(a) There is in state government the Public Employment Relations Board which shall be independent of any state agency and shall consist of five members. The members of the board shall be appointed by the Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. One of the original members shall be chosen for a term of one year, one for a term of three years, and one for a term of five years. The first term for the two new members of the board resulting from the expansion of the board to five members shall be reduced by the Governor as necessary so that the term of only one member of the board shall expire in any given year. Thereafter, terms shall be for a period of five years, except that any person chosen to fill a vacancy shall be appointed only for the unexpired term of the member whom he or she succeeds. Members of the board shall be eligible for reappointment. The Governor shall select one member to serve as chairperson. A member of the board may be removed by the Governor upon notice and hearing for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other cause.

(b) A vacancy in the board shall not impair the right of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of the commission, and three members of the board shall at all times constitute a quorum.

(c) The board may delegate its powers to any group of three or more board members. Nothing shall preclude any board member from participating in any case pending before the board.

(d) Members of the board shall hold no other public office in the state, and shall not receive any other compensation for services rendered.

(e) Each member of the board shall receive the salary provided for by Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 11550) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2. In addition to his or her salary, each member of the board shall be reimbursed for all actual and necessary expenses incurred by him or her in the performance of his or her duties, subject to the rules of the Department of Human Resources relative to the payment of these expenses to state officers generally.

(f) The board shall appoint an executive director who shall be the chief administrative officer. The executive director shall appoint other persons that may, from time to time, be deemed necessary for the performance of the board’s administrative functions, prescribe their duties, fix their compensation, and provide for reimbursement of their expenses in the amounts made available therefor by appropriation. The executive director shall be a person familiar with employer-employee relations. The executive director shall be subject to removal at the pleasure of the board. The Governor shall appoint a general counsel, upon the recommendation of the board, to assist the board in the performance of its functions under this chapter. The general counsel shall serve at the pleasure of the board.

(g) The executive director and general counsel serving the board on December 31, 1977, shall become employees of the Public Employment Relations Board and shall continue to serve at the discretion of the board. A person so employed may, independently of the Attorney General, represent the board in any litigation or other matter pending in a court of law to which the board is a party or in which it is otherwise interested.

(h) The Governor shall appoint one legal adviser for each member of the board upon the recommendation of that board member. Each appointee shall serve at the pleasure of the recommending board member and shall receive a salary as shall be fixed by the board with the approval of the Department of Human Resources.

(i) Attorneys serving the board on May 19, 1978, shall not be appointed as legal advisers to board members pursuant to subdivision (h) until the time that they have attained permanent civil service status.

(j) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the member of the board appointed by the Governor for the term beginning on January 1, 1991, shall not be subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 665, Sec. 39. (SB 1308) Effective January 1, 2013.)