Florida § 447.303 - Membership dues; deduction and collection.

§ 447.303. Membership dues; deduction and collection.

(1) Except as authorized in subsection (2) or subject to a waiver of the prohibition on membership dues deduction granted pursuant to s. 447.207(12), a public employer may not engage in membership dues deduction on behalf of an employee organization. A public employee may pay membership dues directly to the employee organization, any parent organization of the employee organization, or any affiliate of either the employee organization or the parent organization. (2)(a) Upon the written authorization of a public employee in a public safety unit, the public employer must engage in membership dues deduction for such public employee. A public employee may revoke his or her authorization for membership dues deduction upon providing 30 days’ written notice to the public employer and bargaining agent. (b) Reasonable costs to the public employer of engaging in membership dues deductions is a proper subject of collective bargaining. (c) The requirement to engage in membership dues deductions, unless revoked under s. 447.507, is in force as long as the bargaining agent remains certified to represent the public employees in the bargaining unit. (3) The public employer is expressly prohibited from any involvement in the collection of fines, penalties, or special assessments.