(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the effective date of this section shall be January 1, 2004.

(b) Representatives of a trial court and representatives of recognized employee organizations may mutually agree to an implementation date of this section later than January 1, 2004. However, if any provisions of this chapter are governed by an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement covering trial court employees, as to those provisions the implementation date shall be either the date a successor memorandum of understanding or agreement is effective or, if no agreement for a successor memorandum of understanding or agreement is reached, 90 days from the date of the expiration of the predecessor memorandum of understanding or agreement, unless representatives of the trial court and representatives of recognized employee organizations mutually agree otherwise.

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(c) As of the implementation date of this chapter, all of the following shall apply:

(1) All persons who meet the definition of trial court employee shall become trial court employees at their existing or equivalent classifications.

(2) Employment seniority of a trial court employee, as calculated and used under the system in effect prior to the implementation of this act, shall be calculated and used in the same manner by the trial court.

(3) A trial court employee shall have the same status he or she had as a probationary, permanent, or regular employee under the system in effect prior to January 1, 2004. A probationary employee shall not be required to serve a new probationary period and shall continue the existing probationary period under the terms of hire.

(4) Subject to the agreement of the county, and unless prohibited or limited by charter provisions, the policies regarding transfer between the trial court and the county that are in place as of January 1, 2004, shall be continued while an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement remains in effect or for two years, whichever is longer, and any further rights of trial court employees to transfer between the trial court and the county shall be subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith at the local level between representatives of the trial court and representatives of recognized employee organizations and local negotiation between the trial court and the county. Subject to the agreement of the county, and unless prohibited or limited by charter provisions, the policies regarding the portability of seniority, accrued leave credits, and leave accrual rates that are in effect January 1, 2004, shall be continued if trial court or county employees transfer between the trial court and the county or the county and the trial court while an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement remains in effect, or for a period of two years, whichever is longer. Any further right of trial court employees to portability is subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith between representatives of the trial court and representatives of recognized employee organizations and local negotiation between the trial court and the county.

(5) Each trial court shall be deemed the successor employer of all trial court employees in the county in which the trial court is located.

(d) In establishing local personnel structures for trial court employees in accordance with this chapter, the trial court shall comply with contractual obligations, and consideration shall be given to minimizing disruption of the trial court workforce and protecting the rights accrued by trial court employees under their current systems. However, prior contractual obligations and rights may be reconsidered subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith, provided both parties give consideration to past contractual obligations and rights.

(e) Unrepresented trial court employees are governed by a trial court’s personnel policies, procedures, and plans. The implementation of this section may not be a cause for changing a trial court’s personnel policies, procedures, and plans applicable to unrepresented trial court employees except where required to bring those policies, procedures, and plans into conformity with this chapter. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this section, a trial court retains all existing rights with respect to revising its personnel policies, procedures, and plans as applied to unrepresented trial court employees.

(f) Upon implementation of this section in a trial court, Sections 68650 to 68655, inclusive, and Rules 10.650 to 10.659, inclusive, of the California Rules of Court, shall be inoperative as to that trial court.

(g) Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of subdivision (c), both of the following shall apply:

(1) Unless prohibited or limited by charter provisions, the policies regarding transfer between either the trial court and the county or the county and the trial court that were in effect as of January 1, 2001, shall be continued while an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement remains in effect or until January 1, 2005, whichever period is longer. Thereafter, any rights of trial court employees to transfer between the trial court and the county shall be subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith at the local level between representatives of the trial court and representatives of recognized employee organizations, and local negotiation between the trial court and the county.

(2) Unless prohibited or limited by charter provisions, the policies regarding the portability of seniority, accrued leave credits, and leave accrual rates that were in effect on January 1, 2001, shall be continued if trial court or county employees transfer between either the trial court and the county or the county and the trial court while an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement remains in effect, or until January 1, 2005, whichever period is longer. Thereafter, any right of trial court employees to portability is subject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith between representatives of the trial court and representatives of recognized employee organizations and local negotiation between the trial court and the county.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 130, Sec. 137. Effective January 1, 2008.)