HR 413. Employer-Employee Cooperation Act. Presented by Joseph Adler, IPMA-CP, SPHR The 2010 IMLA Mid-Year Seminar Washington, DC April 19, 2010

Transcription

1 HR 413 The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act Presented by Joseph Adler, IPMA-CP, SPHR The 2010 IMLA Mid-Year Seminar Washington, DC April 19,

2 HR 413 Outline of slides Definition of Public Safety Employee. Rights and Responsibilities of Employers and Employees What does HR 413 require? Role and Power of Administrative Agency Federal Labor Relations Authority over state and local governments. Next Steps: Jurisdictions with collective bargaining Jurisdictions without collective bargaining 2

3 Definitions : Who is covered? Public Safety Officer is defined as any employee who is a law enforcement officer, firefighter or emergency services personnel, including members of rescue squads or ambulance crews. Includes employees temporarily transferred to supervisory and management positions. Correctional officers, parole and probation agents and judicial officers are also included in the definition. Permanent management and supervisory employees are excluded from the definition of public safety officer. The term law enforcement officer has the same meaning given such term in section 1204(5) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b(5)). 3

4 Definition of supervisory employee (If not defined by state law) A) has the authority in the interest of the employer to hire, direct, assign, promote, reward, transfer, furlough, lay off, recall, suspend, discipline, or remove public safety officers, to adjust their grievances, or to effectively recommend such action, if the exercise of the authority is not merely routine or clerical in nature but requires the consistent exercise of independent judgment; and (B) devotes a preponderance of employment time exercising such authority. 4

5 Definition of Management Employee (If not defined by state law) An individual employed by a public safety employer in a position that requires or authorizes the individual to formulate, determine, or influence the policies of the employer. 5

6 Definitions, continued Employer or public safety agency means any State, political subdivision of a State, the District of Columbia, or any territory that employs public safety officers. Authority means the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA). 6

7 Rights and Responsibilities Public Safety officers would have the right to join a labor organization, which can seek to become the exclusive bargaining representative. Employers would be required to recognize the employees labor organization, to agree to bargain with the labor organization, and to commit any agreements to writing in a contract or a memorandum of understanding. 7

8 Rights and responsibilities, continued Must bargain over wages, hours and conditions of employment. Bargaining i framework must include interest impasse resolution mechanism, such as fact finding, mediation, arbitration, or a comparable procedure. Enforcement mechanisms through state courts. Right of Action Section 5(c)(2) of the bill provides that unless the FLRA has filed a petition for enforcement, any interested party shall have the right to file suit against any political division ision of a State in any district court of the United States to enforce compliance with the regulations issued by the [FLRA]. 8

9 Enforcement powers granted to the FLRA 180 days after enactment can review any State bargaining law in effect for public safety employees to determine if it provides the rights and responsibilities described above. FLRA shall take into account the opinions of affected labor organizations and employers and give it serious consideration in making its determination. 9

10 FLRA Powers, continued Has one year after the enactment of the bill to issue regulations affecting States which either do not provide for bargaining, or do not come up to the standards in the bill. FLRA will have the power to: Determine the appropriate bargaining units Conduct unit elections 10

11 FLRA Powers, continued Resolve disputes concerning bargaining g in good faith. Conduct hearings and resolve complaints of Unfair Labor Practice charges. Protect the rights of employees to form, join and assist any labor organization or refrain from any such activity. Take other such action as are necessary to effectively carry out this act. 11

12 Other provisions Requirement for legislative approval of contracts or MOU s is preserved. State laws prohibiting mandatory union membership or payment of union dues as a condition of employment are not affected. No strike, no lockout. Jurisdictions with fewer than 5,000 residents or less than 25 employees can be exempted through State law. 12

13 Information on the FLRA Created in 1978 as part of the Federal Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA). A quasi-judicial body with three full-time Members who are appointed for five-year terms by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. One Member is appointed by the President to serve as Chairman of the Authority and as the Chief Executive and Administrative Officer of the FLRA. The Chairman also chairs the Foreign Service Labor Relations Board. 13

