Barrett

—Plaintiffs and defendants each appeal from an order of the Stanislaus County Superior Court striking return to peremptory writ of mandate filed February 12, 1985. The appeal and cross-appeal arise from plaintiff-employees’ efforts to compel the defendant retirement board to reclassify them from “miscellaneous” status to “safety member” status under the Stanislaus County retirement plan.

Facts

A. Prior Appeal

Plaintiffs are 21 individuals employed by the sheriff’s department of Stanislaus County as work program supervisors, head work program supervisors, and chief work program supervisor at the county honor farm. Persons in these job categories are classified as “miscellaneous” members of the Stanislaus County Employees Retirement Association. In January 1980, plaintiffs demanded the defendants, Stanislaus County Employees Retirement Association (Association) and the Board of Retirement of the Association (Board), reclassify work program supervisors from “miscellaneous” to “safety” status and requested a hearing of such reclassification request. On February 15, 1980, the Board refused to reclassify respondents or to hold a hearing on reclassification.

Plaintiffs filed…