The 2020-21 Spending Plan: Labor and Employment Issues

Oct 5, 2020 - Under state law, PAGA allows employees to sue their employers to collect a share of penalties associated with labor l aw violations. Penalties and settlement awards from PAGA lawsuits are distributed 75  percent to the LWDF and 25  percent to the plaintiffs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4274

The 2021-22 Budget: Labor Agreements Ending Personal Leave Program 2020

Jun 25, 2021 - The agreement would provide all Unit 6 members a one-time opportunity to cash out up to 80 hours of leave credit (not including sick leave) in 2021. The agreement specifies that employees who wish to participate in the leave buyback program must submit a request to do so by October 15, 2021 and that the payments would be expected to be issued before November 19, 2021.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4446

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 8 (Firefighters)

Sep 7, 2021 - MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 8 (Firefighters) September 7, 2021 MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 8 (Firefighters) On August 16, 2021, the Department of Finance (DOF) submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) a labor agreement between the administration and Bargaining Unit 8.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4451

The 2021-22 May Revision: Golden State Stimulus 2

May 18, 2021 - The 2021-22 May Revision: Golden State Stimulus 2 The 2021-22 Budget The 2021-22 May Revision: Golden State Stimulus 2 The Governor ’s May Revision budget proposes $8.1  billion General Fund to provide a second, broader round of Golden State Stimulus payments to families with adjusted gross income (AGI) up to $75,000.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4435

COVID-19: Unemployment Insurance for Workers Impacted by COVID-19

Mar 23, 2020 - In December, 2020, H.R. 133 re-instituted the weekly $300 added benefit for January 1, 2021 to March  14, 2021. On March  11, 2021, H.R. 1319 extended the weekly $300 added benefit through September 6, 2021.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4208

The 2021-22 Budget: Interest Payment on Federal Unemployment Insurance Loan

Feb 10, 2021 - Specifically, the estimate is based on the assumption that the average state unemployment rate in 2021 will be 18  p ercent. The state ’s current unemployment rate is about half that level. As a result, the $ 555  m illion interest payment is based on an implausibly large projection of outstanding federal loans at the end of 2021 —$ 48  b illion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4360

Strengthening the CalSTRS Funding Plan

Mar 10, 2021 - The 2021 ‑22 Governor ’s Budget proposes to use approximately $410  million of required debt payment funding for the same purpose. We note that the 2021 ‑22 proposed payment is in line with our previous recommendations for allocating Proposition  2 debt payments.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4400

The 2020-21 Budget: Labor Agreements to Achieve Budgetary Savings

Sep 9, 2020 - LAO Comments Agreement Does Not Affect 2021 ‑22 and Beyond. The agreement expires June 30, 2021 and does not reduce state costs for Unit 12 compensation beyond 2020 ‑21. If reductions in Unit 12 compensation are necessary in 2021 ‑22, such reductions would either need to be established in a subsequent agreement or imposed by the state.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4267

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 18 (Psychiatric Technicians)

Jan 9, 2020 - As Figure  1 shows, the administration estimates that the proposed agreement would increase annual state costs, on net, by about $67  million by 2021 ‑22. This includes annual savings of $1.7  million beginning in 2021 ‑22 resulting from Unit 18 safety members contributing more towards their pension benefits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4134

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 6 (Corrections)

Sep 7, 2023 - Under federal l aw, state and local government employers may continue to exclude some employees from Social Security coverage, but only if those employees are enrolled in a retirement plan that meets federal regulations requiring at least a specified level of benefits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4800