§542.  Permanent employees; causes for removal; procedure

A.  A permanent employee shall not be removed except on written and signed charges of willful neglect of duty, incompetency, dishonesty of being a member of or contributing to any group, organization, movement or corporation that is prohibited by law or injunction from operating in the state of Louisiana, and then only if found guilty after a hearing by a committee of the board hereby authorized to be established therefor, which hearing may be private or public, at the option of the employee.  At least thirty days in advance of the date of the hearing, the chief school administrator shall furnish the board with the following:

(1)  A copy of the written charges.

(2)  A list of the names and last known addresses of all witnesses the board committee may or will use at the hearing.

(3)  A copy of all documents the board committee will or may introduce during the course of the hearing.

The employee shall have the right to appear before the committee of the board with witnesses in his behalf and with counsel of his selection all of whom shall be heard by the committee at the said hearing.  At least fifteen days in advance of the date of the hearing, the employee shall furnish to the chief school administrator the following:

(1)  A list of the names and addresses of all witnesses the employee may or will use at the hearing.

(2)  A copy of all documents the employee will or may introduce during the course of the hearing.

Nothing herein contained shall be construed as depriving the board or any employee thereof of any right of action it or they may be entitled to under the constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana.

For the purpose of conducting hearings or investigations hereunder, the committee of the board shall have the power to administer oaths and affirmations and the power to issue subpoenas in the name of the state of Louisiana to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documentary evidence.  All such subpoenas shall be served by the sheriff or any deputy of the parish to which the same is directed; and such sheriff or deputy shall be entitled to no fee for serving such subpoenas.  In the event any person fails or refuses to obey a subpoena issued hereunder, any district court of this state within the jurisdiction of which the hearing is held or within the jurisdiction of which said person is found or resides, upon application by the board or its representatives, shall have the power to compel such person to appear before the committee and to give testimony or produce evidence as ordered; and any failure to obey such an order of the court may be punished by the court issuing the same as a contempt thereof.

B.  If a permanent employee is found guilty by the committee, after due and legal hearing as provided herein, on charges of willful neglect of duty, or of incompetency, or of being a member of or of contributing to any group, organization, movement or corporation that is prohibited by law or injunction from operating in the state of Louisiana, and ordered removed from office or disciplined by the said board committee, the employee may, not more than one year from the date of said finding, petition a court of competent jurisdiction for a full hearing to review the action of the board committee and the court shall have jurisdiction to affirm or reverse the action of the committee in the matter.  If the finding of the board committee is reversed by the court and the employee is ordered reinstated and restored to duty, the employee shall be entitled to full pay for any loss of time or salary he may have sustained by reason of the action of the said board committee.

C.  When a specified course is discontinued at any one vocational-technical school, a tenured instructor shall have seniority employment rights in that program or its equivalent in that school.  In cases where the above does not apply such instructor is no longer protected by this section but shall have the first option to be employed if the discontinued course or its equivalent is reinstated at his former school.

Added by Acts 1976, No. 661, §1.  Amended by Acts 1977, No. 346, §1.