Siskiyou County Municipal Code Ch. 33 Department of Child Support Services

There is hereby created in the County of Siskiyou a Department of Child Support Services that is separate and apart from any other County department, pursuant to California Family Code Section 17304.

(§ 1, Ord. 02-06, eff. June 6, 2002)

The Department of Child Support Services shall be responsible for:

(a) Promptly and effectively establishing, modifying and enforcing child support obligations, including medical support.

(b) Enforcing spousal support orders established by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(c) Determining paternity in the case of a child born out of wedlock as specified in Family Code Section 17400.

(d) The performance of child support enforcement activities required by law and regulation in a manner prescribed by the State Department of Child Support Services.

No other local or county agency shall have any authority over the department as to any function that relates to its Title IV-D operations (Family Code Section 17303).

(§ 1, Ord. 02-06, eff. June 6, 2002)

The transfer of functions from the Office of the District Attorney to the Department of Child Support Services shall be in accordance with the Family Code Section 17305. All employees and other personnel who served the Office of the District Attorney and performed child support collection and enforcement activities shall be transferred to and shall become employees of the County's Department of Child Support Services at their existing or equivalent classifications, and at their existing salaries and benefits including, but not limited to, accrued and unused vacation, sick leave personal leave and health and pension plans.

All assets of the family support division in the District Attorney's Office shall become assets of the County's Department of Child Support Services.

The transfer of programs, staff and assets shall be effective upon notification from the Director of the California Department of Child Support Services that the County has been transferred in accordance with Family Code Section 17305(a).

(§ 1, Ord. 02-06, eff. June 6, 2002)

Except for the selection of a department administrator, all program functions affected by the act or addition of Chapter 1, Division 17, commencing with Section 17000 of the Family Code, shall be performed exclusively through the use of merit civil service employees of the public agency. Permanent employees of the Office of District Attorney on January 1, 2000, or who shall become permanent employees prior to the effective date of such transfer as described in Section 2-33.03 shall be deemed qualified and no other qualifications shall be required for employment or retention in the County's Department of Child Support. Any employee who is in probationary status at the time such transfer becomes effective shall retain their probationary status and shall not be deemed to have transferred so as to require serving a new probationary period.

(§ 1, Ord. 02-06, eff. June 6, 2002)

An employee organization that has been recognized as the representative or exclusive representative of an established appropriate bargaining unit of employees who perform child support collection and enforcement activities shall continue to be recognized as the representative or exclusive representative of the same employees of County. An existing memorandum of understanding or agreement between the County and the employee organization shall remain in effect and be fully binding on the parties involved for the term of the agreement.

(§ 1, Ord. 02-06, eff. June 6, 2002)

The Director of the Siskiyou County Department of Child Support Services shall be appointed by the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors in accordance with qualifications established by the California Department of Child Support Services. The Director of Child Support Services shall be the administrative head of the Department and carry out general policies of the Siskiyou County Administrator and the Board of Supervisors. The Director of the Department shall:

(a) Plan, organize and direct all activities of the Department in accordance with local, state, and federal child support laws, regulations and directives.

(b) Be responsible for reporting to and responding to the State Director of Child Support Services on all aspects of the child support program.

(c) The Director shall report directly to the County Administrator and shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Board of Supervisors.

The Director's salary shall be set by the Board of Supervisors.

(§ 1, Ord. 02-06, eff. June 6, 2002)