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Miscellaneous Programs

25-Year Service and 25-Year Retirement Award

Employee Designation:  Manager, Supervisor, Confidential, and Excluded

This program was established by the Legislature to recognize employees for completed years of service and/or retirement. The two awards include:

  • 25-Year Service Award – an employee who has achieved 25 years of service may select a gift of up to $90 from the contracted vendor. A certificate with the Governor’s signature is automatically included.
  • 25-Year Retirement Award – a retiring employee with 25 years or more of service may select a gift of up to $90 from the contracted vendor.

Commute Program

Employee Designation:  Manager, Supervisor, Confidential, and Excluded

References: CalHR Rule 599.936

Employees may participate in a program aimed at reducing the number of single occupant vehicles on urban freeways at peak commute hours.  The program provides a 75% discount on public transit passes sold by State agencies up to a maximum of $65 per month; $100 per month is provided to van pool drivers.  For further information, employees should check with their accounting office.

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Designation:  Manager, Supervisor, Confidential, and Excluded

References:  CalHR Rule 599.931

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a State-paid benefit for active State employees, their lawful spouse or registered domestic partner, and unmarried, dependent children.  EAP clinical counseling is available 24/7/365 for marriage, family and relationship issues; emotional, personal and stress concerns; alcohol abuse; and drug abuse.  EAP also features services to help balance work and life and offers telephonic consultations services for child and elder care assistance; financial services; legal services; identity theft recovery services; and daily living services.

In addition, EAP is a valuable resource to supervisors and managers who can access an EAP Management Consultation for confidential consultation, any time and as often as needed, when faced with an employee work performance issue.

EAP Critical Incident Stress Debriefings (CISD) and specialized training services are also available through a fee-for-service contract when a department needs a specialized service, e.g., CISD may be scheduled when a department needs psychological support for a group of employees due to a traumatic work experience.

Employee Suggestion Program

Employee Designation:  Manager, Supervisor, Confidential, and Excluded

References:  Govt. Code 19823; CalHR Rules 599.655 - 599.664

The Employee Suggestion Program is a formal system for rewarding employees who submit ideas that reduce or eliminate State expenditures or improve safety or the operation of State government.

The Merit Award Program administers the Program.

Pre-Tax Parking

Employee Designation:  Manager, Supervisor, Confidential, and Excluded

References:  IRS Code 132 (f)

There are three types of pre-tax parking payroll deductions:

  • Department of General Services’ (DGS) pre-tax parking payroll deduction program is available to employees who have a parking space in a State-owned garage and/or parking lot managed by the DGS.  For more information, contact the DGS/Office of Fleet Administration.
  • Department-Sponsored Parking is an “in-house” program where departments administer their own programs.  For more information, contact your department’s Transportation/Parking Coordinator.
  • The Pre-Tax Parking Reimbursement Account Program is a program administered by CalHR which allows for the deduction of a specific dollar amount (up to current IRS maximum) for work-related parking fees from your pay warrant prior to tax deductions.  Deductions are deposited in a special reimbursement account.  To receive payments from the account, employees must submit a reimbursement claim along with the required parking receipts. 

ScholarShare

Employee Designation:  Manager, Supervisor, Confidential, and Excluded

ScholarShare, the state-administered 529 college savings plan, provides families with a tax-advantaged way to deposit after-tax contributions to save for future college expenses. Earnings, if any, are tax-deferred and disbursements, when used for tuition and other qualified higher education expenses, are federal and state tax-free.

Special Act or Special Service Award

Employee Designation:   Manager, Supervisor, Confidential, and Excluded

References:  CalHR Rules 599.655(b)(c)

A Special Act is an extraordinary act of heroism by a State employee extending far above and beyond the normal call of duty or service performed at great risk to his/her own safety or life in an effort to save human life. A Special Service is an act of heroism by a State employee extending above and beyond the normal call of duty or service performed at a personal risk to save human life or State property. The award is presented by the Governor in a public ceremony and includes a Gold Medal of Valor for a Special Act or a Silver Medal for a Special Service, a certificate signed by the Governor, a lapel pin and a citation. These awards are honorary and subject to review and final approval by the Merit Award Board. 

Wellness

Employee Designation:  Manager, Supervisor, Confidential, and Excluded

California WorksWell provides health promotion information, resources, and direction to State agencies to help them develop programs that promote healthy lifestyles for their employees, as well as their families.  Wellness Coordinators in each State agency provide the programs and activities conducted at their work sites.  California WorksWell also encourages employees to be aware of their health and to take steps to maintain or improve it by accessing the resources and links to health information on our website.

  Updated: 5/27/2016
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