print logo
Main Content Anchor

State HR Professionals

Group of business professionals smiling.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​General Links
​​​​​



​​​​

​Popular Links

Popular State HR Professional links
Popular Links 1 Popular Links 2
HR Net ​Statewide T​raining
Bargaining Contracts Class Specifications
Pay Scales Competencies
​Forms HR M​anual
​Benefits Admin Manual ​Selection Division
CalHR
S​​ubscription 		​House Cou​​n​sel
Progr​​am​​​​​
​Non-Traditional​ Apprenticeship ​​Program​​​​​​​​ Personnel Advisory Consulta​​tion​ Team (PACT)
​Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and​ Accessibility Toolkit​

​Announcements

 

 

<p>In accordance with HR Manual section <a href="https://hrmanual.calhr.ca.gov/Home/ManualItem/1/2201" name="2201 – Travel and Relocation" id="2201 – Travel and Relocation" target="_blank">2201 – Travel and Relocation</a> policy, excess lodging rate requests are required if the requested lodging rate is more than the State rate. Typically, State employees who are required to travel for official State business must submit excess lodging rate requests for advance approval of lodging rates that exceed the State’s maximum lodging reimbursement rates. <br> <br>Departments are delegated to make determinations regarding excess lodging rate requests up to $350 per night as follows, for:<br></p><ul><li> Requests submitted prior to the travel dates.</li><li> Requests submitted after the travel dates (after-the-fact requests).<br></li></ul>All excess lodging rate requests for amounts above the delegated amount of $350 per night continue to require CalHR approval in advance.<br> <br>Effective July 1, 2025, all excess lodging rate requests over $350 are to be submitted for CalHR approval through the Request Tracking System (RTS), an on-line software solution to manage and track various requests from team members, managers/supervisors, and state administrative offices.<br> <br>The RTS will:<br><ul><li>Allow users to submit excess lodging rate requests through a user-friendly interface via a web portal.</li><li>Provide real-time updates on the status of requests, allowing users to track progress from submission to resolution.</li><li>Offer a reporting tool to analyze patterns, response times and other metrics to improve our service delivery.</li></ul> <br>Information about RTS, including a User Guide and Frequently Asked Questions, was emailed to Travel Coordinators on June 13, 2025.<br> <br>General Reminders<div><ul><li>​ Departments shall review whether the requested lodging is in the best interest of the State before submitting requests to CalHR. All moderately priced lodging options are to be considered in order to determine the lodging that is in the best interest of the State. If an employee’s preferred hotel chain is not the lodging that is in the best interest of the State, then the lodging that is in the best interest of the State shall be selected.</li><li>​​​​Moderately priced lodging may include 2- and 3-star hotels in the State’s current online booking system.</li><li> <a href="https://www.dgs.ca.gov/Resources/SAM/TOC/4100/4117" name="• Per DGS State Administrative Manual section 4117" id="• Per DGS State Administrative Manual section 4117" target="_blank" style="font-size:1em;">Per DGS State Administrative Manual section 4117</a><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;">, all travel is to be booked through the State’s authorized online booking tool. Conference rates and short-term rentals are allowable exceptions to booking lodging via the State’s authorized online booking tool. Reasonable accommodations may also be allowable exceptions. For additional questions regarding the requirement to book travel via the State’s authorized online booking tool, please contact DGS’ Statewide Travel Program at </span><a href="mailto:statewidetravelprogram@dgs.ca.gov" target="_blank" style="font-size:1em;">statewidetravelprogram@dgs.ca.gov</a><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;">.</span></li><li><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;"></span>Lodging booked outside of the State’s authorized online booking tool due to an allowable exception (such as a conference rate) must be clearly explained in the “justification for alternate booking arrangement” section of the <a href="https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std255c.pdf" target="_blank" style="font-size:1em;">Excess Lodging Rate Request/Approval Form (STD 255C)</a><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;">.</span></li><li><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;"></span>The three required comparison quotes must clearly include the requested travel dates (such as printout or screenshot from the State’s authorized online booking tool).</li><li><a href="https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std255c.pdf" target="_blank" style="font-size:1em;">The Excess Lodging Rate Request/Approval Form (STD 255C)</a><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;"> was revised in June 2025. CalHR will not accept requests submitted on outdated versions of the STD 255C.</span></li><li><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;"></span>Only submit completed forms to CalHR for review. Please include all department contact information and approval signatures.</li><li>For rank-and-file employees, departments should review applicable <a href="https://eservices.calhr.ca.gov/enterprisehrblazorpublic/public/mou/bargainingsearch" target="_blank" style="font-size:1em;">Memoranda of Understanding</a><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;"> for specific language governing travel.</span></li></ul> <br>After-the-Fact Requests</div><div><ul><li> Departments are delegated to make determinations regarding excess lodging rate requests up to $350 per night as follows, for:</li><ul><li>​ Requests submitted prior to the travel dates.