SECTIONS 71620-71629

71620.  (a) Each trial court may establish such job classificationsand may appoint such trial court officers, deputies, assistants, andemployees as are deemed necessary for the performance of the dutiesand the exercise of the powers conferred by law upon the trial courtand its members. (b) Each trial court may appoint an executive or administrativeofficer who shall hold office at the pleasure of the trial court andshall exercise such administrative powers and perform such otherduties as may be required by the trial court. The executive oradministrative officer has the authority of a clerk of the trialcourt. The trial court shall fix the qualifications of the executiveor administrative officer and may delegate to him or her anyadministrative powers and duties required to be exercised by thetrial court.71622.  (a) Each trial court may establish and may appoint anysubordinate judicial officers that are deemed necessary for theperformance of subordinate judicial duties, as authorized by law tobe performed by subordinate judicial officers. However, the numberand type of subordinate judicial officers in a trial court shall besubject to approval by the Judicial Council. Subordinate judicialofficers shall serve at the pleasure of the trial court. (b) The appointment or termination of a subordinate judicialofficer shall be made by order of the presiding judge or anotherjudge or a committee to whom appointment or termination authority isdelegated by the court, and shall be entered in the minutes of thecourt. (c) The Judicial Council shall promulgate rules establishing theminimum qualifications and training requirements for subordinatejudicial officers. (d) The presiding judge of a superior court may cross-assign onetype of subordinate judicial officer to exercise all the powers andperform all the duties authorized by law to be performed by anothertype of subordinate judicial officer, but only if the personcross-assigned satisfies the minimum qualifications and trainingrequirements for the new assignment established by the JudicialCouncil pursuant to subdivision (c). (e) The superior courts of two or more counties may appoint thesame person as court commissioner. (f) As of the implementation date of this chapter, all persons whowere authorized to serve as subordinate judicial officers pursuantto other provisions of law shall be authorized by this section toserve as subordinate judicial officers at their existing salary rate,which may be a percentage of the salary of a judicial officer. (g) A subordinate judicial officer who has been duly appointed andhas thereafter retired from service may be assigned by a presidingjudge to perform subordinate judicial duties consistent withsubdivision (a). The retired subordinate judicial officer shall besubject to the limits, if any, on postretirement service prescribedby the Public Employees' Retirement System, the countydefined-benefit retirement system, as defined in subdivision (f) ofSection 71624, or any other defined-benefit retirement plan fromwhich the retired officer is receiving benefits. The retiredsubordinate judicial officer shall be compensated by the assigningcourt at a rate not to exceed 85 percent of the compensation of aretired judge assigned to a superior court.71623.  (a) Each trial court may establish a salary range for eachof its employee classifications. Considerations shall include, butare not limited to, local market conditions and other localcompensation-related issues such as difficulty of recruitment orretention. (b) All persons who are trial court employees as defined inSection 71601, as of the implementation date of this chapter shallbecome trial court employees at their existing salary rate. Foremployees who are represented by a recognized employee organization,salary ranges may be subject to modification pursuant to the terms ofa memorandum of understanding or agreement, or upon expiration of anexisting memorandum of understanding or agreement subject to meetand confer in good faith. For employees who are not represented by arecognized employee organization, salary ranges may be revised by thetrial court. However, as provided in Section 71612, theimplementation of this chapter shall not be a cause for themodification of salary ranges by a trial court.71623.5.  (a) As of July 1, 2001, trial courts shall provide workers'compensation coverage for trial court employees under a workers'compensation program established by the Administrative Office of theCourts or a program selected or approved by the Administrative Officeof the Courts. The Judicial Council shall adopt rules of courtrequiring the Administrative Office of the Courts to establish aworkers' compensation program for the trial courts and to provideguidance to the trial courts to ensure that the courts' workers'compensation coverage, including workers' compensation employerliability coverage, meets all legal requirements and iscost-efficient. (b) If, as of the implementation date of this chapter, the countyprovides workers' compensation coverage for trial court employees,the county shall continue to provide the coverage, under the sameterms and conditions as coverage was provided immediately precedingimplementation of this chapter. This coverage shall continue for atransition period of up to 24 months after the implementation date ofthis chapter, unless the court gives the county 60 days' notice, ora mutually agreed to period of notice, that the court no longer needsthe county to provide the coverage. Subject to approval by theAdministrative Office of the Courts, the parties may mutually agreeto county-provided coverage beyond the 24-month transition period. (c) County provision of workers' compensation coverage for trialcourt employees shall not be construed to create a meet and conferobligation between the county and any recognized employeeorganization.71624.  (a) A county that contracts with the Board of Administrationof the Public Employees' Retirement System as of the implementationdate of this chapter and the trial court located within that countyshall establish a joint contract with the county under Section20460.1 and subdivision (b) of Section 20469.1 in accordance with thepertinent provisions of the Public Employees' Retirement Law (Part 3(commencing with Section 20000) of Division 5 of Title 2) and anyother applicable rules of the retirement system. Eligibility toparticipate in the Public Employees' Retirement System shall bedetermined in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the PublicEmployees' Retirement Law and any other applicable rules of theretirement system. For all other counties and their correspondingcounty defined-benefit retirement system, a trial court employeeshall be eligible to participate as a member in the existing countydefined-benefit retirement system in the county in which the court islocated. (b) If a trial court employee participates as a member in a countydefined-benefit retirement system, his or her participation shall besubject to the applicable statutes, rules, regulations, policies,and plan and contract terms of the retirement system as is any othermember of the system. In accordance with these provisions, the trialcourt employee who is a member of a county defined-benefit retirementsystem shall have the right to receive the same defined-benefitretirement plan benefits as county employees without the opportunityto meet and confer with the county as to those benefits. For allcounty defined-benefit systems other than the Public Employees'Retirement System, the trial court shall pay to the county retirementsystem at the same rate of contribution for trial court employees asis required of the county for county employees under the countyretirement system for the same benefit level. Provided that a countyand a trial court are parties to a joint contract with CalPERS forthe provision of retirement benefits under Sections 20460.1 and20469.1, the county defined-benefit retirement system contributionrates for the trial court shall be the same as the contribution ratesfor the county for the same benefit levels. (c) Unless otherwise required by law, as provided in Section71612, the implementation of this chapter shall not be a cause forthe modification of the trial court employee's contractual coverageunder, or exclusion from, social security. (d) To facilitate trial court employee participation in countydefined-benefit retirement plans, the trial court and county maymutually agree that the county shall administer the payroll for trialcourt employees. (e) Nothing in this section precludes a trial court from offeringa different defined-benefit retirement plan for trial court employeesthat is separate from the county defined-benefit retirement plan,subject to the terms of a memorandum of understanding or agreementfor represented employees, or the terms of trial court policies,procedures, or plans, for unrepresented employees. The mechanism forimplementation of these plans shall be created by statute. (f) For purposes of this section, "county defined-benefitretirement system" means a defined-benefit retirement systemadministered by the county or applicable governing body, includingsystems established pursuant to the Public Employees Retirement Law(Part 3 (commencing with Section 20000) of Division 5 of Title 2),the County Employees' Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencingwith Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 3 of Title 3), or anindependent retirement system or plan. (g) On the date this chapter is implemented, a trial courtemployee who is a member of any county defined-benefit retirementsystem shall continue to be eligible to receive the same level ofbenefits that the member was eligible to receive prior toimplementation of this chapter.71625.  (a) Trial court policies related to accrued leave benefits,including the type and accrual rate of accrued leave benefits, ineffect on the implementation date of this chapter shall remain ineffect unless modified pursuant to subdivision (c). (b) The implementation of this chapter shall not cause atermination of employment and rehire for purposes of accrued leavebenefits and shall not result in either the trial court or the countycashing out trial court employees' accrued leave balances. A trialcourt employee shall retain his or her accrued leave balances uponimplementation of this chapter. A trial court employee shall not cashout his or her accrued leave balances solely as a result ofimplementation of this chapter. (c) For employees who are represented by a recognized employeeorganization, the type and accrual rate of, and policies relating to,accrued leave benefits are subject to modification pursuant to theterms of a memorandum of understanding or agreement, or uponexpiration of an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement,or upon revision to personnel, policies, procedures and plans,subject to meet and confer in good faith. For employees who are notrepresented by a recognized employee organization, the type andaccrual rate of, and policies relating to, accrued leave benefits maybe revised by the trial court. However, as provided in Section71612, the implementation of this chapter shall not be a cause forthe modification of the type and accrual rate of, and policiesrelating to, accrued leave benefits.71626.