14 FLRA, Continued Budget is approximately $25 million in FY 10. Total staff approximately 142 full time equivalents for FY10. Seven Regional Offices: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver San Francisco and Washington DC. 14

15 Status of collective bargaining in the United States The Congressional committee report suggests that there are 21 states that do not provide full collective bargaining i rights for all public safety officers: North Carolina and Virginia prohibit bargaining altogether; Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Tennessee permit bargaining by local option but prohibit legally enforceable contracts; Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Texas, and West Virginia permit bargaining by local option only; and Idaho, Missouri, i Utah, and Wyoming require bargaining i for fire fighters, but not for law enforcement. 15

16 Developments An earlier version of the same bill passed the House of Representatives in July 2007 by a vote of Stalled in the Senate. Opposition to the bill have been expressed by: CUPA-HR, ICMA, IMLA, IPMA-HR, NACo, NLC, NPELRA and the National Sheriffs Association. 16

17 Concerns Expressed by These Organizations State and Local Governments are in the best position to allocate resources based upon their particular circumstances. States and local governments with existing collective bargaining laws are not excluded; it is up to the FLRA to declare them to be in compliance with HR

18 Concerns, continued With the exception of right to work and pensions, all other items seem to be negotiable, even if the particular jurisdictions statutes prohibit it. The status of local governments is not clear; HR 413 speaks mostly to state government laws and administrative processes, leaving many county and city laws in limbo. FLRA does not have the expertise, nor the staff to oversee a federal takeover of public safety collective bargaining. Its focus has been collective bargaining g by non-postal federal government employees, the majority of whom are cover by one law (CSRA) and economic items are not negotiated with unions. 18

19 Concerns, continued In contrast there are 50 states, 19,000 municipalities and over 3,000 counties in the United States, all with their own laws, procedures. HR 413 requires FLRA to evaluate current laws within 180 days, and issue regulations for bargaining i for jurisdictions without existing laws. 19

20 Next Steps for Jurisdictions with Collective Bargaining Review existing statutes and practices for public safety employees to make sure that they are consistent with proposed federal requirements. Discuss with existing unions the option of jointly submitting a waiver request to FLRA. 20

21 Next Steps for jurisdictions without collective bargaining Review workforce to determine if jurisdiction contains employees defined as eligible by HR 413. Determine labor relations approach and philosophy interest based or positional based what is best for all concerned. Establish a positive foundation for future long term relationships. Educate decision makers about the nature of collective bargaining. 21

22 Is HR 413 Constitutional? 10 th. Amendment- Powers of the States and People. Ratified 12/15/1791. The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. 22

23 Selected Employment Laws. Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers, including state and local governments, from discriminating against employees because of race, religion, color, national origin, or gender. Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Prohibits discrimination in hiring, promotions, or termination based on age. Anyone over 40 years of age is a member of a protected class. 23

24 Federal Laws Americans with Disabilities Act. Prohibits discrimination in employment against individuals with qualified disabilities who can perform the essential elements of the job, with or without a reasonable accommodation. Immigration Reform and Control Act. Requires employers to verify the legal status of all employment applicants. Failure to do can bring raids and heavy fines. Occupational Safety and Health Act. Requires employers to maintain a workplace free of hazards, as well as exposure to chemicals and other blood borne pathogens. 24

25 Federal Laws Family and Medical Leave Act. Requires employers to provide twelve weeks of leave, paid or unpaid, for new child in the family, birth, adoption or by yplacement in foster care, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or the employee's own serious health condition that prevents him/her from performing the job. Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act. Requires employers to protect the reemployment rights of employees who are members of the state National Guard, or United States Armed Forces Reserve units. 25

26 Federal Laws Fair Labor Standards Act. Requires employers to pay a federally mandated minimum wage, requires payment of overtime after 40 hours of work per week for nonexempt workers, and regulates the employment of minors. Amended d in 1974 by Congress to include states and local governments. (The impact of this statute on state sovereignty is specifically explored below). 26

