NEWSLETTER - SPRING 2007
Personnel Commission Newsletter
June 01, 2007
As a classified employee of the Torrance Unified School District, are you familiar with District policies regarding such topics as leaves of absence, performance evaluations, holidays, or transfer requests? If not, you can reference information on the rules governing these and a host of other subjects affecting classified employees in the newly revised Torrance Unified School District Classified Employee Handbook, published by the Personnel Commission. This is an important source document for those interested in knowing their rights as classified employees at TUSD. This handbook has repeatedly received praise from directors and staffs of personnel commissions of many other school districts throughout California. It enjoys a reputation of being a "gold standard" among such employee handbooks and is frequently used as a model by other districts.
Personnel Commission Rule 1.1.5 affords employees the right to a copy of these Rules and Regulations of the Classified Service. There are several ways to access your copy of the handbook, outlined as follows:
1) It can be located on the District’s MS Outlook by going to Public Folders and then clicking on the All Public Folders directory. Next locate the Personnel Commission sub-folder, select the Rules and Regulations folder and then double-click on the document April 2007.
2) An electronic version of the handbook can also be readily accessed by visiting the TUSD website at www.tusd.org. From the main menu page of the site click on Departments, then on Personnel Commission. Next select Rules and Regulations of the Classified Service.
3) Finally, a hard copy version is available if that is preferred. Simply visit the Personnel Commission office in the bungalow behind the main District Administrative Offices at 2335 Plaza del Amo in Torrance. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Due to budgetary constraints copies cannot be mailed out. They must be picked up and signed for in person by employees.
WHERE DO THESE RULES COME FROM?
All California public schools operate under provisions of statutes contained in the California Education Code, which is the compendium of all the various legislative enactments, amendments, propositions, etc. affecting the public education system in the state. All rules in the TUSD Classified Employee Handbook are referenced back to a specific section of the Education Code, including those that govern the creation of personnel commissions in school districts and that govern the rules of their operation once established. Since the Education Code is a continually evolving document, our rules and regulations must be updated on a regular basis to reflect these changes and ensure the most complete, accurate application of merit system rules and protections for classified employees.
TRANSFER REQUESTS
Employees seeking assignment transfers (within classification) must submit a Transfer Request Form to the Personnel Commission office. These forms are valid for up to six (6) months. The employee must have completed a probationary period within class to submit requests. Refer to Personnel Commission Rules Section 11.1 for complete details.
MORE REMINDERS
MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT: Be sure to submit your mileage claims for district related use of your vehicle before the end of the current fiscal year. The reimbursement rate for all mileage logged after January 1, 2007, is now 48.5 cents per mile.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES 24-HOUR JOB HOTLINE: (310) 972-6344