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, with respect tobenefits which those persons who are trial court employees on andafter the implementation date of this chapter would receive uponretirement, the following provisions shall apply: (a) As provided in Section 71612, the implementation of thischapter shall not be a cause for the modification of the level ofretiree group insurance benefits accruing to a trial court employeeor provided to a retired trial court employee. The level of retireegroup insurance benefits accruing to a trial court employee orprovided to a retired trial court employee as of the implementationdate of this chapter shall remain in effect unless modified pursuantto subdivision (b) or (c). If the same retiree group insurancebenefits are not otherwise permitted by law or the vendor, the samelevel of retiree group insurance benefits shall be provided subjectto subdivision (b). (b) (1) For employees who are represented by a recognized employeeorganization, (A) the level of retiree group insurance benefitsaccruing to a trial court employee or provided to a retired trialcourt employee pursuant to the terms of a memorandum of understandingor agreement is subject to modification only pursuant to the termsof that memorandum of understanding or agreement, and upon expirationof that memorandum of understanding or agreement, those retireegroup insurance benefits may not be modified except pursuant to asubsequent memorandum of understanding or agreement; and (B) thelevel of retiree group insurance benefits accruing to a trial courtemployee or provided to a retired trial court employee pursuant onlyto personnel, policies, procedures, and plans, may be modified by thetrial court, subject to meet and confer in good faith. (2) For employees who are not represented by a recognized employeeorganization, the level of retiree group insurance benefits may berevised by the trial court. (c) A county shall have the authority to provide retiree groupinsurance benefits to retired trial court employees. If the countyadministers retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employeesor retired trial court employees, or if the trial court contractswith the county to administer retiree group insurance benefits totrial court employees or retired trial court employees, a trial courtemployee or retired trial court employee shall be eligible toparticipate in county retiree group insurance benefits and planssubject to county retiree group insurance benefit regulations,policies, terms and conditions, and subject to both of the following: (1) A trial court employee or retired trial court employee shallhave the right to accrual of retiree group insurance benefits, or toreceive the same level of retiree group insurance benefits as countyemployees in similar classifications as designated by the trial courtsubject to meet and confer in good faith, without the opportunity tomeet and confer with the county as to those benefits. (2) The level of retiree group insurance benefits accruing to atrial court employee or provided to a retired trial court employee issubject to modification by the county, if the county changes thelevel of retiree group insurance benefits of county employees inclassifications that have been designated as similar classificationspursuant to paragraph (1). (d) For purposes of this section: (1) "Retiree group insurance benefits" means group insurancebenefits which trial court employees would receive upon retirement. (2) "County," means the board of supervisors of the county wherethe trial court is located, or the applicable governing body for theretirement system of such county. (e) The trial court shall reimburse the county for the cost ofcoverage of retired trial court employees in county retiree groupinsurance benefit plans. The county may charge the trial court forretiree group insurance benefits only the amount that the county isrequired to pay in excess of the retirement system funding orprefunding of the retiree group insurance benefits. The county andthe trial court may agree to an alternative arrangement to fundretiree group insurance benefits.71626.1.  (a) Any trial court receiving cleaning or maintenanceservices from persons employed directly by the court or county shallcontinue to receive those services from persons employed directly bya trial court or county in which the trial court is located. (b) If the trial court replaces the county in providing cleaningor maintenance services, county employees who have been providingthose services to the trial court have the right, prior to any otherhiring by the trial court of persons to provide those services, to,at their own option, transfer employment directly from the county tothe trial court without a break in service, either when thoseservices are transferred from the county to the trial court, oranytime within two years from the date of that transfer of servicesif a vacancy exists at the time of the requested transfer.Furthermore, the trial court and an employee organization may bymutual agreement permit county employees providing cleaning ormaintenance services in county facilities other than the trial courtthe option of transferring to the trial court upon such terms as areagreed upon by the trial court and the employee organization if thereis a vacancy that no county employee who has been providing cleaningand maintenance services to the trial court opts to fill. (c) If a county employee who provides cleaning or maintenanceservices to a trial court transfers employment directly from thecounty to the trial court without a break in service, upon the dateof transfer, that employee shall be considered a trial courtemployee, as defined in Section 71601 subject to all applicableprovisions of this chapter. (d) The transfer of employment from the county to the trial courtunder this section shall not be deemed a termination of employment bythe county and rehire by the trial court for the purposes of accruedleave benefits, employment seniority, and employment status as aprobationary or regular employee. The transfer of employment shallnot be the sole cause for a modification of wages or benefits of anykind.71626.5.  (a) As of the implementation date of this chapter: (1) If a trial court employee receives county retiree groupinsurance benefits pursuant to Section 71626 and that county fundsretiree group insurance benefits from excess funds in the county'sretirement system, or prefunds retiree group insurance benefits, thecounty or county retirement board shall administer retiree groupinsurance benefits to trial court employees who retire from thecounty retirement system. However, the county and the trial court mayagree to an alternative arrangement to administer retiree groupinsurance benefits. (2) In all other counties in which the trial court exercises itsauthority to provide retiree group insurance benefits to itsemployees, (A) if the trial court administers retiree group insurancebenefits to trial court employees separately from the county, thetrial court shall continue to administer these benefits as providedunder existing personnel policies, procedures, plans, or a trialcourt employee memorandum of understanding or agreement; and (B) ifthe county administers retiree group insurance benefits to trialcourt employees or if the trial court contracts with the county toadminister retiree group insurance benefits to trial court employees,the county may continue to administer retiree group insurancebenefits to trial court employees pursuant to subdivision (c) ofSection 71626 or the trial court may administer retiree groupinsurance benefits to trial court employees pursuant to the followingtransition process: (i) While an existing memorandum of understanding or agreementremains in effect or for a transition period of up to 24 months,whichever is longer, the county shall administer retiree groupinsurance benefits for represented trial court employees who retireduring that period, as provided in the applicable memorandum ofunderstanding or agreement, unless the county is notified by thetrial court pursuant to subparagraph (iv) that the trial court nolonger needs the county to administer specified benefits, or thetrial court and the county mutually agree that the county will nolonger administer specified benefits. (ii) For a transition period of up to 24 months after theimplementation date of this chapter, the county shall administerretiree group insurance benefits for unrepresented trial courtemployees who retire during that period, unless notified by the trialcourt pursuant to subparagraph (iv) that the trial court no longerneeds the county to administer specified benefits, or the trial courtand the county mutually agree that the county will no longeradminister specified benefits. During the 24-month transition period,if the county decides to change how it administers unrepresentedtrial court employees' retiree group insurance benefits, the countyshall provide the trial court with at least 60 days' notice, or amutually agreed to amount of notice, before any change in theadministration of the benefits is implemented so the trial court candecide whether to accept the county's change or consider alternativesand arrange to administer or provide benefits on its own. (iii) If, during the 24-month transition period, the trial courtdecides to offer particular retiree group insurance benefitsdifferent from what the county is administering, the trial courtshall be responsible for administering those particular retiree groupinsurance benefits. (iv) If the trial court intends to give notice to the county thatit no longer needs the county to administer specified retiree groupinsurance benefits to trial court employees, the trial court shallprovide the county with at least 60 days' notice, or a mutuallyagreed to amount of notice. (b) A county's agreement to administer retiree group insurancebenefits shall not be construed to create a meet and conferobligation between the county and any recognized employeeorganization. (c) Nothing in this section precludes a trial court from offeringa different retiree group insurance benefits plan for trial courtemployees that is separate from the county retiree group insurancebenefits plans, subject to the terms of a memorandum of understandingor agreement for represented employees, or the terms of trial courtpolicies, procedures, or plans, for unrepresented employees.71627.