27 Significant US Supreme Court Decisions The expansion of employee rights and power came at the expense of state and local government s power to control the terms of conditions of employment over their own workforce, as illustrated below: Griggs v. Duke Power Co. (1971), Albermarle Paper Co. v. Moody (1975), and Dothard v. Rawlingson (1977). 27

28 US Supreme Court Decisions Board of Regents v. Roth (1972), Perry v. Sinderman (1972), Arnett v. Kennedy (1972), and Bishop v. Wood (1976). These U.S. Supreme Court decisions gave public employees property and liberty interests in their jobs. Employees had the right to procedural due process in any adverse employment action. 28

29 US Supreme Court Decisions Cleveland Board of Education v. Loudermill (1985). The Supreme Court opined that if state and local governments establish a property interest, they must give employees due process in the form of a hearing before the employee can be terminated. t O Connor v. Ortega (1987). U.S. Supreme Court held that public employees have legal protections against unreasonable search and seizures. 29

30 Case Law, continued National Treasury Employees Union v. Von Raab (1989). U.S. Supreme Court prohibited public employers from requiring their employees to submit to random drug tests without probable cause. Pickering v. Board of Education (1968) and Rankin v. McPherson (1987). Public employees had the right of free speech as long as the speech was on a matter of public policy and was not disruptive. 30

31 Case Law, continued Elrod v, Burns (1976), Branti v. Finkel (1980) and, Rutan v, Republican Party of Illinois (1990). U.S. Supreme Court held that public employees had the right of association and could not be terminated, nor treated adversely in personnel actions merely due to political party membership status 31

32 Case Law, continued Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson (1986), Harris v. Forklift Systems (1993), Faragher v. City of Boca Raton (1998), Oncale v. Offshore Services (1998), and Burlington Industries v. Ellerth (1998). Series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions affirming the EEOC s definition of sexual harassment to include hostile work environment. The later rulings broadened the definition of harassment to include same sex harassment and narrowed the grounds for employers to claim immunity from being liable for the actions of their managers 32

33 Case Law, continued Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority et al. (1985). U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned an earlier Court ruling made in 1976 (National League of Cities v. Usery) stating that Congress could not mandate that state and local governments had to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act. By this decision, the Supreme Court quelled any fleeting hope that it would act as a guardian of state sovereignty and use the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution to blunt federal advances into the affairs of state and local governments. 33

34 Discussion. Employers cannot discipline without due process, cannot prohibit employees from speaking out on a policy matter, and cannot institute random drug tests without probable cause, while private sector employers are not constrained by such due process, property, and liberty rights. From the 1960s onward Congress and the Supreme Court of the United States have made deep and significant intrusions into the human resource practices of state and local governments. Some were a byproduct of enacting legislation l eliminating i overt racism and discrimination practiced or encouraged by some state governments, while others were specific constraints placed on state and local governments due to their dual role as employers and sovereign governments. 34

35 Discussion Seen in this perspective p the potential requirement by Congress that state and local governments engage in collective bargaining with their public safety employees is not as radical as it seems. States can make a claim that how they interact with their employees should be best left to them, and there is truth and accuracy in this argument. Nevertheless, this is not the first time states have had to follow a federal requirement relating to their employees and most likely, it will not be the last. 35

36 Political Consideration It s time you had a President who honors organized labor who s walked on picket lines; who doesn t choke on the word union ; who lets our unions do what they do best and organize our workers; and who will finally make the Employee Free Choice Act the law of the land. (Labor Day Message, accesssed via orhome 36

37 Text of HB 413 To provide collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by States or their political subdivisions. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF PURPOSE. Congress finds the following: (1) Labor-management relationships and partnerships are based on trust, mutual respect, open communication, bilateral consensual problem solving, and shared accountability. In many public safety agencies it is the union that provides the institutional stability as elected leaders and appointees come and go. (2) State and local public safety officers play an essential role in the efforts of the United States t to detect, t prevent, and respond to terrorist t attacks, and to respond to natural disasters, hazardous materials, and other mass casualty incidents. As the first to arrive on scene, State and local public safety officers must be prepared to protect life and property and to preserve scarce and vital Federal resources, avoid substantial and debilitating ti interference with interstate t t and foreign commerce, and to protect the national security of the United States. Public safety employeremployee cooperation is essential in meeting these needs and is, 37 therefore, in the National interest.

