Classified and Certificated Employees – Notification of Reasonable Assurance of Employment for 2015-16 (K-12)

Classified Employees

In order for classified employees who do not work during the summer to be held ineligible for unemployment benefits, section 1253.3 of the Unemployment Insurance Code requires that districts give or send these employees a “letter of reasonable assurance” no later than 30 days prior to the last day of the academic year or term. The Code requires very specific language. The attached sample letters comply with Code requirements.

LEGAL UPDATE

March 27, 2015

To:  Superintendents, Member School Districts (K-12)

From:  Frank Zotter, Jr., Senior Associate General Counsel

Subject:  Classified and Certificated Employees – Notification of Reasonable Assurance of Employment for 2015-16

Memo No. 05-2015

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Classified Employees

In order for classified employees who do not work during the summer to be held ineligible for unemployment benefits, section 1253.3 of the Unemployment Insurance Code  requires that districts give or send these employees a “letter of reasonable assurance” no later than 30 days prior to the last day of  the academic year or term.[1]   The Code requires very specific language. The attached sample letters comply with Code requirements.        

            Letter No. 1   is a sample letter for classified employees who work less than 12 months.

            Letter No. 2   is a sample letter for categorical, special, or federally-funded classified employees who work for less than 12 months.

            Letter No. 3   is a sample letter for classified substitutes to be used if the district has a classified substitute list.

Certificated Employees

It is generally not necessary to send letters of reasonable assurance to regular certificated or administrative employees because they are defined as “professional” employees with either explicit or implied contracts that serve as a “reasonable assurance” of re-employment. Substitute teachers, however, particularly if they are on a list maintained by the District, do not have contracts and we recommend that certificated substitutes who have worked a substantial number of days (10 or more) for the District over the course of the school year also be sent a “letter of reasonable assurance” no later than 30 days prior to the last day of school.

            Letter No. 4   is a sample letter to be used for substitute teachers who are on a substitute list or who have worked a substantial  number of school days in the current year.

General

Districts should be aware that if the economic terms and conditions of an employee’s work change significantly (more than 20% reduction in income) after the recess between school terms, the notice of reasonable assurance does not bar the employee from collecting unemployment insurance. For instance if a summer layoff results in a reduction to a part-time position, the individual may be eligible for unemployment benefits.

Please contact our office with questions regarding this Legal Update or any other legal matter.

The information in this Legal Update is provided as a summary of law and is not intended as legal advice.  Application of the law may vary depending on the particular facts and circumstances at issue.  We, therefore, recommend that you consult legal counsel to advise you on how the law applies to your specific situation.

 

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