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law: (a) As provided in Section 71612, the implementation of thischapter shall not be a cause for the modification of the level offederally regulated benefits provided to a trial court employee. Thelevel of federally regulated benefits provided to a trial courtemployee as of the implementation date of this chapter shall remainin effect unless modified pursuant to subdivision (b). If the samefederally regulated benefits are not permitted by law or by thevendor, the same level of federally regulated benefits shall beprovided by the trial court subject to the provisions of subdivision(b). (b) (1) For employees who are represented by a recognized employeeorganization, (A) the level of federally regulated benefits accruingto a trial court employee pursuant to the terms of a memorandum ofunderstanding or agreement is subject to modification only pursuantto the terms of that memorandum of understanding or agreement, andupon expiration of that memorandum of understanding or agreement,those federally regulated benefits may not be modified exceptpursuant to a subsequent memorandum of understanding or agreement;and (B) the level of federally regulated benefits accruing to a trialcourt employee pursuant only to personnel, policies, procedures, andplans may be modified by the trial court, subject to meet and conferin good faith. (2) For employees who are not represented by a recognized employeeorganization, the level of federally regulated benefits may berevised by the trial court. (c) If the county administers federally regulated benefits totrial court employees, or if the trial court contracts with thecounty to administer federally regulated benefits to trial courtemployees, a trial court employee shall be eligible to participate infederally regulated benefits subject to federally regulated benefitregulations, policies, terms, and conditions, and subject to both ofthe following requirements: (1) A trial court employee shall have the right to receive thesame level of federally regulated benefits as county employees insimilar classifications, as designated by the trial court subject tothe obligation to meet and confer in good faith, without theopportunity to meet and confer with the county as to those benefits. (2) The level of federally regulated benefits accruing to a trialcourt is subject to modification by the county if the county changesthe level of federally regulated benefits of county employees inclassifications that have been designated as similar classificationspursuant to paragraph (1). (d) For purposes of this section, "federally regulated benefits"means benefits that provide tax-favored treatment for employeespursuant to federal laws or regulations, including, but not limitedto, cafeteria plans under Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code,educational assistance benefits under Section 127 of the InternalRevenue Code, and fringe benefits under Section 132 of the InternalRevenue Code, but not including federally-regulated deferredcompensation plan benefits provided to trial court employees pursuantto Section 71628. (e) As of the implementation date of this chapter: (1) If the trial court administers federally regulated benefitsfor trial court employees separately from the county, the trial courtshall administer these benefits as provided under existing personnelpolicies, procedures, plans, or a memorandum of understanding oragreement applicable to trial court employees. (2) If the county administers federally regulated benefits fortrial court employees, or if the trial court contracts with thecounty to administer federally regulated benefits, the followingprovisions govern the transition of responsibility for administeringthese benefits to the trial court: (A) Until the effective date of the transition of responsibility,the county shall continue to administer represented trial courtemployees' federally regulated benefits as provided in the memorandumof understanding or agreement and unrepresented trial courtemployees' federally regulated benefits as provided in personnelpolicies, procedures, and plans. (B) During the period of time between the implementation date ofthis chapter and the effective date of the transition ofresponsibility, both the trial court and the county shall cosponsorthe federally regulated benefit plan. Cosponsorship shall continue aslong as trial court employees are governed by a plan not offered bythe trial court, but in no event longer than 18 months after theimplementation date of this chapter, or the term of the memorandum ofunderstanding or agreement applicable to trial court employees,whichever is longer, unless the trial court and the county agree tocontinued cosponsorship. (C) If during the cosponsorship period the trial court decides tooffer particular benefits that are different from what the county isadministering, then the trial court shall be responsible foradministering those particular benefits unless the trial court andcounty agree otherwise. (D) The effective date of the transition of responsibility shallcoincide with the first day of the applicable federally regulatedbenefits plan year to ensure that there is no financial impact on theemployee or on either employer. (f) To facilitate trial court employee participation in countyfederally regulated benefits plans, the trial court and county maymutually agree that the county shall administer the payroll for trialcourt employees. (g) The trial court shall reimburse the county for the cost of anycoverage of trial court employees in county federally regulatedbenefit plans. (h) A county shall have authority to cosponsor federally regulatedbenefits with a trial court to provide those benefits to trial courtemployees if those benefits are requested by the trial court subjectto county agreement to cosponsor those benefits. A county'sagreement to cosponsor those benefits shall not be construed ascreating a meet and confer obligation between the county and anyrecognized trial court employee organization. (i) Nothing in this section shall prevent a trial court fromoffering to trial court employees a future option of participating inother federally regulated benefit plans that may be developedsubject to the obligation to meet and confer in good faith.71628.