CA SB1085

Public employers must grant reasonable leaves of absence without loss of compensation or benefits to employees serving as stewards or officers of their exclusive bargaining representative or affiliated statewide/national employee organizations.

Leave may be granted on a full-time, part-time, periodic, or intermittent basis as mutually agreed between the employer and exclusive representative.

The exclusive representative or employee organization must reimburse the public employer for all compensation paid during leave within 30 days, unless a collective bargaining agreement or memorandum of understanding provides otherwise.

Employees on leave maintain the right to reinstatement to their same position and work location, or a substantially similar position, without loss of seniority, rank, or classification upon return.

Compensation during leave includes employer retirement fund contributions and employees earn full service credit while maintaining responsibility for membership contributions unless the employer agrees otherwise.