{"code":"GOV","codeName":"Government Code","section":"3521.5","citation":"Gov. Code, § 3521.5","status":"in-force","lawOn":"2026-09-28","headings":[{"name":"TITLE 1. GENERAL [100. - 7931.000.]","url":"https://blackletter.si/government-code/title-1"},{"name":"DIVISION 4. PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES [1000. - 3599.84.]","url":"https://blackletter.si/government-code/title-1/division-4"},{"name":"CHAPTER 10.3. State Employer-Employee Relations [3512. - 3524.]","url":"https://blackletter.si/government-code/title-1/division-4/chapter-10.3"}],"history":"Added by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1159.","effective":null,"html":"<p>The term “professional employee” means (a) any employee engaged in work (1) predominantly intellectual and varied in character as opposed to routine mental, manual, mechanical, or physical work; (2) involving the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment in its performance; (3) of such a character that the output produced or the result accomplished cannot be standardized in relation to a given period of time; (4) requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction and study in an institution of higher learning or a hospital, as distinguished from a general academic education or from an apprenticeship or from training in the performance of routine mental, manual, or physical processes; or (b) any employee, who (1) has completed the courses of specialized intellectual instruction and study described in paragraph 4 of subdivision (a), and (2) is performing related work under the supervision of a professional person to qualify himself to become a professional employee as defined in subdivision (a).</p>","text":"The term “professional employee” means (a) any employee engaged in work (1) predominantly intellectual and varied in character as opposed to routine mental, manual, mechanical, or physical work; (2) involving the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment in its performance; (3) of such a character that the output produced or the result accomplished cannot be standardized in relation to a given period of time; (4) requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction and study in an institution of higher learning or a hospital, as distinguished from a general academic education or from an apprenticeship or from training in the performance of routine mental, manual, or physical processes; or (b) any employee, who (1) has completed the courses of specialized intellectual instruction and study described in paragraph 4 of subdivision (a), and (2) is performing related work under the supervision of a professional person to qualify himself to become a professional employee as defined in subdivision (a).","otherVersions":[],"url":"https://blackletter.si/government-code/state-employer-employee-relations-3521-5","source":"California Legislative Information bulk export (pubinfo)"}