(a) In a county in which the board of retirement has appointed personnel pursuant to Section 31522.1, the board of retirement may appoint a retirement administrator, chief financial officer, chief operations officer, chief investment officer, and general counsel.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law:
(1) The personnel appointed pursuant to this section shall not be county employees but shall be employees of the retirement system, subject to terms and conditions of employment established by the board of retirement. Except as specifically provided in this subdivision, all other personnel shall be county employees for purposes of the county’s employee relations resolution, or equivalent local rules, and the terms and conditions of employment established by the board of supervisors for county employees, including those set forth in a memorandum of understanding.
(2) Any leave balance accrued by a county employee prior to his or her appointment as a retirement system employee pursuant to this chapter shall be transferred from the county to the retirement system. The county shall pay to the retirement system at the time that the leave is transferred an amount equal to the value of the accrued leave at that time based on the compensation paid to the employee by the county immediately before the transfer.
(c) Except as otherwise provided by Sections 31529.9 and 31596.1, the compensation of personnel appointed pursuant to this section shall be an expense of administration of the retirement system, pursuant to Section 31580.2.
(d) The board of retirement and board of supervisors may enter into any agreements as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the provisions of this section.
(e) Section 31522.2 is not applicable to a retirement system that elects to appoint personnel pursuant to this section.
(f) This section shall apply only to the retirement system established under this chapter in Ventura County at such time as the board of retirement, by resolution, makes this section applicable in that county.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 48, Sec. 1. (AB 995) Effective January 1, 2018.)