(1) (a) When certified employees who, as of January 1, 2013, are within five years from being eligible for full retirement pursuant to section 24-51-602 (1)(a) are separated from state service, they shall be separated or demoted according to procedures established by rule. Such procedures shall require that consideration be given to performance evaluations of the employees and seniority within the total state service. Such employees shall have retention rights throughout the principal department in which they are employed unless the head of the department requests, and the board approves, in advance, limitation of retention rights to major divisions, institutions, or colleges within the principal department.
The state personnel director shall establish procedures, by rule, for the separation ordemotion of any certified employees not covered by paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) from state service due to lack of work, lack of funds, or reorganization. Such procedures shall require that consideration be given to performance evaluations of an employee and seniority within the total state service.
The appointing authorities from all departments shall consider placing a certifiedemployee who has been identified pursuant to the procedures established pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subsection (1) as a person to be separated from state service into a funded, vacant position for which the employee is qualified. The state personnel director shall establish by rule procedures for such placements.
(I) The state personnel director shall establish by rule a layoff plan that may be usedby a department to provide postemployment compensation or other benefits for certified employees separated from state service. The plan may include, but is not limited to, a hiring preference, payment towards the continuation of health benefits for a specified time after separation, tuition or educational training vouchers, severance pay, or placement on a departmental reemployment list.
The postemployment compensation or other benefits may be offered through a separation agreement.
In no case shall the total value of the postemployment compensation and other benefits authorized pursuant to this paragraph (d) exceed an amount equal to one week of an employee's salary for every year of his or her service, up to a maximum of eighteen weeks of the employee's salary.
A certified employee is not entitled to receive any postemployment compensationor other benefits pursuant to this paragraph (d).
A certified employee who is separated from state service shall be placed on a departmental reemployment list for a period of not less than one year, unless the employee waives the right to be so placed as part of a separation agreement.
As used in this section, "separated from state service" means separated from stateservice due to lack of work, lack of funds, or reorganization.
Source: L. 72: R&RE, p. 173, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 26-1-24. L. 81: Entire section amended, p. 1202, § 20, effective July 1. L. 84: (1) amended, p. 711, § 9, effective July 1. L. 2012: Entire section amended, (HB 12-1321), ch. 260, p. 1351, § 11, effective September 1.
Cross references: In 2012, this section was amended by the "Modernization of the State Personnel System Act". For the short title and the legislative declaration, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 260, Session Laws of Colorado 2012.