Paychecks
Most State employees are paid monthly for 12 pay periods. Pay day for full-time and part-time employees is usually the last day of the month or the first day of the next month. Intermittent employees are typically paid within ten working days after the end of the pay period.
Time Sheet
CalPERS Retirement
State employee pensions are administered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS). Most full-time employees, hired to work more than six months, are automatically members of CalPERS.
Your pension is based on years of service in the CalPERS system, your salary, and the formula that applies to your retirement category. Different types of State jobs belong in different categories such as Miscellaneous, Safety, Patrol, and Peace Officer/Firefighter.
CalPERS members also are eligible for disability retirement benefits, and their survivors are also eligible for benefits. If you have questions on what retirement benefits are applicable to you, contact your department's Personnel Office.
More Information on the CalPERS Website
Part-Time, Seasonal, and Temporary Employees Retirement Program
The Part-Time, Seasonal, and Temporary (PST) Employees Retirement Program is a mandatory retirement savings program authorized by Federal law for employees who aren't covered by a retirement system.
State or CSU employees who are not covered by Social Security and excluded from coverage under CalPERS are automatically enrolled in the PST Program. This program is set up as a 457 Plan, a type of retirement savings plan governed by IRS rules.
The Part-Time, Seasonal, and Temporary Employees Retirement Program is administered by Savings Plus.
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Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
State of California employees and their eligible dependents have access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The EAP offers free, confidential resources and services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The EAP is designed to help and support employees facing personal difficulties or life challenges. EAP provides a full range of services including short-term counseling, work-life services, financial coaching, legal assistance, identify theft resolution, health and well-being resources and services, and employee discounts.
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Sick Leave
Your sick leave is credited on the first day of each month following completion of a qualifying pay period. (A "qualifying" pay period for full-time employees is at least 11 work days; for half-time employees it's 5.5 work days; and for permanent intermittent employees it's 160 hours).
The number of sick leave hours you accumulate depends on your time base and your bargaining unit agreement. You can accumulate unlimited sick leave hours.
You may begin to use sick leave for approved absences once its been earned and are encouraged to build a substantial reserve of sick leave to protect yourself and your family from loss of income due to a lengthy illness or injury.
Please refer to Step Two
Optional Benefits and Services
Annual Leave. You may elect to enroll in Annual Leave instead of
Sick Leave. Annual Leave offers benefits that may be more appropriate to your needs.
Keep in mind, each department may have internal policies regarding this subject. If you have questions on Sick Leave and Annual Leave, contact your department's Personnel Office.
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Family Medical Leave
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) entitle eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave each year except when the FMLA leave is to care for a spouse, child, parent, or next-of-kin who is seriously injured/ill while on active military duty. In this case, the maximum is 26 weeks each year for specified family and medical reasons:
1. The birth of a child and to care for the newborn;
2. The placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care;
3. To care for a family member (employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent) with a serious health condition; and/or
4. A serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of his or her job;
5. For a spouse, child or parent who has been called to active duty or is already on active duty; and/or
6. To care for a spouse, child, parent, or next-of-kin who is seriously injured/ill while on active military duty.
FMLA/CFRA leave may be taken all at once or, when medically necessary, in increments of one hour or more that total twelve (12) or twenty-six (26) workweeks.
When a leave is taken for a medical or other FMLA/CFRA-related appointment, the employee must make a reasonable effort to schedule the appointment at a time that minimizes disruption to the Department's operations.
If you have questions on Family Medical Leave, contact your department's Personnel Office.
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Bereavement Leave
You are allowed paid time off if a member of your family dies. As with any other paid leave, you must consult your supervisor for specific information regarding qualifying relationships and the amount of time available.
If you have questions on Bereavement Leave, contact your supervisor or Personnel Office.
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Catastrophic Leave
The Catastrophic Leave Program allows an employee to transfer eligible leave credits, such as unused vacation, personal holiday credit, annual leave, or official compensating time off to another employee when a catastrophic illness or injury occurs.
A catastrophic illness or injury is an illness or injury that is expected to incapacitate an employee or qualifying family member and creates a financial hardship because the employee has or will exhaust all of his or her leave credits as a result of the injury or illness.
Additionally, if an employee is unable to work because of a natural disaster involving the employee's principal residence, eligible leave can be transferred. Some collective bargaining agreements allow transfer of leave credits between family members under certain circumstances.
If you have questions about Catastrophic Leave or additional leave options, which may be available based on your bargaining unit, contact your department's Personnel Office.
