(a) The Governor may appoint a mediator in his or her office to take complaints, regarding possible violations or other issues dealing with the Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (38 U.S.C. Sec. 4301 et seq.), hereafter USERRA, and Section 395.06, and to resolve and coordinate the resolution of those complaints or issues, from state employees who satisfy both of the following:
(1) Are members of either of the following:
(A) The California National Guard.
(B) A reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States.
(2) Encounter problems regaining their state position when they return from service in the California National Guard or from service in a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces.
(b) Each state agency and department may appoint a mediator to take complaints, regarding possible violations of USERRA and other issues relating to state pay, and to resolve and coordinate the resolution of those complaints with, if necessary, the assistance of the Governor-appointed ombudsman, from employees of that department or agency who are members of either the California National Guard or a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States.
(c) Mediators appointed under the provisions of subdivisions (a) and (b) shall become knowledgeable about USERRA law and, to the extent possible, work with the California Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense organization, and the California National Guard.
(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 642, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2009.)