The 2025-26 Budget: Concession Bargaining

May 19, 2025 - Unlike salary-driven benefits, salary plays no role in determining the value of non-salary-driven benefits earned by employees. The most common type of benefits in this category, like those described below, are insurance plans.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5047

Savings Plus Program: An Optional Retirement Benefit for State Employees

Mar 14, 2017 - Four Account Types Available to Participating Employees. The types of retirement savings plans available to state employees through SPP include 401(k) and 457(b) retirement savings plans. The names of these plans refer to the section of federal tax law that authorizes each plan.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3616

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 6 (Corrections)

Sep 7, 2023 - In both types of plans, employers and employees might make contributions towards the plan over the course of employees ’ careers. The primary difference between the two plans is (1)  who makes investment decisions and (2)  who bears the risk of investment losses.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4800

The 2023-24 Budget: Total Compensation Studies

May 24, 2023 - For example, the retirement benefits earned by state employees varies significantly depending on an employee ’s date of hire. A compensation study should compare wages but also should attempt to quantify the value of most of the ancillary benefits earned by employees in an effort to compare the value of total compensation earned by employees.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4773

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 5 (Highway Patrol)

Aug 23, 2024 - State-employed peace officers earn their benefit under one of two plans: Peace Officers and Firefighters (POFF) or Highway Patrol. While all other peace officers employed by the state earn the POFF benefit, CHP officers earn the Highway Patrol pension benefit.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4920

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 12 (Craft and Maintenance)

Jun 27, 2025 - However, the benefit earned by the employee is based on their full (not reduced) salary. Accordingly, during furloughs, the state systematically underfunds its pensions —contributing to larger unfunded liabilities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5060

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 8 (Firefighters)

Aug 19, 2025 - Employees in different bargaining units who have similar jobs (for example, public safety classifications like peace officers and firefighters) earn compensation packages with similar components. For example, while the specific structure of the benefit varies, public safety employees generally earn pension benefits that are designed to offer a higher annuity to retirees at an earlier age.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5066

The 2017-18 Budget: Governor’s CalPERS Borrowing Proposal

May 16, 2017 - Second, the courts have prevented certain types of state borrowing. In 2003, for example, the Legislature —without voter approval —authorized issuance of a type of pension obligation bond, to be sold to municipal bond investors to fund and refund certain state pension obligations.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3673

State Options to Expand Unemployment Benefits

Apr 9, 2020 - The state could set benefit amounts based on earnings for workers who are able to document earnings. For all other workers, the state could set a minimum benefit amount. Workers who can demonstrate earnings would receive the minimum benefit and the benefit based on prior earnings.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4219

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 16 (Physicians, Dentists, and Podiatrists)

Jul 14, 2025 - The agreement specifies that accrued, unused PLP 2025 hours would not expire and must be used prior to any other type of leave, except sick leave. The agreement specifies that accrued PLP 2025 would need to be exhausted prior to voluntary separation from state service.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5064