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Vacation Leave
At the beginning of every new pay period, you will be credited with the vacation hours you earned for the previous qualifying pay period. The number of hours you earn depends on your time base, bargaining unit agreement, and length of State employment.
You can use accrued vacation credit after completing your first 6 months of State service. You will continue to accumulate vacation hours for each qualifying month of work. Vacation time may be used with your supervisor's prior approval.
If you have questions on Vacation Leave, contact your department's Personnel Office.
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Leave of Absence
An employee can request an unpaid Leave of Absence of up to one year, which may be granted in certain situations. If you anticipate the need for a leave of absence, you must prepare a formal request.
When you return from an unpaid leave of absence, you may not always go back to the exact job you left, but you will be placed in the same classification or, if you and your department agree, a similar position for which you are eligible.
For more information on Leave of Absence, contact your department's Personnel Office.
Military Leave
California State employees called to active military duty may be paid their regular State salary for up to 30 days of duty per year, if they meet certain requirements.
In addition, the State will pay the difference between the employee's State salary and military salary (if the State salary is higher) for up to six months for specified military campaigns.
If the employee is called to active duty after Sept. 11, 2001, as a result of the War on Terrorism, the State will pay the difference between the State salary and military salary for up to two years.
Unpaid Spousal - Military Leave
If your spouse is in the military you may be eligible for ten (10) days of unpaid leave when your spouse is on a leave from military duty during a break in the deployment or during a mid-tour leave or end of tour leave.
If you have questions on Military Leave, contact your department's Personnel Office.
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State Holidays and Personal Holiday
Holidays
State employees observe the following paid holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
If you are required to work on a holiday, you will be compensated in accordance with your collective bargaining agreement and/or State regulations.
Personal Holiday
You become eligible for a personal holiday once you complete six months of State employment. After that, personal holidays are credited on the first day of July and may be used any time during the following 12 months, subject to your supervisor's approval.
Employees who work less than full time also may be eligible for personal holiday credit; the number of hours is prorated based on the employee's time base.
For more information on State holidays and personal holidays, contact your department's Personnel Office.
Workers' Compensation - Industrial Disability Leave (IDL)
Workers' Compensation is a benefit provided to you if you are injured on the job or become ill due to your job. Workers' Compensation is
separate from personal health insurance. There is no deductible for Workers' Compensation; all approved medical bills will be paid.
If you are injured or become ill as a direct result of your job, report the injury to your supervisor as soon as possible. In the event of an employee's death caused by an injury covered by Workers' Compensation, the employee's qualified surviving dependent(s) would be eligible for death-related benefits.
If you have questions on Workers' Compensation, contact your department's Personnel Office.
Non-Industrial Disability Insurance (NDI)
Non-Industrial Disability Insurance (NDI) is a wage continuation program that provides benefits if you are unable to work due to a non-work-related injury or illness. NDI is processed through all State agencies and by the Employment Development Department (EDD).
For more information on this program, contact your department's Personnel Office.
State Disability Insurance
Certain employees represented by SEIU, Local 1000 are eligible for State Disability Insurance (SDI) Benefits, which are funded by payroll deduction.
State Disability Insurance replaces a portion of your wages if you cannot work because of a non-work-related illness or injury. Family leave benefits are included as well.
If you have questions on State Disability Insurance and if you qualify, contact your department's Personnel Office.
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Basic Group Term Life Insurance (Excluded Employees Only)
The Basic Group Term Life Insurance is a State-paid benefit provided for managerial, supervisory, confidential, and other specified excluded employees.
When an employee moves into an eligible classification, enrollment is automatic. Once the deduction code is established, the carrier (MetLife) will mail a packet of information to each newly enrolled employee.
The coverage is $25,000 for Confidential/Supervisory and $50,000 for Managerial employees. Supplemental Life coverage is available at the employee's expense.
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Travel and Accident Insurance (Excluded Employees Only)
Managerial, supervisory, confidential, and other excluded employees are automatically covered by Common Carrier Travel and Accident Insurance.
A benefit up to $150,000 is paid to an insured employee required to travel on State business away from the work premises where he or she is permanently assigned. Any loss incurred by the insured employee during the business trip is covered.
If you have questions on Travel and Accident Insurance, contact your department's Personnel Office.
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Jury Duty
If you are requested for Jury Duty, your service results in no loss in pay as long as you give the State any money received from the court. You are
not required to submit any payment you may have gotten for travel expenses.
Notify your supervisor to discuss your work schedule if you are called for Jury Duty.
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