2007 - State Bar Dues

Category

Collective Bargaining

Audience List

• Accounting Officers
• Employee Relations Officers
• Labor Relations Officers
• Personnel Officers

Synopsis

This policy

• describes the amount the state will pay or reimburse employees towards the 2024 State Bar membership dues, and related provisions
• provides instruction for payment of State Bar Dues

Introduction

No person shall practice law in California unless the person is an active member of the State Bar. “Annual membership fees” are those fees that any member must pay to maintain active or inactive membership in a calendar year.

The annual membership fee for active members is payable on or before February 1, 2024.

Statement

I.  Amount the state will pay for the 2024 dues

Departments are required to pay $465 of the 2024 State Bar membership fee of $510 for employees in Bargaining Unit 2 and affiliated excluded employees if State Bar membership is required as a condition of employment.

The state does not pay:

• The $45 contribution for the Legal Services Assistance option;
• Optional donations for Justice Gap Fund, California Change Lawyers, Legislative (or Lobbying related) Activities Fund, or California Supreme Court Historical Society (CSCHS); nor
• Penalties resulting from late payment of dues, unless the state is responsible for the late payment.

For employees who work less than full time, or less than one year, the department may prorate the reimbursement.

II.  Amount the state will pay for local or specialty bar dues

The state will pay up to $200 annually for job-related local or specialty bar dues, if State Bar membership is required as a condition of employment. The employee may be reimbursed for more than one local or specialty bar as long as the total reimbursement does not exceed $200.

Excluded employees may be reimbursed for job-related local or specialty bar dues at the discretion of the department. In such cases, the department also determines the reimbursable amount. The department may prorate the amount for employees working less than full time.

III.  Provisions if State Bar membership is not required as a condition of employment

For rank-and-file employees in Bargaining Unit 2 who are not required to be members of the State Bar as a condition of employment, the department may provide one of the following:

1. Reimbursement of the $465 portion of State Bar dues described in Question 1 (the reimbursable amount for an “inactive” membership would be $137.40); or
2. Two (2) Professional Development Days (PDD), per Unit 2, Memorandum of Understanding, Article 12, Section 12.8 B.

• Option “1” is available only for employees who are eligible to be State Bar members. Unit 2 employees who are not attorneys are entitled to only option “2”.
• The department may prorate PDD for employees who work less than full time and/or less than a full year.
• PDD must be requested and approved in the same manner as vacation or annual leave.

IV. Reimbursement for excluded employees

Excluded employees are entitled to reimbursement for up to $100 annually for membership dues of a professional organization or for a job-related professional license fee that is directly related to the employee’s professional discipline.

V.  Reimbursement for California Rules of Court, rule 9.9.5 (Attorney Fingerprinting)

Departments shall provide reimbursement of the $49 processing fee for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) review, and up to $35 for vendor fees incurred due to the requirements of California Rules of Court, rule 9.9.5 (Attorney Fingerprinting) for employees in Bargaining Unit 2 and affiliated excluded employees if State Bar membership is required as a condition of employment.

Application

Methods of reimbursement/payment of bar dues

Direct payment: The department may pay membership fees directly to the State Bar, following the procedures outlined below. However, use the reimbursement method (described in the Reimbursement section below), not direct payment, for employees choosing to pay any optional fees (itemized on lines 10-16 of the membership dues statement).

1. No later than January 11, 2024 (which is approximately three weeks before the February 1, 2024 payment deadline), employees must provide the original remittance (coupon) portion of their membership dues statement to the person designated by the department to handle payment of bar dues.  “Legal Services Assistance” must show that $45 has been deducted.
2. Departments will need to create an Administrator's profile by using the login button on the upper right side of the State Bar of California website home page (State Bar Home Page) to create an Administrator's profile. Any questions on this process should be directed to the State Bar at AgencyBilling@calbar.ca.gov or (888) 800-3400.
3. The administration should upload a spreadsheet with their attorney’s names and Bar Numbers. The system will generate the billing information for each attorney, including any current section memberships. Please make any changes necessary, including deleting any optional deductions not paid by the department as listed above.
4. Payment may be made online via bank account (ACH) or credit card. If online payment is not an option for your department, print an invoice that can be submitted with a check.
5. If paying by check, please prepare one check for dues and section fees, payable to “California State Bar.” Send the check, list, and invoice generated in the Agency Billing process in one envelope addressed to:

State Bar of California
P.O. Box 842142
Los Angeles, CA  90084-2142

6. If the department receives an employee’s membership dues statement after January 11, 2024, the department still has the option to pay the dues directly, or it may reimburse the employee, as described below.

Reimbursement: The Department may reimburse individual employees. Employees who request reimbursement must include proof of payment, a copy of their annual membership dues statement, and a copy of their membership card.

Authorities

• Bargaining Contracts - MOUs
• Business and Professions Code section 6140 to 6145
• California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 599.921

Resources

PML

• PML 2015-032: PML 2015-032 - 11/20/2015 - Bar Association Dues Reimbursement

Web Pages

• State Bar of California Website: Homepage

Authorized By

Paul M. Starkey
Deputy Director of Labor Relations, Labor Relations Division

Contact Person

Kristine M. Rodrigues
Assistant Chief , Labor Relations Division
Phone: 916-862-0140
Email: Kristine.Rodrigues@calhr.ca.gov

Superseded Policies

History

View History