(a) (1) No later than March 15 and before a classified employee is given notice by the governing board of the community college district that the classified employee’s services will not be required for the ensuing year, the governing board of the community college district and the employee shall be given written notice by the superintendent of the community college district or the superintendent’s designee, or, in the case of a community college district that has no superintendent, by the clerk or secretary of the governing board of the community college district, that it has been recommended that the notice be given to the employee, and stating the reasons therefor.

(2) Until the classified employee has requested a hearing as provided in subdivision (b) or has waived their 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) A classified employee may request a hearing to determine if there is cause for not reemploying the employee for the ensuing year. A request for a hearing shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the person who sent the notice, on or before a date specified in subdivision (a), 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, this failure to do so shall constitute waiver of the employee’s 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 a classified employee under subdivision (b), 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 of a community college district shall have all the powers granted to an agency in that chapter, except that all of the following shall apply:

(1) The respondent shall file their notice of defense, if any, within five days after service upon the respondent of the accusation and the respondent shall be notified of this five-day period for filing the accusation.

(2) The discovery authorized by § 11507.6 of the Government Code shall be available only if a request is made for discovery within 15 days after service of the accusation, and the notice required by § 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 colleges and the students thereof. The proposed decision shall be prepared for the governing board of the community college and shall contain a determination as to the sufficiency of the cause and a recommendation as to disposition. However, the governing board of the community college 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 of the community college or on any court in future litigation. Copies of the proposed decision shall be submitted to the governing board of the community college and to the classified 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 of the community college from community college district funds.

(4) An employee may be represented at the hearing by an attorney or by a nonattorney representative of the employee organization designated as the exclusive representative of the employees in the employee’s classification, if any.

(d) (1) The determination of the governing board of a community college district to not reemploy a classified employee for the ensuing college year shall be for cause only. The determination of the governing board of the community college district as to the sufficiency of the cause pursuant to this section shall be conclusive, but the cause shall relate solely to the welfare of the colleges and the students thereof and provided that cause is a bona fide lack of funds or reduction in services. The decision made after the hearing shall be effective on May 15 of the year the proceeding is commenced.

(2) For purposes of this section, “cause” for layoff includes community college district compliance with the seniority requirements of this code, including Section 88127.

(e) Notice of termination to the classified employee by the governing board of the community college district that the employee’s service will not be required for the ensuing year shall be given no later than May 15.

(f) If the governing board of a community college district notifies a classified employee that the employee’s services will not be required for the ensuing year, the governing board of the community college district, within 10 days after receipt of the employee’s written request, shall provide the employee with a statement of its reasons for not reemploying the employee for the ensuing college year.

(g) Any notice or request under this section 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.

(h) (1) If the governing board of a community college district does not give notice provided for in subdivision (e) on or before May 15, a permanent employee shall be deemed reemployed for the ensuing college year, except that this section shall not be construed to interfere with the right of a district to release probationary employees who never become permanent without notice or hearing.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, “permanent employee” includes an employee who was permanent at the time the notice or right to a hearing was required and an employee who became permanent after the date of the required notice.

(i) If, after request for hearing pursuant to subdivision (b), any continuance is granted pursuant to § 11524 of the Government Code, the dates prescribed in subdivisions (c), (d), (e), and (h) that occur on or after the date of granting the continuance shall be extended for a period of time equal to the continuance.

(j) (1) A classified employee shall not be laid off if a short-term employee is retained to render a service that the classified employee is qualified to render. This subdivision does not create a layoff notice requirement for any individual hired as a short-term employee, as defined in Section 88003, for a period not exceeding 60 days.

(2) This subdivision does not apply to the retention of a short-term employee, as defined in Section 88003, who is hired for a period not exceeding 60 days after which the short-term service may not be extended or renewed.

(k) Notwithstanding the other requirements of this code respecting layoff of permanent classified employees, when classified positions must be eliminated as a result of the expiration of a specially funded program, the employees to be laid off shall be given written notice not less than 60 days prior to the effective date of their layoff informing them of their layoff date and their displacement rights, if any, and reemployment rights.

(l) If, after January 1, 2021, the Legislature provides academic employees with any additional rights to notice or hearing as to layoffs, then permanent classified employees and those who become permanent classified employees shall be afforded the same rights by the community college district.

(m) The governing board of a community college district may adopt, from time to time, rules and procedures not inconsistent with this section that may be necessary to effectuate this section.

(n) This section shall apply to districts that have adopted the merit system in the same manner and effect as if it were a part of Article 3 (commencing with Section 88060) of this chapter.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 571, Sec. 42. (AB 185) Effective September 27, 2022.)