Decision 3044M – County of San Mateo
SF-CE-2124-M
Decision Date: July 24, 2026
Decision Type: PERB Decision
Description: SEIU Local 521 (Local 521) alleged that the County of San Mateo violated the Public Employee Communication Chapter (PECC) and the MMBA, and committed unfair practices under PERB Regulations by holding new employee orientations without: (1) providing Local 521 with 10 days’ notice, (2) negotiating over the structure, time, and manner of Local 521’s access to the orientations, and (3) providing Local 521 access to the new employee orientations. An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) issued a proposed decision finding that the County failed to provide 10 days’ notice of the new employee orientations, and that the County derivatively interfered with protected rights in violation of the MMBA, but dismissed all other allegations. Both parties filed exceptions. The County’s exceptions challenged the ALJ’s conclusion that it violated the PECC, MMBA and committed an unfair practice under PERB Regulations by failing to notify Local 521 of the new employee orientations. Local 521’s exceptions challenged the dismissal of the allegations that the County failed to: (1) negotiate over the structure, time and manner of Local 521’s access to the orientations; and (2) failed to provide Local 521 access to the orientations. Local 521 also argued for additional remedies beyond those ordered by the ALJ.
Disposition: In a precedential decision, the Board found that the County held new employee orientations without: (1) providing Local 521 with 10 days’ notice, (2) negotiating over the structure, time, and manner of Local 521’s access to the orientations, and (3) providing Local 521 access to the new employee orientations. Accordingly, the County violated the PECC and committed unfair practices under PERB Regulations, and derivatively interfered with protected rights, in violation of the MMBA. The Board ordered that the County make whole Local 521 for any increased costs resulting from the County’s violations, but did not order that the County pay lost dues for affected new employees who did not become bargaining unit employees.
Decision Headnotes