Selected Contract Language

Here is some useful language excerpted from the most recent California Community College faculty contracts (collective bargaining agreements). When evaluating final contract language, always remember that the language you see is the result of compromise, and was rarely the starting point of either side.

If you have any suggestions, or know of any updates, please send John an e-mail.

Health Benefits

The California 2022-23 state budget increases the Part-time Faculty Health Insurance program to $200.49 million of ongoing money, a historic win for contingent faculty. Under the new guidelines, community college districts can now get reimbursed for 100% of what they spend on part-time faculty healthcare. And new program changes allow, for the first time, freeway flyers to be reimbursed for their heathcare costs. But for districts to get 100% reimbursement from the state, they must negotiate with the local union and reach agreement to adhere to four conditions:

The same plans offered to to full-time faculty must be offered to part-time faculty.
The cost to a part-time faculty member must not be more, in a dollar amount, than the cost to a full-time faculty member for the same plan.
The district must offer healthcare benefits to part-time faculty whose assignments are equal to, or more than, 40% of a full-time assignment.
The district must offer reimbursement for health insurance to those who teach in multiple districts (“freeway flyers”) if their total combined load from different districts is 40% or more.

How the freeway flyer piece works: “Multi-district part-time faculty” (MDPTF) would purchase their own insurance (say, at Covered CA). Each semester MDPTF submit their receipts to their districts for proportional reimbursement. For example, if one teaches at 3 districts, each participating district pays 1/3. Note that one with a 40% load at one district who receives benefits at that district cannot simutaneously receive reimbursements under the freeway flyer program.

Districts are not reimbursed for what they spend on dental and vision costs under the program. Also, districts are not reimbursed for what they spend on covering those with less than a 40% load.

Negotiation issues

Calculating the 40% minimum load
- The state does not define the time period used to calculate a 40% load. Some agreements may do this on a semester basis, so that one may be eligible or ineligible semester by semester. Other agreements may average loads over a year to qualify. An agreement that allows either method to be used will result in the greatest number of eligible faculty. (Note that under the program freeway flyers are only reimbursed on a semester basis.)
Waiting period to become eligible
- Some agreements force otherwise eligible part-time faculty to wait, say, for a semester or even a year, before becoming eligible for benefits through the district. (Note that full-time faculty generally do not have to wait long, or at all, after being hired to receive benefits.) Obviously the best agreement will allow for immediate eligibility.
Out-of-pocket costs to part-time faculty
- One of the four conditions states that the cost to a part-time faculty member must not be more than the cost to a full-time faculty member for the same plan. This means that the cost to the PTer may be zero! Remember that participating districts are getting 100% of their costs reimbursed, so there is no reason to make any part-time faculty member who is eligible under the program pay anything to receive benefits through the district. This is the time to deliver free healthcare to your members.
Mitigation language to protect the district
- Under the program, districts may not receive 100% reimbursement from the state if the funds are insufficient. While it is estimated that the $200.49 million in ongoing money makes this highly unlikely, districts may insist on mitigation language to insure that they only spend money that they will get back. If you need to include mitigation language, make it as narrow as possible.

Current agreements

These are the first agreements negotiating the new state money.

Cuesta (PDF)
- Meets the 4 criteria for 100% reimbursement to the district.
- 40% load eligibility calculation: ?
- Waiting period: ?
- Cost to PT faculty: ?
- Mitigation language: ?
Glendale (PDF)
- Meets the 4 criteria for 100% reimbursement to the district.
- 40% load eligibility calculation: Either 40% for fall, or 80% combining fall and spring.
- Waiting period: Almost none — close to immediate eligibility.
- Cost to PT faculty: None, district pays all monthly premiums.
- Mitigation language: Gives district extremely broad power (not recommended, do not use this language as an example).
Grossmont-Cuyamaca (PDF)
- Meets the 4 criteria for 100% reimbursement to the district.
- 40% load eligibility calculation: Averaged over 2 consecutive semesters.
- Waiting period: 1 year.
- Cost to PT faculty: ?
- Mitigation language: MOU has an expiration date.
Los Rios (PDF)
- Meets the 4 criteria for 100% reimbursement to the district.
- 40% load eligibility calculation: (Note that even some with a load under 40% are also covered to some degree).
- Waiting period: ?
- Cost to PT faculty: None, district pays all monthly premiums ("same cost as Los Rios regular faculty").
- Mitigation language: District may reopen if it doesn't get 100% reimbursement from the state.
- Form: Request for Multi-District Part-Time Faculty Health Insurance Reimbursement
San Diego (PDF)
- Meets the 4 criteria for 100% reimbursement to the district.
- 40% load eligibility calculation: Averaged over 2 consecutive semesters.
- Waiting period: 1 year.
- Cost to PT faculty: ?
- Mitigation language: District can reopen if it doesn't get 100% reimbursement from
Southwestern (PDF)
- Meets the 4 criteria for 100% reimbursement to the district.
- 40% load eligibility calculation: ?
- Waiting period: ?
- Cost to PT faculty: ?
- Mitigation language:

For more info:

Rehire Rights & Seniority

Here is a document with the language on rehire rights and seniority from many different contracts, compiled by Geoff Johnson.

Rehire rights and seniority contract language, by district (PDF)

Office Hours

If, how, and how much office hours are compensated for contingent faculty in the CA community college system varies widely from district to district. Here is a document with the language on office hours from many different contracts, compiled by Geoff Johnson.

Office hours contract language, by district (PDF)

Ancillary Activities Compensation

Some contracts provide compensation for ancillary activities, such as attending department and division meetings or serving on committees. Here are some I know about; if your contract has some form of ancillary activities compensation, and it is not listed here, please let me know.