[§312-7]  Job-sharing.  (a)  Ajob-sharing program is established within the public library system, subject tothe requirements of this section.

(b)  The state librarian shall announce thejob-sharing program to all full-time employees of the public libraries andshall solicit the voluntary requests of such personnel who may be interested inparticipating in the job-sharing program.

The state librarian, in consultation with therecognized employee bargaining units, shall formulate and adopt guidelines forthe implementation of this section.  Employees who respond to the announcementand others who may request information shall receive a full written descriptionof the terms of the program when the guidelines are finalized and thosedesiring to participate may apply to participate in the program.  The employeeswho apply for participation shall obtain the concurrence of their immediatesupervisor, other appropriate personnel officers, and the state librarian. Those who qualify shall then be interviewed by a personnel officer of thepublic library system.

Upon the selection of a permanent, full-timeemployee for job-sharing, the state librarian shall convert the position of theemployee into two job-sharing positions, one of which shall be filled by theemployee, and the other which shall be filled by either another permanentemployee or by the hiring of a new hire.

A person hired to fill a job-sharing positionshall be recruited according to civil service recruitment procedures and shallpossess the minimum requirements of the full-time position which was convertedinto a job-sharing position under this section.

(c)  Job-sharing is the voluntary sharing of afull-time, permanent employee's position with another employee, with eachworking one-half of the total number of hours of work required and performingone-half of the work required of the respective full-time position, and witheach receiving one-half of the salary to which each is respectively entitledand at least one-half of each employee benefit afforded to full-time employees.

The full-time, permanent employee shall notlose membership in an employee bargaining unit because of participation in thisprogram, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.  Union membership or servicefees paid by job-sharers under this section shall be at a level consistent withusual union membership dues or service fees.  The State's contribution to ajob-sharer's prepaid health, prepaid dental, and any group life insurance plansshall be the same as for full-time employees, any other provision of the law tothe contrary notwithstanding.  Job-sharers shall be covered by chapter 386 andthe applicable provisions of chapter 383.  Nothing in this section shall beconstrued to vest any person with any rights to permanent employment status,whether under civil service or otherwise, which did not exist prior to theparticipation of the person in the job-sharing program.  No full-time positionshall be abolished or reduced to a half-time position except for the purpose ofjob-sharing.  In a reduction-in-force procedure, consideration of ajob-sharer's rights shall be on the same basis as that of a full-timeemployee.  Nothing in this section shall impair the employment or employmentrights or benefits of any employee.

(d)  No job-sharing position committed to aspecified period of time under the terms of the contractual agreement shall beconverted to full-time status before the termination of the contractualagreement.  A job-sharing vacancy created by the resignation, retirement, orother permanent or temporary severance of employment with the public librarysystem on the part of any person may be filled through increasing the remaininghalf-time job-sharing person to full-time employment by mutual agreement, orrecruitment of another person pursuant to this section.

(e)  Upon the termination of the contractualagreement, all job-sharing positions shall be reconverted to full-timepositions, and the employees who held the full-time positions prior to theirparticipation in the job-sharing program under this section shall be entitledto resume their positions without loss of employee rights. [L 1986, c 88, §1]