's change or consider alternatives and arrange to provide benefits on its own.
  (C) If, during the transition period, the trial court decides to offer particular trial court employment benefits that are different from what the county is administering, the trial court shall be responsible for administering those particular benefits.
  (D) If the trial court decides that it no longer needs the county to administer specified trial court employment benefits to trial court employees, the trial court shall provide the county with at least 60 days' notice, or a mutually agreed to amount of notice.
  (e) To facilitate trial court employee participation in county trial court employment benefit plans, the trial court and county may mutually agree that the county shall administer the payroll for trial court employees.
  (f) A county shall have authority to provide trial court employment benefits to trial court employees if those benefits are requested by the trial court and subject to county concurrence to providing those benefits. A county's agreement to provide those benefits shall not be construed to create a meet and confer obligation between the county and any recognized employee organization.
  (g) Nothing in this section shall prevent the trial court from arranging for trial court employees other trial court employment benefits plans subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith.