Download - Laws Affecting Employees Jessica Sherrill OSSBA Staff Attorney OPSUCA Director.

Laws Affecting EmployeesJessica SherrillOSSBA Staff AttorneyOPSUCA Director

HB 2334

AmendatoryDefinitions of child abuse moved from

Title 10A to 21

HB 2334 – Child Abuse

•Amends current language in Title 21 – Crimes & Punishments - specifically definitions of child abuse, child sexual abuse, and child sexual exploitation for a child under 18

•The law went into effect on May 9, 2014.

HB 2334 – Child Abuse•Change in definition of child abuse: willful or

malicious act of harm or threatened harm or failure to protect from harm or threatened harm to the health, safety, or welfare . . .

•Change in definition of child sexual abuse: willful or malicious sexual abuse which includes but is not limited to rape, incest, and lewd or indecent acts or proposals . . .

HB 2334 – Child Abuse•Change in definition of child sexual exploitation:

willful or malicious sexual exploitation which includes but is not limited to allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child under eighteen (18) years of age to engage in prostitution or allowing, permitting, encouraging or engaging in the lewd, obscene or pornographic photographing, filming, or depicting of a child under 18

HB 2355Repealer

Outdated teacher minimum salary schedules

HB 2355 – Teacher Minimum Salary

•This repeals all outdated teacher minimum salary schedules except for the most current one codified in state statute.

•Effective November 1, 2014.

HB 2372New law

Employer access to employee’s social media

HB 2372 – Social Media Access

•New laws in Title 40 Labor which prohibits employers from requesting or requiring access to social media accounts of employees or potential employees.

•New laws take effect November 1, 2014.


No employer shall:▫Require username and password to access▫Require employee/prospective employee to

access for employer review▫Take retaliatory personnel action for not

allowing access▫Refuse to hire prospective employee

HB 2372 – Social Media AccessEmployer may request or require an employee’s user name & password to access work-issued computer systems or devices.

If an employer inadvertently receives an employee’s user name and password through regular monitory processes (i.e. computer server anti-virus) , the employer is not liable for any such information BUT may still may not use it to access employee’s personal online social media account.


Employer may conduct an investigation and require employee to share content on personal social media account for employer to make a factual determination against work-related misconduct or to investigate unauthorized transfer of employer’s proprietary information/confidential information/financial data


Employee may bring a civil action against an employer within 6 months of violation and may seek injunctive relief or damages at $500 per violation. No punitive or emotional damages are recoverable.

HB 2505Amendatory

Unemployment definition of Misconduct

HB 2505 - Unemployment•Amends and creates new laws in Title 40 Labor on

unemployment online certification, OESC review of hearings on misconduct, misconduct definition, addresses government shut down and double-dipping for unemployment while paid

•Changes take effect November 1, 2014.

HB 2505 - Unemployment

•Claimant can certify online that termination was not due to misconduct upon filing a claim.

•OESC to review 5% of its cases where misconduct is alleged and provide annual summary report for House & Senate leadership


Definition of Misconduct used for Termination claims is tightened to a specific list with no leeway of the OESC. This is a big change from before when the OESC used a vague standard and had discretion.

Statute also provides no prior warning for misconduct is required for OESC to deny claim.


Any finding by state/federal agency of failure to meet civil/criminal/professional standards of employee’s profession shall be rebuttable presumption of misconduct…

To clean up from government shut down, new law covers that claimant who was temporarily off work who ultimately is paid for that time can’t double-dip to get unemployment. If unemployment paid out then wages later, unemployment is to be repaid.


•Definition of “immediate family member” expands to dependent children (formerly “minor” only) in a Compelling family circumstance

•An untimely employer object to an unemployment claim can be allowed for good cause shown.

HB 2548Amendatory

Teacher Competency

HB 2548 – Teacher CompetencyAmends requirements for the Commission for Teacher Preparation to provide subject area competency examinations for teacher candidates in their native language if the teacher has been offered employment in a foreign language immersion program.

If later to be employed to teach another subject, the examination must be issued in English.

Effective July 1, 2014.

HB 2683Amendatory

Teacher Competency/Teaching Certificates for mild-moderate or severe-profound disabilities

HB 2683 – Student Disability•HB 2683 relates to the issuance of teaching

certificates for special education teachers and allows teachers already certified in early childhood or elementary education to add a certification for special education, and vice-versa.

•Effective July 1, 2014.

HB 2683 – Student DisabilityState Board of Ed shall issue:• a one-year provisional certificate to teach mild-

moderate or severe-profound disabilities to any qualified candidate who meets prior requirements and has earned a bachelor’s level college degree OR

•A standard certificate via alternative certification route in core academic area who has a bachelor’s level college degree, successfully completed relevant exams, and submitted application and payment required.

HB 2683 – Student DisabilityAn individual with current provisional certificate may satisfy highly qualified teacher requirement for early childhood or elementary education by successful completion of early childhood or elementary exams – or vice versa.

Same holds true for standard certificate as well.

HB 2740Amendatory

OTRS Board of Trustees retired educator group appointee

HB 2740 – Teacher Retirement

•HB 2740 adds a new non-voting member to the Teachers Retirement System Board of Trustees, to be appointed by a statewide organization representing retired educators.


HB 2885Clean up Bill/Amendatory

Paid Teacher Internship

HB 2885 – Paid Teacher Internship

•Effective July 1, 2014

•Cleans up language in Title 70 to remove “license” in reference to teacher’s certificates

•Develops a paid teacher internship program created by Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation

HB 2885 – Teacher Preparation Act

•Changes to teacher residency program:▫For 2014-2015 school year, each school

district shall have the option of participating in the residency program.

▫Beginning 2015-2016, each school district SHALL participate in the residency program.

▫School provides professional support, mentorship & coaching

HB 2885 – Supply & Demand Study•New Law – State Board of Ed., Regents, and

institutions of higher ed. shall conduct an educator supply-and-demand study every 3 years to identify shortages and make recommendations to the Governor and legislative leaders.

HB 2938New Law

Teacher Certification

HB 2938 – Teacher Certification

•HB 2938 requires State Board of Education to put into place certain rules that qualify teachers who pass the state vocal music certification test to teach piano courses.


HB 3173Amendatory

Personnel Records

HB 3173 – Personnel Records

•Data collected pursuant to the Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation System (TLE) is not subject to disclosure under the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

•Effective November 1, 2014.

SB 1828Amendatory

TLE Evaluations

SB 1828 – TLE Evaluations • Data collected pursuant to the Oklahoma TLE is not

subject to the Oklahoma ORA or OMA. • Also, certain data relating to TLE shall be made available

to:▫ authorized agents of the OKSDE,▫ such other persons specified by teacher in writing, and ▫ shall be subject to disclosure at any hearing involving

dismissal or nonrenewal of employment of a teacher or administrator.

• Effective July 1, 2014.

SB 1914Amendatory

Juvenile Arrest

SB 1914 – Juvenile Arrest

•Any arrest or detention under the Oklahoma Juvenile Code or any juvenile adjudication shall not be considered an arrest, detention, or conviction for purposes of employment, civil rights, or any statute, regulation, license, questionnaire, application, or any other public or private purposes, unless otherwise provided by law.

•Effective June 3, 2014.