LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeEducation CodeCh. 5Art. 2.5§ 89552 Employee Layoff Priority Order

§ 89552 Employee Layoff Priority Order

Education Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 89552 Employee Layoff Priority Order

Key Takeaways

  • •When there's not enough money or work, some workers may lose their jobs. The boss decides who goes first.
  • •Temporary workers, like student helpers or short-term teachers, get laid off before permanent workers.
  • •If permanent workers have to go, the ones who started last are usually the first to leave.
  • •Part-time workers get credit for their time worked, but it's adjusted to match full-time hours.

Example

A university has less money and needs to let go of some teachers.

The university will first let go of temporary teachers or student assistants. If more people need to be laid off, the newest permanent teachers will be the next to go.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 89552 Employee Layoff Priority Order

(a) Whenever a determination has been made that there is a lack of funds or lack of work, employees in a class or teaching service area to be reduced shall be laid off in the following order: (1) The Chancellor of the California State University or a president of a state university may, at his or her discretion, without regard to the class or teaching service area to be reduced, separate from service any student assistant, instructor for extension service, person employed on a temporary basis, or, with respect to employment in a summer session, any member of the faculty of a campus summer session. Persons described in this paragraph, if performing the same or comparable work as that performed by a probationary or permanent employee, shall be separated before any probationary or permanent employee desiring to continue in employment is laid off pursuant to the provisions of this article. (2) Probationary employees not employed on a temporary basis, without regard to length of service. (3) Permanent employees: (A) If the area of layoff is in administrative or nonacademic classes, permanent administrative and nonacademic employees in the inverse order of their length of employment both in the class and in class of equal or higher rank. (B) If the area of layoff is in class or rank positions, permanent academic employees in the inverse order of their length of employment at the campuses. (C) If the area of layoff is in the closely related academic area, permanent employees in the inverse order of their length of employment in the class or in classes of equal or higher level at the campuses. (b) If the layoff is in a class, part-time employees shall be credited with the service at the campus in the proportion that the actual time employed bears to full-time employment. If the layoff is in a teaching service area, part-time permanent employees shall be credited with service as permanent employees of the campus in the proportion that the actual time served as permanent employees bears to full-time employment. (c) In case two or more employees in the class or teaching service area are tied for a place in the order of layoff, the president or the chancellor, as appropriate to the place of employment, shall determine which of the employees shall be laid off. (d) If the provisions of this section are in conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 3560) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling without further legislative action, except that if the provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act. (Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 143, Sec. 133.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

employmentuniversitylayoffterminationtrialstudentprobationacademic

Related Statutes

  • § 89530 Employee Termination Definitions
  • § 87414 Employee Seniority Determination Rules
  • § 45122.1 School Employee Felony Ban
  • § 45263 Apprentice Position Classification Rules
  • § 45308 Classified Employee Layoff Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Education Code. Section 89552.
View Official Source