Notwithstanding any other provision, the governing board of a community college district may establish regulations that allow academic employees to reduce their workload from full-time to part-time duties. The regulations shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following if the employees wish to reduce their workload and maintain retirement benefits pursuant to Section 22713 of this code or § 20900 of the Government Code:

(a) For employees subject to coverage under the Defined Benefit Program under the State Teachers’ Retirement Plan, the regulations shall include all requirements for participation in the reduced workload program pursuant to Section 22713.

(b) For employees subject to coverage under the Public Employees’ Retirement System:

(1) The employee shall have reached the age of 55 prior to reduction in workload.

(2) The employee shall have been employed full time in an academic position or a position requiring certification qualifications, or both, for at least 10 years of which the immediately preceding five years were full-time employment.

(3) During the period immediately preceding a request for a reduction in workload, the employee shall have been employed full time in an academic position or a position requiring certification qualifications, or both, for a total of at least five years without a break in service. For purposes of this subdivision, sabbaticals and other approved leaves of absence shall not constitute a break in service. Time spent on a sabbatical or other approved leave of absence shall not be used in computing the five-year full-time service requirement prescribed by this subdivision.

(4) The option of part-time employment shall be exercised at the request of the employee and can be revoked only with the mutual consent of the employer and the employee.

(5) The minimum part-time employment shall be the equivalent of one-half of the number of days of service required by the employee’s contract of employment during his or her final year of service in a full-time position.

(6) The period of this part-time employment shall not exceed five years.

(7) The period of part-time employment shall not extend beyond the end of the college year during which the employee reaches his or her 70th birthday.

(c) (1) The employee shall be paid a salary that is the pro rata share of the salary he or she would be earning had he or she not elected to exercise the option of part-time employment but shall retain all other rights and benefits for which he or she makes the payments that would be required if he or she remained in full-time employment.

(2) The employee shall receive health benefits as provided in § 53201 of the Government Code in the same manner as a full-time employee.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 298, Sec. 30. (AB 1325) Effective January 1, 2018.)