Educational Sessions
From all levels of leadership to employees on the front lines of day-to-day operations, the CalPERS Educational Forum has something for everyone. Review to the table below for a complete list of educational session days, times, and descriptions to find the ones that are the right fit for you.
Monday, October 28
9:35 - 10:35 a.m.
Recommended for: All Attendees
You may know that CalPERS serves 1.9 million members in our retirement system and administers benefits for 1.5 million covered lives in our health program, but do you know that we offer many additional benefit programs? Learn about all things CalPERS, including our history, the structure and role of the Board of Administration, and other beneficial programs including:
- California Employers Retiree Benefit Trust (CERBT)
- Defined benefit plan and funding sources
- Educational opportunities and online resources
- Health benefits
- Long-Term Care Program
- my|CalPERS for members and employers
- Supplemental Income 457 Plan
Recommended for: Finance, Fiscal, Leaders and Managers, Public Agencies, Schools
Join our panel of experts as we interview fellow employers about best practices and successful strategies that are working for them to control, prefund, and manage the liabilities of other post-employment benefits. You'll hear first-hand about best practices that are helping agencies save money, reduce unfunded liabilities, and demonstrate more prudent financial management.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Health Benefit Officers, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers
CalPERS sets health rates annually through meticulous and methodical negotiations with health carriers. Learn about our rate development process and the factors that impact annual health plan premiums.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Human Resources, Membership
As an employer, you're also a CalPERS member. The more you know about CalPERS retirement benefits and how they fit into your financial future, the more of a trusted source you'll become for your employees. We'll cover:
- How your retirement benefit is calculated
- Factors to consider when preparing for retirement
- Features available through my|CalPERS
Recommended for: CSUs, Human Resources, Payroll, Public Agencies, Schools, State Agencies
Join the CalPERS Payroll and Membership teams for a panel discussion of our reporting processes and issues that arise in common transactions. Session topics include:
- Impacts of not enrolling members
- Importance of timely and accurate payroll reporting
- Member and employer contributions
- Retroactive adjustments
You'll learn how we work with all CalPERS business partners to make sure that my|CalPERS has the most accurate and up-to-date data
10:55 - 11:55 a.m.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Human Resources, Schools
Making a decision between two good choices can be difficult. Join us to learn how to guide your employees through a variety of scenarios. Session topics include:
- Impact to Social Security benefits
- Restrictions when working after retirement in either system
- Retirement system election eligibility requirements
Recommended for: CSUs, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers, Public Agencies, Schools, State Agencies
Get the need-to-know basics of CalPERS membership eligibility including:
- Common Law test of employment
- Independent contractor vs. employee
- Public Employees' Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) determinations
- Who's eligible/excluded for membership
Recommended for: All Attendees, Health Benefits Officers, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers
With health care costs on the rise, affordability remains a top concern. If you're looking to hold down healthcare costs without impacting quality or reducing benefits, this session is for you. You'll learn about the strategies CalPERS is using to drive value and contain costs while maintaining the highest possible level of care.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Compliance and Reporting, Finance, Fiscal, Human Resources, Membership, Payroll
Accurate reporting and documentation of your employees' membership, payroll, and service credit is critical to ensuring the proper benefits are calculated upon retirement. You'll get an overview of your business-related responsibilities guided by the California Public Employees' Retirement Law (PERL) and we'll help you better understand rules and online resources available to optimize doing business with CalPERS.
Session topics include:
- Membership eligibility
- Payroll deadlines, fees, and waivers
- Reporting special compensation
- Retirement benefits
- Retirement contract information
- Working after retirement
- Your role in the retirement process
Recommended for: Finance, Fiscal, Leaders and Managers
There are a variety of tools to choose from to help you take control of your agency's pension and other post-employment benefits (OPEB) liabilities. You'll learn about all of them and which options CalPERS offers to suit your needs. Whether you want to accelerate pension funding within the pension trust or accumulate reserves separately, there are a number of factors to consider. Take advantage of this opportunity to get expert answers to your questions so you leave with a thorough understanding of your funding options.
1:45 - 2:45 p.m.