</li><li>Requests submitted after the travel dates (after-the-fact requests).</li></ul><li><span style="font-size:1em;">​After-the-fact requests over $350 per night must be submitted to CalHR with three comparison quotes for the requested travel dates (if available) along with an explanation for the late submission.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:1em;"></span>CalHR reviews after-the-fact requests on a case-by-case basis.</li></ul><span style="color:#000000;font-size:1em;">​Annual Reports for Delegated Excess Lodging Rate Reques</span><span style="color:#000000;font-size:1em;">ts</span></div><div><ul><li>The reporting period for annual reports is July 1 – June 30 of each year. All departments who have approved delegated excess lodging rate requests are required to submit their annual reports to <a href="mailto:travelmanager@calhr.ca.gov" name="travelmanager@calhr.ca.gov" id="travelmanager@calhr.ca.gov" target="_blank">travelmanager@calhr.ca.gov​</a> by August 31. Each department’s report must include all approved delegated requests, including those that were not required to be submitted to CalHR. Please include department contact information in the submission email.</li><ul><li>​​An Excel template for annual reports is available in the “<a href="https://hrmanual.calhr.ca.gov/Home/ManualItem/1/2201#:~:text=Frequently%20Asked%20Questions-%2cForms%2c-Excess%20Lodging%20Requests" name="Forms" id="Forms" target="_blank" style="font-size:1em;">Forms</a><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;">” section of </span><a href="http://hrmanual.calhr.ca.gov/Home/ManualItem/1/2201" name="HR Manual section 2201- Travel and Relocation Policy" id="HR Manual section 2201- Travel and Relocation Policy" target="_blank" style="font-size:1em;">HR Manual section 2201- Travel and Relocation Policy</a><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;">. This template has been updated to identify specific types of travel with excess lodging rate requests. Please use this current template.</span></li><li>Departments must respond to <a href="mailto:travelmanager@calhr.ca.gov" target="_blank" style="font-size:1em;">travelmanager@calhr.ca.gov​</a><span style="color:#444444;font-size:1em;"> even if they do not have any approved excess lodging rate requests.​​</span></li></ul></ul><p></p></div>Excess Lodging Rate Requests and Annual Reports - Reminders7/8/2025 7:00:00 AM
<p>The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) held a Special Open Enrollment (OE) period for the FlexElect Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DCRA) Program from May 1-30, 2025.<br> <br>The DRCA allows eligible state employees to set aside money to pay for qualifying dependent care expenses, such as childcare, elder care and care for a disabled dependent. DCRA contributions are not taxable, which can lower taxable income.<br> <br>During this Special OE FlexElect DCRA, eligible state employees were able to newly enroll and/or increase their DCRA contribution amounts. In the event an employee’s dependent care needs have altered and should an employee need to change or cancel their Special OE FlexElect DCRA selection, please refer to the <a href="https://benefits.calhr.ca.gov/state-hr-professionals/benefits-administration-manual/flexelect-program/" name="CalHR Benefits Administration Manual – FlexElect Program" id="CalHR Benefits Administration Manual – FlexElect Program">CalHR Benefits Administration Manual – FlexElect Program</a> for a list of permitting events.<br>Key Dates:</p><p></p><ul><li>​Enrollment period held: May 1 – 30, 2025</li><li>State Controller’s Office (SCO) processed Special OE forms: May 1 – June 10, 2025</li><li>Deductions began: June 2025 pay period (appears on the July 1, 2025, pay warrant)</li><li>Contribution period: June – November 2025 pay periods (six months)</li><li>Earliest permitting event date and effective date: July 1, 2025</li><li>Employees must complete<a href="https://benefits.calhr.ca.gov/state-hr-professionals/benefits-administration-manual/flexelect-program/" name="STD.701R" id="STD.701R"> STD.701R</a> updating the monthly contribution amount and mark the following permitting event codes:</li><ul><li>38 – Change in dependent care provider</li><li>3<span style="font-size:1em;">9 – Change in provider dependent care cost</span></li></ul><li><span style="font-size:1em;">​ConnectHR upload deadline for DCRA OE cancellation/changes: August 31, 2025</span></li></ul> <br>For all other FlexElect DCRA changes and enrollment outside of this Special OE, eligible employees will have the opportunity to enroll or make changes during the normal Open Enrollment season September 15 – October 10 with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<br> <br>For FlexElect DCRA information, please refer to the <a href="https://benefitsdocs.calhr.ca.gov/2025-flexelect-handbook/full-view.html">2025 FlexElect Handbook</a> found on the Flex Accounts Bookshelf of <a href="https://benefitsdocs.calhr.ca.gov/2025-flexelect-handbook/full-view.html">CalHR’s Virtual Library​</a>.​<p></p>Special Open Enrollment – Dependent Care Reimbursement Account7/8/2025 7:00:00 AM
<p>​​For 2025, the monthly limit for a <a href="https://benefits.calhr.ca.gov/state-employees/work-resources/third-party-pre-tax-parking-reimbursement-account-program/" target="_blank">Third-Party Pre-Tax Parking Reimbursement Account Program​</a> deduction from an employee's income to pay for qualified parking will be $325. This amount is an increase of $10 over the limit of $315 in effect for the year 2024.​<br></p>2025 Monthly Deduction Amount for the Third-Party Pre-Tax Parking Reimbursement Account Program1/7/2025 8:00:00 AM

For previous announcements, please visit our HR Announcements page.

Main Page
Link Back to Top