Statute 76-715a: Conversion of certain employees to the
unclassified service.
(a) The state board of regents, in accordance with the
provisions of this section, may authorize any state
institution of higher education to convert all classified staff employee
positions
or any portion thereof
in the institution to the unclassified service of state employment.
Those classified staff employees whose positions are converted from classified
to unclassified status shall retain all health and flexible benefits and leave
and retirement benefits provided to them under the state classified employee
system. Each institution designated by the board shall develop a plan for a
system for
administration of all other aspects of employment for these employees,
including personnel policies and procedures, and each such system of
administration shall be subject to approval by the state board of regents.
Such personnel policies
and procedures shall include a disciplinary and grievance process which
provides for the right to appeal and due process procedures.
Development of such plan shall be subject
to
input from affected classified employees.
Implementation of this section shall not cause a salary reduction or layoff of
any
classified employee.
This section shall not be implemented by the state board of regents at any
state institution of higher education unless an election has been held for
classified staff employees affected by such proposal at such institution and
the classified staff employees voting at the election by majority vote approve
the conversion of the classified staff employee positions affected by such
proposal at that institution to unclassified positions.
Any such election held after the effective date of this act shall be preceded
by an official announcement providing at least 90 days notice of the date, time
and place of the election. After a vote of approval, the state educational
institution shall provide all affected employees with opportunities for input
into the development of the plan that
is to be presented to the state board of regents.
(b) For the limited purposes of this section, and K.S.A. 74-4925, and
amendments thereto, these newly designated unclassified employees shall be
referred to as "university support staff" and the university of Kansas medical
center shall be considered a state institution of higher education separate
from the university of Kansas, Lawrence, and its campuses.
(c) Nothing in this act shall affect the representation rights of collective
bargaining organizations that represent employees of a state institution of
higher education, nor shall the provisions of this act affect any term or
condition of any collective bargaining agreement in effect on the effective
date of this act.
History: L. 2005, ch. 94, § 1; July 1.