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03/29/2024 06:26 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20130&cosponId=11365
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House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: January 29, 2013 09:36 AM
From: Representative Seth M. Grove
To: All House members
Subject: Protecting Education Programs
 
I plan to introduce legislation giving needed mandate relief to school districts by helping them better manage their personnel costs while ensuring they can keep the best employees in the classroom. My legislation modifies Section 1124 of the Public School Code to authorize school districts to furlough professional employees for economic reasons.

Current law limits a school district’s ability to furlough professional employees to those instances where there is a substantial decrease in pupil enrollment, a curtailment or alteration of an educational program or the consolidation of schools. This limitation is problematic, particularly in challenging financial circumstances, and sets school districts apart as one of the few employers in either the public or private sectors that cannot furlough employees for economic reasons.

With personnel costs comprising a majority of a school district’s budget, districts need the ability to exercise maximum flexibility and discretion to more freely manage their personnel costs. My legislation will provide districts with the utmost flexibility in hiring, maintaining and managing personnel, giving districts another cost cutting option to consider in difficult economic times instead of forcing them to eliminate or reduce programs or increase property taxes.

Additionally, in making decisions regarding the furloughing of professional employees, school districts should not be limited to making those decisions solely on the basis of seniority. My legislation also modifies Section 1125.1 of the Public School Code to give districts the ability to retain employees based upon program needs, employee qualification and employee performance instead of on the artificial construct of seniority.

This legislation will provide school districts with meaningful mandate relief, ensuring that even in difficult economic times school districts can manage their personnel in the most cost effective manner and offer their students the widest array of educational programs and the best qualified staff.

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Introduced as HB779