38 Text, continued (3) The health and safety of the Nation and the best interests of public safety employers and employees may be furthered by the settlement of issues through the processes of collective bargaining. (4) The Federal Government is in the position to encourage conciliation, mediation, and voluntary arbitration to aid and encourage employers and the representatives of their employees to reach and maintain agreements concerning rates of pay, hours, and working conditions, and to make all reasonable efforts through negotiations to settle their differences by mutual agreement reached through collective bargaining or by such methods as may be provided for in any applicable agreement for the settlement of disputes. (5) The potential absence of adequate cooperation between public safety employers and employees has implications for the security of employees, impacts the upgrading of police and fire services of local communities, the health and well-being of public safety officers, and the morale of the fire and police departments, and can affect interstate and intrastate commerce. (6) Many States and localities already provide public safety officers with collective bargaining rights comparable to or greater than the rights and responsibilities set forth in this Act, and such State laws should be respected. 38

39 Text, continued SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) The term Authority means the Federal Labor Relations Authority. (2) The term public safety officer -- (A) means an employee of a public safety agency who is a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, or emergency medical services personnel; (B) includes an individual who is temporarily transferred to a supervisory or management position; and (C) does not include a permanent supervisory or management employee. (3) The term firefighter has the same meaning given the term employee in fire protection activities defined in section 3 of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 203(y)). (4) The term emergency medical services personnel means an individual who provides out-of-hospital emergency medical care, including an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or first responder. (5) The term law enforcement officer has the same meaning given such term in section 1204(5) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b(5)). 39

40 Text (6) The term supervisory employee has the meaning given such term, or a substantially equivalent term, under applicable State law on the date of enactment of this Act. In the absence of such State law on the date of enactment of this Act, the term means an individual, employed by a public safety employer, who-- (A) has the authority in the interest of the employer to hire, direct, assign, promote, reward, transfer, furlough, lay off, recall, suspend, discipline, or remove public safety officers, to adjust their grievances, or to effectively recommend such action, if the exercise of the authority is not merely routine or clerical in nature but requires the consistent exercise of independent judgment; and (B) devotes a preponderance of employment time exercising i such authority. (7) The term management employee has the meaning given such term, or a substantially equivalent term, under applicable State law in effect on the date of enactment of this Act. If no such State law is in effect, the term means an individual employed by a public safety employer in a position that requires or authorizes the individual to formulate, determine, or influence the policies of the employer. (8) The terms employer and public safety agency mean any State, political subdivision of a State, the 40

41 Text (8) The terms employer and public safety agency mean any State, political subdivision of a State, the District of Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States that employs public safety officers. (9) The term labor organization means an organization composed din whole or in part of employees, in which h employees participate, and the purpose of which is to represent such employees before public safety agencies concerning grievances, conditions of employment and related matters. (10) The term substantially provides means substantial compliance with the rights and responsibilities described in section 4(b). 41

42 SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. (a) Determination- (1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Authority shall make a determination as to whether a State substantially provides for the rights and responsibilities described in subsection (b). In making such determinations, the Authority shall consider the opinion of affected employers and labor organizations. Where the Authority is notified by an employer and an affected labor organization that both parties agree that the law applicable to such employer and labor organization substantially provides for the rights and responsibilities described in subsection (b), the Authority shall give such agreement weight to the maximum extent practicable in making its determination under this subsection. (2) SUBSEQUENT DETERMINATIONS- (A) A determination made pursuant to paragraph (1) shall remain in effect unless and until the Authority issues a subsequent determination, in accordance with the procedures set forth in subparagraph (B). (B) An employer or a labor organization may submit a written request for a subsequent determination, on the basis of a material change in State law or its interpretation. If the Authority determines that a material change in State law or its interpretation has occurred, the Authority shall issue a subsequent determination not later than 30 days after receipt of such request. 42