Recommended for: Finance, Leaders and Managers, Public Agencies
The more you understand about actuarial terminology and CalPERS-specific methods, the better you'll be able to work with your valuation reports to plan ahead. This session focuses on basic principles and how results are determined including:
- Contribution rates
- Funded status
- Recent trends
- Risk factors
Recommended for: Finance, Leaders and Managers, Public Agencies
Learn about the new CalPERS 115 trust that allows your agency to prefund pension contributions which can help you navigate financial uncertainties. We'll help you get started.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Leaders and Managers
Come hear about CalPERS efforts to engage federal and state policymakers as well as any new laws that affect our members and employers.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Human Resources, Membership
Want to know what distinguishes Classic versus PEPRA membership? This is the class for you. We'll discuss the criteria for basic and complex scenarios that determine a member's enrollment status. You'll also learn how CalPERS makes determinations for more complex scenarios such as enrollment for members moving internally between CalPERS employers, members moving between reciprocal retirement systems, and separations in service.
Recommended for: Compliance and Reporting, CSUs, Human Resources, Public Agencies, Schools, State Agencies
Knowing if your agency is following CalPERS laws when hiring a retiree can be complex. Learn how to simplify the process by joining with colleagues in small groups discussions in this interactive session. Led by CalPERS subject matter experts, you'll discuss:
- A variety of post-retirement employment scenarios and how to handle them
- How to effectively and efficiently use my|CalPERS
- The steps involved in hiring CalPERS retirees
Facilitators will set the stage for each scenario, let your group work through the issue, one-at-a-time and then share their expertise for optimum solutions. You'll leave with more hands-on experience and new contacts and resources for future use.
3:05 - 4:05 p.m.
Recommended for: CSUs, Health Benefit Officers, Human Resources, Public Agencies, Schools, State Agencies
Attention Health Benefit Officers: Learn about health business rules to help you conduct CalPERS health benefits business and the responsibilities associated with the Public Employees' Medical and Hospital Care Act. Session topics include:
- Eligibility and enrollment requirements
- Health benefits into retirement
- Health plan options
- Preferred communication
- Resources to conduct CalPERS health business
Recommended for: Finance, Fiscal, Leaders and Managers
Want to confidently engage with your stakeholders, councils, boards, and communities on pension funding and policy issues? It helps to understand core terminology like normal costs, UAL, asset allocation, and ADP. At the end of this session, you'll be able explain in plain English how all the pieces of the pension puzzle fit together.
Recommended for: All Attendees
As an employer, you're also a CalPERS member. The more you know about CalPERS retirement benefits and how they fit into your financial future, the more of a trusted source you'll become for your employees. We'll cover:
- How your retirement benefit is calculated
- Factors to consider when preparing for retirement
- Features available through my|CalPERS
Recommended for: All Attendees, Finance, Leaders and Managers
Know all your options for managing pension contributions? We’ve developed a new projection tool to help. It's capable of running multiple scenarios to help keep your pension plan budget in good health on an ongoing basis. We'll show you how to:
- Evaluate savings generated by making additional discretionary payments (ADP’s)
- Project funded status and contribution requirements under various investment scenarios
- Use the tool to "stress-test" your budget
Recommended for: Human Resources, Membership, Schools
When are employees eligible for membership in CalPERS? In this session, you'll work in small groups with other school employer colleagues to better understand the requirements that must be met to qualify for CalPERS membership. One-by-one, facilitators will present a variety of complex scenarios for the group to discuss and resolve. Subject-matter experts will make the rounds to each table to further stimulate conversation and answer questions. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and work through real-world scenarios. A great opportunity to meet, network, and share knowledge.
Tuesday, October 29
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Finance, Fiscal, Leaders and Managers, Public Agencies
It's been an exciting year of change for the CalPERS Investment Office. A new chief investment officer, new senior leadership, and a renewed focus on innovative strategic portfolio management in an efficient and risk-aware manner has been introduced. This session gives you the opportunity to meet Yu (Ben) Meng, our new chief investment officer and members of his leadership team who will share their vision and long-term commitment for generating investment returns to pay benefits.
