Employees of the superior court in each county of the first class shall be entitled to step advancement, vacation, sick leave, holiday benefits and other leaves of absence and other benefits as may be directed by rules of the court. Where statutes require implementation by local ordinances for the extension of benefits to local officers and employees, these may be made applicable by rule to court personnel, including, but not limited to, jurors and judges.

These benefits shall also include the same lump sum payments for sick leave and vacation for the superior court employees when they are separated from the service as are made to county employees of the county; except that lump-sum payments to court commissioners when separated from the service of the superior court shall be limited to accrued vacation if any, as is provided by local rule of court, exclusive of accrued sick leave.

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Court employees under this section shall have the right to transfer to other departments in the county government, subject to the approval of the board of supervisors, the county charter, and other usual conditions that may be placed upon the transfer, including, but not limited to, a requirement that the transferee successfully complete an appropriate civil service examination. The right of transfer shall not give any employee any additional rights by reason of their employment with the court, other than those to which they would have been entitled if the employment had been with a different department of the county government.

Employment by the court shall be deemed to be employment by the county, if approved by rule of court, for the purpose of determining a court employee’s rights with respect to a county’s ordinances providing for salary step advancements and other employee benefits and rights, including, but not limited to, amount of compensation, vacations, sick leave, and accumulated sick leave.

In any such county, attachés may be voluntarily transferred from a position in one judicial district to a position in another within the county and promoted or voluntarily demoted from a position in one judicial district to a position in another within the county in substantially the same manner as transfers, demotions and promotions are authorized generally in county departments or between departments of the county.

Rules of the court may include other matters pertaining to the general administration of the court, including conditions of employment of court personnel, including, but not limited to, jurors and judges. When rules are adopted by a majority of the judges and filed with the Judicial Council, they shall have the same status as other rules of court adopted pursuant to Section 68070.

When requested to do so by the court, the county shall, through the county civil service commission, furnish to the court services as may be required in connection with the recruitment and employment of court officers and employees.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 478, Sec. 45. (AB 1756) Effective January 1, 2024.)