The county, the hospital authority, the governing board, employees of the county working at General Hospital or the Family Care Centers, and employees of the hospital authority shall comply with the following requirements, in addition to any general requirements of law that are not inconsistent with the following requirements:

(a)  Any transfer of functions from county employee classifications to a hospital authority established pursuant to this section shall result in the recognition by the hospital authority of the employee organization that represented the classifications performing those functions at the time of the transfer.

(b)  In exercising its powers to employ personnel, as set forth in Section 101840, the board of supervisors shall adopt, and the hospital shall implement, a personnel transition plan. The personnel transition plan shall require all of the following:

(1)  Ongoing communications to employees and recognized employee organizations regarding the impact of the transition on existing General Hospital and Family Care Centers employees and employee classifications.

(2)  Meeting and conferring on all of the following issues:

(A)  The timeframe for which the transfer of personnel shall occur. The timeframe shall be subject to modification by the board of supervisors as appropriate, but in no event shall it exceed one year from the effective date of transfer of governance from the board of supervisors to the hospital authority.

(B)  A specified period of time during which employees of the county impacted by the transfer of governance may elect to be appointed to vacant positions with the county for which they are qualified.

(C)  A specified period of time during which employees of the county impacted by the transfer of governance may elect to be considered for reinstatement into positions with the county for which they are qualified and eligible.

(D)  The possible preservation of pensions, health benefits, and other applicable accrued benefits of employees of the county impacted by the transfer of governance. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the personnel transition plan may provide for participation by hospital authority employees in the San Luis Obispo County Pension Trust.

(c)  Nothing in subdivision (b) shall be construed as prohibiting the hospital authority from determining the number of employees, the number of full-time equivalent positions, the job descriptions, and the nature and extent of classified employment positions, subject to all applicable laws and regulations for licensed medical providers.

(d)  Employees of the hospital authority are public employees for purposes of Division 3.6 (commencing with Section 810) of Title 1 of the Government Code relating to claims and actions against public entities and public employees.

(e)  Any hospital authority created pursuant to this chapter shall have sole authority to negotiate memorandums of understanding with appropriate employee organizations.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 899, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2000.)