§ 3502 Public Employee Union Rights

Government Code·California

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Key Takeaways

•Public employees (like teachers or city workers) can join or create groups (like unions) to talk to their bosses about work stuff.
•No one can force a public employee to join a group or take part in its activities.
•Public employees can choose to talk to their bosses on their own, without a group.

Example

A teacher wants to join a union to talk about better pay.

The teacher can join the union if they want, but they don’t have to. They can also talk to their boss alone about their pay.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 3502 Public Employee Union Rights

Except as otherwise provided by the Legislature, public employees shall have the right to form, join, and participate in the activities of employee organizations of their own choosing for the purpose of representation on all matters of employer-employee relations. Public employees also shall have the right to refuse to join or participate in the activities of employee organizations and shall have the right to represent themselves individually in their employment relations with the public agency. (Added by Stats. 1961, Ch. 1964.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

employee organizations employment employer legislature representation

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Government Code. Section 3502.

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Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

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