A CFT-sponsored bill would standardize the layoff notice and hearing process in an equitable way for all school employees. Assembly Bill 438 by Majority Leader Eloise Reyes (D-San Bernardino) would make the layoff process for classified staff the same as it is for teachers.

Districts are familiar with the March 15 layoff notice and hearing requirements because they already use it for teachers and certificated administrators. AB 438 would simply require districts to do the same for classified staff. It would ask districts to plan ahead instead of accounting for their certificated staff, and using the more vulnerable staff, the classified employees, to balance their budgets.

Nearly 80 percent of classified employees are women. They are the most diverse group of employees working in our schools and are the least paid. Those making the least should not have to absorb all the cuts while other employees are protected.

“AB 438 advances the process in an equitable way for all employees,” CFT wrote in a letter to legislators. “Students and parents suffer when classified employees are laid off at least as much as when a teacher or administrator is laid off, especially special education students served by our paraeducators.”

CFT co-sponsored AB 438, which will come before the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee.

CFT is also supporting Assembly Bill 275 by Jose Medina (D-Riverside), which would align the probation period for community college staff in non-merit and merit districts. AB 275 will reduce probation in non-merit districts from one year to six months.

Two years ago, AB 1353 reduced probation for K-12 staff in non-merit districts from one year to six months, on a par with classified employees in merit districts. Community college staff in non-merit districts, however, were inadvertently left out. AB 275 will correct this oversight and provide parity for community college staff.