Cal. Codes » Government Code / TITLE 1. GENERAL / DIVISION 4. PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES / CHAPTER 10.7. Meeting and Negotiating in Public Educational Employment / ARTICLE 2. Administration
California Codes

Cal. Government Code § 3541.3 (2026)

Administration — Meeting and Negotiating in Public Educational Employment

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The board shall have all of the following powers and duties:

(a)To determine in disputed cases, or otherwise approve, appropriate units.

(b)To determine in disputed cases whether a particular item is within or without the scope of representation.

(c)To arrange for and supervise representation elections that shall be conducted by means of secret ballot elections, and certify the results of the elections.

(d)To establish lists of persons broadly representative of the public and qualified by experience to be available to serve as mediators, arbitrators, or factfinders.

(e)To establish by regulation appropriate procedures for review of proposals to change unit determinations.

(f)Within its discretion, to conduct studies relating to employer-employee relations, including the collection, analysis, and making available of data relating to wages, benefits, and employment practices in public and private employment, and, when it appears necessary in its judgment to the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter, recommend legislation. The board shall report to the Legislature by October 15 of each year on its activities during the immediately preceding fiscal year. The board may enter into contracts to develop and maintain research and training programs designed to assist public employers and employee organizations in the discharge of their mutual responsibilities under this chapter.

(g)To adopt, pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2, rules and regulations to carry out the provisions and effectuate the purposes and policies of this chapter.

(h)To hold hearings, subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take the testimony or deposition of any person, and, in connection therewith, to issue subpoenas duces tecum to require the production and examination of any employer’s or employee organization’s records, books, or papers relating to any matter within its jurisdiction. Notwithstanding Section 11425.10, Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 does not apply to a hearing by the board under this chapter, except a hearing to determine an unfair practice charge.

(i)To investigate unfair practice charges or alleged violations of this chapter, and take any action and make any determinations in respect of these charges or alleged violations as the board deems necessary to effectuate the policies of this chapter, except that in an action to recover damages due to an unlawful strike, the board shall have no authority to award strike-preparation expenses as damages, and shall have no authority to award damages for costs, expenses, or revenue losses incurred during, or as a consequence of, an unlawful strike.

(j)To bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to enforce any of its orders, decisions, or rulings, or to enforce the refusal to obey a subpoena. Upon issuance of a complaint charging that any person has engaged in or is engaging in an unfair practice, the board may petition the court for appropriate temporary relief or restraining order.

(k)To delegate its powers to any member of the board or to any person appointed by the board for the performance of its functions, except that no fewer than two board members may participate in the determination of any ruling or decision on the merits of any dispute coming before it, and except that a decision to refuse to issue a complaint shall require the approval of two board members.

(l)To decide contested matters involving recognition, certification, or decertification of employee organizations.

(m)To consider and decide issues relating to rights, privileges, and duties of an employee organization in the event of a merger, amalgamation, or transfer of jurisdiction between two or more employee organizations.

(n)To take any other action as the board deems necessary to discharge its powers and duties and otherwise to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 18 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1979–2021 · leading case: Cnty. Sanitation Dist. No. 2 v. Los Angeles Cnty. Employees' Ass'n, Local 660, 699 P.2d 835 (Cal. 1985).
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Cnty. Sanitation Dist. No. 2 v. Los Angeles Cnty. Employees' Ass'n, Local 660, 699 P.2d 835 (Cal. 1985). · cites it 2× “(g)), will be governed by the same ground rules as educational employees, or whether some of them, perhaps deemed "truly essential," will be subject to binding arbitration under rules that do not now exist.”
Sunnyvale Unified Sch. Dist. v. Jacobs, 171 Cal. App. 4th 168 (Cal. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “” (Gov. Code, § 3541.3, subd. (i).) Rather, since the collective bargaining agreement prohibited the same conduct the EERA prohibited, the Association pursued the matter as a breach of the collective bargaining agreement.”
Hott v. Coll. of the Sequoias Cmty. Coll. Dist., 3 Cal. App. 5th 84 (Cal. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 2× “(Gov. Code, § 3541.3, subd. (i).)’ ” (Dixon v.”
Leek v. Washington Unified Sch. Dist., 124 Cal. App. 3d 43 (Cal. Ct. App. 1981). · cites it 2× “Appellants' first two causes of action clearly raise issues within the jurisdiction of PERB pursuant to that Board's statutory duty "To investigate .”
Wygant v. Victor Valley Jt. Union High Sch. Dist., 168 Cal. App. 3d 319 (Cal. Ct. App. 1985). · cites it 2× “Jurisdiction (1) The school district contends that the trial court lacked jurisdiction because plaintiffs failed to exhaust their administrative remedies before the Public Employment Relations Board.”
California Teachers' Ass'n v. Livingston Union Sch. Dist., 219 Cal. App. 3d 1503 (Cal. Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 2× “) Upon the claims of respondents, the trial court determined appellants failed to exhaust their administrative remedies as “[t]he alleged conduct challenged by [Appellants] arguably gives rise to an ‘unfair practice’ under the EERA or constitutes a violation thereof.”
Amador Valley Secondary Educators Assn. v. Newlin, 88 Cal. App. 3d 254 (Cal. Ct. App. 1979). “” (Gov. Code, § 3541.3, subd. (i). See also id.”
Trs. of California State Univ. v. Pub. Emp. Relations Bd., 6 Cal. App. 4th 1107 (Cal. Ct. App. 1992). “) PERB has original jurisdiction to determine claims of unfair labor practices (Gov. Code, § 3541.3, subd. (i)), and is empowered to issue decisions and orders upon its finding of an unfair labor practice.”
San Deigo Adult Educators v. Pub. Emp. Relations Bd., 223 Cal. App. 3d 1124 (Cal. Ct. App. 1990). “) PERB has original jurisdiction to determine claims of unfair labor practices (Gov. Code, § 3541.3, subd. (i)), and is empowered to issue decisions and orders upon its finding of an unfair labor practice.”
Dixon v. Bd. of Trs., 216 Cal. App. 3d 1269 (Cal. Ct. App. 1989). “PERB dismissed petitioners’ unfair practice charge as untimely since more than six months had elapsed between the alleged violation of the collective bargaining agreements and the filing of the charge.”
Int'l Fed'n of Prof. & Tech. Engineers v. Bunch, 40 Cal. App. 4th 670 (Cal. Ct. App. 1995). “[5] Government Code section 3541.3, subdivision (i), grants PERB the broad authority "To investigate unfair practice charges or alleged violations of this chapter, and take such action and make such determinations in respect of these charges or alleged violations as the board…”
Local 21, Int'l Fed'n of Prof'l & Technical Engineers v. Bunch, 40 Cal. App. 4th 670 (Cal. Ct. App. 1995). “Government Code section 3541.3, subdivision (i), grants PERB the broad authority “To investigate unfair practice charges or alleged violations of this chapter, and take such action and make such determinations in respect of these charges or alleged violations as the board deems…”
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