Section 71626 Of Article 2. Authority To Hire, Classification, And Compensation From California Government Code >> Title 8. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 2.
71626
. 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.