Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state that employ faculty and provide instruction at the community college campuses they operate. Existing law, for purposes of provisions relating to community college employees, defines an “academic employee” as a person employed by a community college district in a type of service, excluding paraprofessional service, for which minimum qualifications have been established, and thus, for this purpose, the term “academic employee” is synonymous with “certificated employee.”

This bill, at least 2 business days before an academic employee of a community college is placed on involuntary paid administrative leave related to an allegation or allegations of misconduct, would require the employee to be provided with the general nature of the accusations related to the proposed involuntary paid administrative leave and notification in writing of the general nature of the allegation or allegations upon which the decision to place the employee on involuntary paid administrative leave is based, as specified. The bill would provide that the employer should complete its investigation of the accused misconduct and initiate disciplinary proceedings against, or reinstate, the academic employee within 90 days of placing the employee on involuntary paid administrative leave.