GENERAL LEGAL PRINCIPLES; CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT/ INTERPRETATION – General Principles of Contract Interpretation

Single Topic for Decision 2723E

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By the plain language, the District appeared to replace the provisions of one provision—requiring employees over the cap to submit vacation plans and providing that supervisors may schedule vacation on behalf of employees—with a provision to cash out balances over the cap on an annual basis. CSEA was reasonable in its belief that the plain language spoke for itself, and the District should reasonably have anticipated this understanding. In such circumstances, the District negligently agreed to the terms of the agreement, but CSEA was not equally negligent, and the District is bound by its agreement. (See Merced County Sheriff’s Employee’s Association v. County of Merced (1987) 233 Cal.Rptr. 519, 673.)