Section 3599.62 - [Operative 7/1/2026] Employer to meet and confer in good faith(a) The employer shall meet and confer in good faith regarding wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment with representatives of recognized employee organizations, and shall consider fully such presentations as are made by the employee organization on behalf of its members prior to arriving at a determination of policy or course of action. For purposes of this section, the term "meet and confer in good faith" means that the employer and representatives of recognized employee organizations have the mutual obligation to personally meet and confer promptly upon request by either party and continue to meet and confer for a reasonable period of time in order to exchange freely information, opinions, and proposals, and to endeavor to reach agreement on matters within the scope of representation prior to the adoption by the state of its final budget for the ensuing year. The process should include adequate time for the resolution of impasses.(b) The employer shall freely provide to representatives of recognized employee organizations nonconfidential information that is necessary and relevant to their scope of representation. However, this chapter does not require the employer to provide confidential information to representatives of recognized employee organizations. For purposes of this subdivision, "confidential information" means any information contained in records that are exempt from public disclosure under federal or state law. "Confidential information" does not include the name, job title, office, workplace location, work telephone number and email address, and home or personal telephone number and email address, if on file with the employer, for employees in the bargaining unit of the recognized employee organization.Added by Stats 2023 ch 313 (AB 1),s 1, eff. 1/1/2024.