43 Section 4, continued (3) JUDICIAL REVIEW- Any person aggrieved by a determination of the Authority under this section may, during the 60-day yperiod beginning gon the date on which the determination was made, petition any United States Court of Appeals in the circuit in which the person resides or transacts business or in District of Columbia circuit, for judicial review. In any judicial review of a determination by the Authority, the procedures contained in section 7123(c) of title 5, United States Code, shall be followed. (b) Rights and Responsibilities- In making a determination described in subsection (a), the Authority shall consider a State s law to provide adequate rights and responsibilities unless such law fails to substantially provide rights and responsibilities comparable to or greater than each of the following: (1) Granting public safety officers the right to form and join a labor organization, which may exclude management and supervisory employees, that is, or seeks to be, recognized as the exclusive bargaining representative of such employees. (2) Requiring public safety employers to recognize the employees labor organization (freely chosen by a majority of the employees), to agree to bargain with the labor organization, and to commit any agreements to writing in a contract or memorandum of understanding. (3) Providing for bargaining i over hours, wages, and terms and conditions of employment. (4) Making available an interest impasse resolution mechanism, such as fact-finding, mediation, arbitration, or comparable procedures. (5) Requiring enforcement through State courts of-- (A) all rights, responsibilities, i and protections provided d by State law and enumerated in this subsection; and (B) any written contract or memorandum of understanding. 43

44 (c) Failure To Meet Requirements 1) IN GENERAL- If the Authority determines, acting pursuant to its authority under subsection (a), that a State does not substantially provide for the rights and responsibilities described in subsection (b), such State shall be subject to the regulations and procedures described in section 5. (2) EFFECTIVE DATE- Paragraph (1) shall apply in each State on the later of-- (A) 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act; or (B) the date of the end of the first regular session of the legislature of that State that begins after the date of the enactment t of this Act. 44

45 SEC. 5. ROLE OF THE AUTHORITY. (a) In General- Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Authority shall issue regulations establishing procedures which provide the rights and responsibilities described in section 4(b) for public safety employers and officers in States which the Authority has determined, acting pursuant to its authority under section 4(a), do not substantially provide for such rights and responsibilities. (b) Role of the Federal Labor Relations Authority- The Authority, to the extent provided in this Act and in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Authority, shall-- (1) determine the appropriateness of units for labor organization representation; (2) supervise and conduct elections to determine whether a labor organization has been selected as an exclusive representative by a voting majority of the employees in an appropriate unit; (3) resolve issues relating to the duty to bargain in good faith; (4) conduct hearings and resolve complaints of unfair labor practices; (5) resolve exceptions to the awards of arbitrators; 45

46 Section 5 (6) protect the right of each employee to form, join, or assist any labor organization, or to refrain from any such activity, freely and without fear of penalty or reprisal, and protect each employee in the exercise of such right; (7) if the Authority finds that any State is not in compliance with the regulations prescribed under subsection (a), direct compliance by such State by order; and (8) take such other actions as are necessary and appropriate to effectively administer this Act, including issuing subpoenas requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of documentary or other evidence from any place in the United States, and administering oaths, taking or ordering the taking of depositions, ordering responses to written interrogatories, and receiving and examining witnesses. 46

47 (c) Enforcement- (1) PETITION BY AUTHORITY- If a State fails to comply with a final order issued by the Authority, the Authority shall petition any United States Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over the parties or the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to enforce any final orders under this section, and for appropriate temporary relief or a restraining order. Any petition under this section shall be conducted in accordance with section 7123(c) and (d) of title 5, United States Code, except that any final order of the Authority with respect to questions of fact shall be found to be conclusive unless the court determines that the Authority s decision was arbitrary and capricious. (2) RIGHT OF ACTION- Unless the Authority has filed a petition for enforcement as provided in paragraph (1), any interested party shall have the right to file suit against any political subdivision of a State, or, if the State has waived its sovereign immunity, against the State itself, in any district court of the United States of competent jurisdiction to enforce compliance with the regulations issued by the Authority pursuant to subsection (b), to enforce compliance with any order issued by the Authority pursuant to this section, or to enforce section 6 of this Act. The right provided by this paragraph to bring a suit to enforce compliance with any order issued by the Authority pursuant to this section shall terminate upon the filing of a petition seeking the same relief by the Authority under paragraph (1). 47

