(a) Definitions. The words and terms defined in this section shall have the following meanings as used in this article:
"Department" means the City of Los Angeles Department of General Services, the Los Angeles World Airports or the Port of Los Angeles.
(b) Requirements For Employment for Security Officer Candidates.
1. Any Security Officer employed by the Department who received basic law enforcement training at an approved training academy at the City's expense shall reimburse the City of Los Angeles for the estimated costs of that training should he or she leave the Department voluntarily or involuntarily before having served 60 continuous months following successful completion of such training and, within a year thereafter, accepts employment as a security officer with another employer.
2. Upon application to the Department for a position as a Security Officer, an applicant shall sign a written agreement stating that he or she intends to maintain employment with the Department for at least 60 continuous months, commencing with the date of successful completion of the academy training. The agreement will also provide that if the applicant leaves the Department, voluntarily or involuntarily before the end of the aforementioned 60 month period, and, within the following year accepts employment as a security officer with another employer, he or she will notify the Department in writing within ten days of such acceptance. The agreement will further provide that any Security Officer who leaves the Department before the end of the 60 month period and accepts employment as security officer with another employer within a year thereafter shall reimburse the City of Los Angeles for the direct and indirect cost of the training he or she received while at the police academy.
3. The applicant will be given a copy of this section and a copy of the agreement with a reimbursement schedule attached to it. The applicant will be provided seven calendar days to review the documents and to consult with an attorney or other advisor of his or her choice. The applicant will then be required to sign the agreement, thereby acknowledging his or her understanding of the terms of this section and of the reimbursement agreement and further acknowledging that he or she is subject to them. The applicant's signing of the agreement will be witnessed and a copy will be given to the applicant. The original will be retained in the Personnel Department file under the name of the applicant.
(c) Modification of Amount of Reimbursement. If a Security Officer subject to the terms of this section leaves the Department voluntarily or involuntarily within the 60 month period, as described above, and accepts employment as a security officer with another employer within one year thereafter, the Security Officer will be required to reimburse the City of Los Angeles for the estimated direct and indirect costs related to the police academy training on a pro-rated basis according to the amount of time the Security Officer was employed in that classification by the Department. For a Department created under Section 600 of the Charter, the costs of the training will be determined on an annual basis by its Board of Commissioners and may be modified more frequently, if necessary, to reflect changes in training costs. For the Department of General Services, the costs of training will be determined on an annual basis by the Oversight Committee for the Office of Public Safety, subject to the approval of the General Manager of the Department of General Services, and may be modified more frequently, if necessary, to reflect changes in the training costs.
(d) Legal Costs and Attorneys Fees. In the event the Department incurs any fees or costs in an effort to collect money owed by a Security Officer pursuant to this section, the former employee shall pay such costs, including, but not limited to, legal interest on the amount of reimbursement funds due, in addition to the portion of the reimbursement obligation then due.
(e) Grievance and Arbitration Not Available. Any question as to the interpretation or application of this section, or relating to payment made or due under this section or under the reimbursement agreement, shall not be subject to either a grievance or an arbitration under any Memorandum of Understanding applicable to the affected Security Officer.
(f) No Modification of Any Other Terms of Employment. The provisions of this section shall in no way modify any other terms and conditions of employment, and all such pre-existing terms and conditions of employment shall remain unchanged. All Civil Service and Department rules, regulations and procedures, and Memoranda of Understanding that relate to Security Officers remain in full force and effect. The provisions of this section in no way alter, amend, or have any effect upon the authority of the Department to invoke disciplinary action.
(g) No Rights Created. This section in no way guarantees any right of continued employment to any Security Officer or recruit. Nor does this section create a property right in any affected Security Officer or recruit.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 180,715, Eff. 7-9-09.