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law: (a) As provided in Section 71612, the implementation of thischapter shall not be a cause for the modification of the level ofdeferred compensation plan benefits provided to a trial courtemployee. If the same deferred compensation plan benefits are not permittedby law or the plan vendor, the trial court shall provide otherdeferred compensation plan benefits at the same level, subject to theprovisions of subdivision (b). The level of deferred compensationplan benefits provided to a trial court employee as of theimplementation date of this chapter shall remain in effect unlessmodified pursuant to subdivision (b). (b) (1) For employees who are represented by a recognized employeeorganization, (A) the level of deferred compensation plan benefitsaccruing to a trial court employee pursuant to the terms of amemorandum of understanding or agreement is subject to modificationonly pursuant to the terms of that memorandum of understanding oragreement, and upon expiration of that memorandum of understanding oragreement, those deferred compensation plan benefits may not bemodified except pursuant to a subsequent memorandum of understandingor agreement; and (B) the level of deferred compensation planbenefits accruing to a trial court employee pursuant only topersonnel, policies, procedures, and plans may be modified by thetrial court, subject to meet and confer in good faith. (2) For employees who are not represented by a recognized employeeorganization, the level of deferred compensation plan benefits maybe modified by the trial court. (c) If the county administers deferred compensation plan benefitsto trial court employees, or if the trial court contracts with thecounty to administer deferred compensation plan benefits to trialcourt employees, a trial court employee shall be eligible toparticipate in deferred compensation plan benefits subject todeferred compensation plan regulations, policies, terms andconditions, and subject to both of the following: (1) A trial court employee shall have the right to receive thesame level of deferred compensation plan benefits as county employeesin similar classifications, as designated by the trial court subjectto the obligation to meet and confer in good faith, without theopportunity to meet and confer with the county as to those benefits. (2) The level of deferred compensation plan benefits accruing to atrial court employee is subject to modification by the county if thecounty changes the level of deferred compensation plan benefits ofcounty employees in classifications that have been designated assimilar classifications pursuant to paragraph (1). (d) If the implementation of this chapter causes a change indeferred compensation plans and requires the transfer of trial courtemployees' plan balances to the trial court's deferred compensationplan, trial court employees shall not suffer a financial loss due totransfer-related penalties, such as deferred sales charges, and anyfinancial loss due to transfer-related penalties shall be borne bythe trial court. (e) Trial court employees shall continue to be eligible to receivedeferred compensation plan benefits from the county or the trialcourt. For purposes of deferred compensation plans established underSection 401(k) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code, one of thefollowing shall apply: (1) If permitted by federal law and deferred compensation planvendors, trial court employees shall continue to receive federal 401(k) or 457 deferred compensation plan benefits through county plansunless the trial court modifies its plan benefits pursuant topersonnel rules, subject to meet and confer in good faith. (2) If not permitted by federal law or deferred compensation planvendors, the trial court shall provide deferred compensation planbenefits at the same level subject to meet and confer in good faith,in which case upon transition to the new deferred compensation plan,(A) to provide the trial court time to investigate plan options,negotiate plan contracts, and establish plans, there shall be atransition period of at least six months, during which trial courtemployees shall continue to receive deferred compensation planbenefits from the county; and (B) a county may require that trialcourt employees leave their plan balances in the county's deferredcompensation plan or may transfer trial court employees' planbalances to the trial court's deferred compensation plan. (f) To facilitate trial court employee participation in countydeferred compensation plans, the trial court and county may mutuallyagree that the county shall administer the payroll for trial courtemployees. (g) The trial court shall reimburse the county for the cost of anycoverage of trial court employees in county deferred compensationplans. (h) A county is authorized to amend the documents of a deferredcompensation plan established under Section 401(k) or 457 of theInternal Revenue Code as necessary to achieve the objectives of thissection. (i) Nothing in this section precludes the possibility that a trialcourt employee may have a future option of participating in otherdeferred compensation plans that may be developed subject to theobligation to meet and confer in good faith.71629.  