48 SEC. 6. STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS PROHIBITED. 6. STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS PROHIBITED. Notwithstanding any rights or responsibilities provided under State law or under regulations issued by the Authority under section 5-- (1) a public safety employer may not engage in a lockout of public safety officers; (2) public safety officers may not engage in a strike against such public safety employer; and (3) a labor organization may not call for a strike by public safety officers against their public safety employer. SEC. 7. EXISTING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITS AND AGREEMENTS. This Act and the regulations issued under this Act shall not be construed to invalidate a certification, recognition, collective bargaining agreement, or memorandum of understanding which has been issued, approved, or ratified by any public employee relations board or commission or by any State or political subdivision or its agents (management officials) in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, or the results of any election held before the date of enactment of this Act. 48

49 Section7 SEC. 7. EXISTING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITS AND AGREEMENTS. This Act and the regulations issued under this Act shall not be construed to invalidate a certification, recognition, collective bargaining agreement, or memorandum of understanding which has been issued, approved, or ratified by any public employee relations board or commission or by any State or political subdivision or its agents (management officials) in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, or the results of any election held before the date of enactment 49

50 SEC. 8. CONSTRUCTION, COMPLIANCE, AND ENFORCEMENT. a) Construction- Nothing in this Act or the regulations issued under this Act shall be construed-- (1) to preempt or limit the remedies, rights, and procedures of any law of any State or political subdivision of any State or jurisdiction that substantially provides greater or comparable rights and responsibilities described in section 4(b); (2) to prevent a State from enforcing a State law which prohibits employers and labor organizations from negotiating provisions in a labor agreement that require union membership or payment of union fees as a condition of employment; (3) to preempt any State law in effect on the date of enactment of this Act that substantially provides for the rights and responsibilities described in section 4(b) solely because-- 50

51 Construction (A) such State law permits an employee to appear in his or her own behalf with respect to his or her employment relations with the public safety agency involved; (B) such State law excludes from its coverage employees of a state militia or national guard; (C) such rights and responsibilities have not been extended to other categories of employees covered by this Act, in which case the Authority shall only exercise the powers provided in section 5 of this Act with respect to those categories of employees who have not been afforded the rights and responsibilities described in section 4(b); or (D) such laws or ordinances provide that a contract or memorandum of understanding between a public safety employer and a labor organization must be presented to a legislative body as part of the process for approving such contract t or memorandum of understanding 51

52 Construction 4) to permit parties in States subject to the regulations and procedures described in section 5 to negotiate provisions that would prohibit an employee from engaging in part-time employment or volunteer activities during off-duty hours; (5) to require a State to rescind or preempt laws or ordinances of any of its political subdivisions if such laws substantially provide rights and responsibilities for public safety officers that are comparable to or greater than the rights and responsibilities enumerated in section 4(b) of this Act; or (6) preempt p any State law that substantially provides for the rights and responsibilities described in section 4(b) solely because such law does not require bargaining with respect to pension and retirement benefits. 52

53 Exemptions (b) Partial Exemption- A State may exempt from its State law, or from the requirements established under this Act, a political subdivision of the State that has a population of less than 5,000 or that employs fewer than 25 full time employees. For purposes of this subsection, the term employees includes each individual employed by the political subdivision except any individual elected by popular vote or appointed to serve on a board or commission. (c) Enforcement- Notwithstanding any other provision of the Act, and in the absence of a waiver of a State s sovereign immunity, the Authority shall have the exclusive power to enforce the provisions of this Act with respect to public safety officers employed by a State. 53

54 10 th Amendment US Constitution Amendment 10 - Powers of the States and People. Ratified 12/15/1791. The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. 54