Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: workweek hours.

Existing law, the Ralph C. Dills Act, grants state employees the right to form and join employee organizations for the purpose of representation of all matters of employer-employee relations. Existing law establishes procedures by which an agreement in the form of a written memorandum of understanding may be reached between the Governor and the recognized employee organization, and presented, as appropriate, to the Legislature for determination. Existing law establishes that it is the policy of the state that the normal workweek of permanent employees in fire suppression classes of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection not exceed 84 hours per week. Existing law authorizes work in excess of the designated normal workweek to be compensated in cash or time off in accordance with department regulations. Under existing law, if these provisions conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding, then the memorandum of understanding generally controls without further legislative action. This bill would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to implement a 56-hour maximum workweek for firefighters in State Bargaining Unit 8 who are employed by the department in order to recruit and retain the highest qualified and skilled firefighters. The bill would require the department to work with the Department of Human Resources to implement the changes necessary to comply with these maximum workweek provisions on or before December 1, 2026.