Except as provided in Sections 71624, 71625, 71626, 71626.5,71627, and 71628, and notwithstanding any other provision of law: (a) As provided in Section 71612, the implementation of thischapter shall not be a cause for the modification of the level oftrial court employment benefits. If the same trial court employmentbenefits are not permitted by law or the plan vendor, the trial courtshall provide other trial court employment benefits at the samelevel subject to the provisions of subdivision (b). The level oftrial court employment benefits provided to a trial court employee asof the implementation date of this chapter shall remain in effectunless modified pursuant to subdivision (b). (b) For employees who are represented by a recognized employeeorganization, the level of trial court employment benefits providedto a trial court employee may not be modified until after theexpiration of an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement ora period of 24 months, whichever is longer, unless the trial courtand recognized employee organization mutually agree to amodification. For employees who are not represented by a recognizedemployee organization, the level of trial court employment benefitsmay be revised by the trial court. (c) The trial court shall reimburse the county for the cost ofcoverage of trial court employees in trial court employment benefitplans. If the county administers trial court employment benefits totrial court employees, or if the trial court contracts with thecounty to administer trial court employment benefits to trial courtemployees, a trial court employee shall be eligible to participate intrial court employment benefits subject to trial court employmentbenefit regulations, policies, terms and conditions, and subject toboth of the following: (1) A trial court employee shall have the right to receive thesame level of trial court employment benefits as county employees insimilar classifications, as designated by the trial court subject tothe obligation to meet and confer in good faith, without theopportunity to meet and confer with the county as to those benefits. (2) The level of trial court employment benefits accruing to atrial court employee is subject to modification by the county if thecounty changes the level of the same employment benefits accruing tocounty employees in classifications that have been designated assimilar classification pursuant to paragraph (1). (d) As of the implementation date of this chapter: (1) If the trial court administers trial court employment benefitsto trial court employees separately from the county, the trial courtshall continue to administer these benefits as provided underexisting personnel policies, procedures, plans, or trial courtemployee memoranda of understanding or agreements. (2) If the county administers trial court employment benefits totrial court employees or if the trial court contracts with the countyto administer trial court employment benefits to trial courtemployees, the county may continue to administer trial courtemployment benefits to trial court employees pursuant to subdivision(e) or the trial court may administer trial court employment benefitsto trial court employees pursuant to the following transitionprocess: (A) While an existing memorandum of understanding or agreementremains in effect or for a transition period of 24 months, whicheveris longer, the county shall administer trial court employmentbenefits for represented trial court employees as provided in theapplicable memorandum of understanding or agreement, unless thecounty is notified by the trial court pursuant to subparagraph (D)that the trial court no longer needs the county to administerspecified benefits, or the trial court and the county mutually agreethat the county will no longer administer specified benefits. (B) For a transition period of up to 24 months after theimplementation date of this chapter, the county shall administertrial court employment benefits for unrepresented trial courtemployees, unless notified by the trial court pursuant tosubparagraph (D) that the trial court no longer needs the county toadminister specified benefits, or the trial court and the countymutually agree that the county will no longer administer specifiedbenefits. During the transition period, if the county intends tochange unrepresented trial court employees' trial court employmentbenefits, the county shall provide the trial court with at least 60days' notice, or a mutually agreed to amount of notice, before anychange in benefits is implemented so the trial court can decidewhether to accept the county's change or consider alternatives andarrange to provide benefits on its own. (C) If, during the transition period, the trial court decides tooffer particular trial court employment benefits that are differentfrom what the county is administering, the trial court shall beresponsible for administering those particular benefits. (D) If the trial court decides that it no longer needs the countyto administer specified trial court employment benefits to trialcourt employees, the trial court shall provide the county with atleast 60 days' notice, or a mutually agreed to amount of notice. (e) To facilitate trial court employee participation in countytrial court employment benefit plans, the trial court and county maymutually agree that the county shall administer the payroll for trialcourt employees. (f) A county shall have authority to provide trial courtemployment benefits to trial court employees if those benefits arerequested by the trial court and subject to county concurrence toproviding those benefits. A county's agreement to provide thosebenefits shall not be construed to create a meet and conferobligation between the county and any recognized employeeorganization. (g) Nothing in this section shall prevent the trial court fromarranging for trial court employees other trial court employmentbenefits plans subject to the obligation to meet and confer in goodfaith.