Florida Statutes § 216.262 — Authorized positions.

216.262 Authorized positions.—(1)(a) Unless otherwise expressly provided by law, the total number of authorized positions may not exceed the total provided in the appropriations acts. In the event any state agency or entity of the judicial branch finds that the number of positions so provided is not sufficient to administer its authorized programs, it may file an application with the Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice; and, if the Executive Office of the Governor or Chief Justice certifies that there are no authorized positions available for addition, deletion, or transfer within the agency as provided in paragraph (c) and recommends an increase in the number of positions, the Governor or the Chief Justice may recommend an increase in the number of positions for the following reasons only:1. To implement or provide for continuing federal grants or changes in grants not previously anticipated. 2. To meet emergencies pursuant to s. 252.36. 3. To satisfy new federal regulations or changes therein. 4. To take advantage of opportunities to reduce operating expenditures or to increase the revenues of the state or local government. 5. To authorize positions that were not fixed by the Legislature through error in drafting the appropriations acts. Actions recommended pursuant to this paragraph are subject to approval by the Legislative Budget Commission. The certification and the final authorization shall be provided to the Legislative Budget Commission, the appropriations committees, and the Auditor General. (b) The Governor and the Chief Justice may, after a public hearing, delete supervisory or managerial positions within a department and establish direct service delivery positions in excess of the number of supervisory or managerial positions deleted. The salary rate for all positions authorized under this paragraph may not exceed the salary rate for all positions deleted under this paragraph. Positions affected by changes made under this paragraph may be funded only from identical funding sources. (c)1. The Executive Office of the Governor, under such procedures and qualifications as it deems appropriate, shall, upon agency request, delegate to any state agency authority to add and delete authorized positions or transfer authorized positions from one budget entity to another budget entity within the same division, and may approve additions and deletions of authorized positions or transfers of authorized positions within the state agency when such changes would enable the agency to administer more effectively its authorized and approved programs. The additions or deletions must be consistent with the intent of the approved operating budget, must be consistent with legislative policy and intent, and must not conflict with specific spending policies specified in the General Appropriations Act. 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall have the authority to establish procedures for the judicial branch to add and delete authorized positions or transfer authorized positions from one budget entity to another budget entity, and to add and delete authorized positions within the same budget entity, when such changes are consistent with legislative policy and intent and do not conflict with spending policies specified in the General Appropriations Act. (d) An individual employed by a state agency or by the judicial branch may not hold more than one employment during his or her normal working hours with the state, such working hours to be determined by the head of the state agency affected, unless approved by the Department of Management Services, or otherwise delegated to the agency head, or by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, respectively. (e) An individual employed by a state agency or by the judicial branch may not fill more than a total of one full-time equivalent established position, receive compensation simultaneously from any appropriation other than appropriations for salaries, or receive compensation simultaneously from more than one state agency unless approved by the Department of Management Services, or otherwise delegated to the agency head, or by the Chief Justice, respectively, during each fiscal year. The Department of Management Services may adopt uniform rules applicable to the executive branch agencies to implement its responsibilities under this paragraph. (f) Perquisites may not be furnished by a state agency or by the judicial branch unless approved by the Department of Management Services, or otherwise delegated to the agency head, or by the Chief Justice, respectively, during each fiscal year. Whenever a state agency or the judicial branch is to furnish perquisites, the Department of Management Services or the agency head to which the approval has been delegated or the Chief Justice, respectively, must approve the kind and monetary value of such perquisites before they may be furnished. Perquisites may be furnished only when in the best interest of the state due to the exceptional or unique requirements of the position. The value of a perquisite may not be used to compute an employee’s base rate of pay or regular rate of pay unless required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Permissible perquisites include, but are not limited to, moving expenses, clothing, use of vehicles and other transportation, domestic services, groundskeeping services, telephone services, medical services, housing, utilities, and meals. The Department of Management Services may adopt uniform rules applicable to the executive branch agencies to implement its responsibilities under this paragraph, which rules may specify additional perquisites, establish additional criteria for each kind of perquisite, provide the procedure to be used by executive agencies in applying for approvals, and establish the required justification. As used in this section, the term “perquisites” means those things, or the use thereof, or services of a kind that confer on the officers or employees receiving them some benefit that is in the nature of additional compensation, or that reduce to some extent the normal personal expenses of the officer or employee receiving them. The term includes, but is not limited to, such things as quarters, subsistence, utilities, laundry services, medical service, use of state-owned vehicles for other than state purposes, and servants paid by the state. (g) If goods and services are to be sold to officers and employees of a state agency or of the judicial branch rather than being furnished as perquisites, the kind and selling price thereof shall be approved by the Department of Management Services, unless otherwise delegated to the agency head, or by the Chief Justice, respectively, during each fiscal year before such sales are made. The selling price may be deducted from any amounts due by the state to any person receiving such things. The amount of cash so deducted shall be faithfully accounted for. This paragraph does not apply to sales to officers or employees of items generally sold to the public and does not apply to meals which may be provided without charge to volunteers under a volunteer service program approved by the Department of Management Services. The goods and services may include, but are not limited to, medical services, long-term and short-term rental housing, and laundry and transportation services. The Department of Management Services may adopt uniform rules applicable to the executive branch agencies to implement its responsibilities under this paragraph, which rules may specify other items that may be approved, the required justification for proposed sales, and the manner in which agencies will apply for approvals. (2) The provisions of paragraphs (1)(d) and (e) do not apply to an individual filling a position the salary of which has been specifically fixed or limited by law. Unless specifically authorized by law, an individual filling or performing the duties of a position the salary of which has been specifically fixed or limited by law may not receive compensation from more than one appropriation, or in excess of the amount so fixed or limited by law, regardless of any additional duties performed by that individual in any capacity or position. However, this subsection does not prohibit additional compensation from an educational appropriation to any person holding a position the salary of which is specifically fixed or limited by law, provided such compensation does not exceed payment for more than one course of instruction during any one academic term and that such compensation is approved as provided in paragraphs (1)(d) and (e). Any compensation received by any person pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall not be computed as a part of average final compensation for retirement purposes under the provisions of chapter 121. (3) No full-time position shall be filled by more than the equivalent of one full-time officer or employee, except when extenuating circumstances exist. Extenuating circumstances will be provided for in rules to be adopted by the Department of Management Services or by the Chief Justice, respectively. 1(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter relating to increasing the number of authorized positions, and for the 2025-2026 fiscal year only, if the actual inmate population of the Department of Corrections exceeds the inmate population projections of the February 21, 2025, Criminal Justice Estimating Conference by 1 percent for 2 consecutive months or 2 percent for any month, the Executive Office of the Governor, with the approval of the Legislative Budget Commission, shall immediately notify the Criminal Justice Estimating Conference, which shall convene as soon as possible to revise the estimates. The Department of Corrections may then submit a budget amendment requesting the establishment of positions in excess of the number authorized by the Legislature and additional appropriations from unallocated general revenue sufficient to provide for essential staff, fixed capital improvements, and other resources to provide classification, security, food services, health services, and other variable expenses within the institutions to accommodate the estimated increase in the inmate population. All actions taken pursuant to this subsection are subject to review and approval by the Legislative Budget Commission. This subsection expires July 1, 2026.