Trial Court Employment Protection and Governance Act

Section 71600 provides that this law may be cited as the Trial Court Employment Protection and Governance Act.

Section 71601 defines the following terms: “appointment,” “employee organization,” “hiring,” “mediation,” “meet and confer in good faith,” “personnel rules, “personal policies, procedures, and plans,” “rules and regulations,” “promotion,” “recognized employee organization,” “subordinate judicial officer,” “transfer,” “trial court,” and “trial court employee.”

Section 71612 provides that the enactment of this act is not a cause for the modification or elimination of any existing wages, hours, or terms and conditions of employment of trial court employees. However, the enactment of this act does not prevent the modification or elimination of existing wages, hours or terms and conditions of employment through the meet and confer in good faith process.

Section 71615 specifies that representatives of a trial court and representatives of recognized employee organizations may mutually agree to an implementation date of this section.

In addition, all persons who meet the definition of trial court employee became trial court employees at their existing or equivalent classifications; employment seniority of a trial court employee was calculated and used in the same manner by the trial court; and a trial court employee had the same status he or she had as a probationary, permanent, or regular employee under the system in effect prior to January 1, 2004.

Section 71616 provides that, if any provision of this law is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or application of the chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application and, to this end the provisions of this chapter are severable.

Section 71618 contains a legislative finding and declaration that the status, rights, and protections provided to court employees under this chapter constitute a matter of statewide concern and so this law is applicable to all counties.