Reasonable reductions in nonteaching employees.

The board of education of each school district wherein the provisions of Chapter 124. of the Revised Code do not apply and the governing board of each educational service center may adopt a resolution ordering reasonable reductions in the number of nonteaching employees for any of the reasons for which the board of education or governing board may make reductions in teaching employees, as set forth in division (B) of section 3319.17 of the Revised Code.In making any reduction under this section, the board of education or governing board shall proceed to suspend contracts in accordance with the recommendation of the superintendent of the district or service center who shall, within each pay classification affected, give preference first to employees under continuing contracts and then to employees on the basis of seniority. On a case-by-case basis, in lieu of suspending a contract in whole, a board may suspend a contract in part, so that an individual is required to work a percentage of the time the employee otherwise is required to work under the contract and receives a commensurate percentage of the full compensation the employee otherwise would receive under the contract.Any nonteaching employee whose continuing contract is suspended under this section shall have the right of restoration to continuing service status by the board of education or governing board that suspended that contract in order of seniority of service in the district or service center, if and when a nonteaching position for which the employee is qualified becomes vacant or is created. No nonteaching employee whose continuing contract has been suspended under this section shall lose that right of restoration to continuing service status by reason of having declined recall to a position requiring fewer regularly scheduled hours of work than required by the position the employee last held while employed in the district or service center.Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code, the requirements of this section prevail over any conflicting provisions of agreements between employee organizations and public employers entered into after the effective date of this section.