Recommended for: All Attendees
As an employer, you are also a CalPERS member. How familiar are you with your retirement benefits and how prepared are you to answer employee questions? Attend this session to strengthen your knowledge and to help you educate your employees.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Human Resources
Applying for disability retirement is a time of high stress — employees are counting on you to get this right. Be sure you know the requirements and responsibilities for employer and employee. Session topics include:
- Competent medical opinion
- Differences between workers' compensation and retirement benefits
- Disciplinary actions vs. disability retirement
- Employer-originated applications
- Filing appeals
- Importance of completing retirement document
- When to apply
Recommended for: Fiscal, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers, Payroll, Schools
my|CalPERS has several built-in safeguards to support accurate payroll reporting, but mistakes happen. Why not learn from them? Incorrectly reported payroll transactions can negatively impact the employer and member. Learn how to pinpoint commonly misreported payroll transactions — specific to schools — to prevent them from posting to your member and employer accounts.
Compliance requirements change frequently — are you up-to-date? Get the latest information on compensation reporting that's specific to schools.
Recommended for: Human Resources, Public Agencies
When are employees eligible for membership in CalPERS? In this session, you'll work in small groups with other public employer colleagues to better understand the requirements that must be met to qualify for CalPERS membership. One-by-one, facilitators will present a variety of complex scenarios for the group to discuss and resolve. Subject-matter experts will make the rounds to each table to further stimulate conversation and answer questions. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and work through real-world scenarios. A great opportunity to meet, network, and share knowledge.
11:20 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Finance, Fiscal, Leaders and Managers
Join our actuarial leaders for an interactive discussion about the "state of the system." They'll address recent trends in contribution rates and funded status, as well as strategies for continuing to improve sustainability and benefit security. Equally important, they'll be taking your questions, so you can leave the session well-informed and confident in what to expect for the coming year.
Recommended for: CSUs, Health Benefits Officers, Human Resources, Public Agencies, Schools, State Agencies
Get an in-depth look at the more complex matters associated with administering CalPERS health benefits to your employees. Topics include requirements for parent-child relationships and disabled dependents, coordinating Medicare coverage with CalPERS, and how your agency can benefit from timely reconciliation of your monthly health premium statement. We'll also cover:
- Billing cut-off dates
- Direct pay vs. COBRA
- Mandatory events
- Rules surrounding timely enrollments
Recommended for: Fiscal, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers, Payroll, Public Agencies
Compliance requirements change frequently — are you up-to-date? Get the latest information on compensation reporting that's specific to public agencies.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Fiscal, Human Resources, Payroll
Join the my|CalPERS System Support team for an interactive learning experience on all the benefits of using my|CalPERS Reports. It's a great opportunity to take a deeper dive into some of the most common reports and get answers to your frequently asked questions. You'll be able to vote for the reports you want covered and also learn how to:
- Access and download reports
- Query your agency's data
Recommended for: CSUs, Public Agencies, Schools, State Agencies
Knowing if your agency is following CalPERS laws when hiring a retiree can be complex. Learn how to simplify the process by joining with colleagues in small groups discussions in this interactive session. Led by CalPERS subject matter experts, you'll discuss:
- A variety of post-retirement employment scenarios and how to handle them
- How to effectively and efficiently use my|CalPERS
- The steps involved in hiring CalPERS retirees
Facilitators will set the stage for each scenario, let your group work through the issue, one-at-a-time and then share their expertise for optimum solutions. You'll leave with more hands-on experience and new contacts and resources for future use.
2:05 - 3:05 p.m.
Recommended for: Health Benefits Officers, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers, Public Agencies, Schools
As the largest purchaser of health benefits in California, we're uniquely positioned to deliver competitively-priced, high-quality health care to public agencies and schools. Learn how your agency can benefit from our negotiating power and find out what makes us a trusted health partner to approximately 1,200 employers. We'll cover:
- Health plan choices to help employees thrive
- Program features and benefits to suit your needs
- What's new for 2020
Recommended for: Fiscal, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers, Payroll, Schools
Compliance requirements change frequently — are you up-to-date? Get the latest information on compensation reporting that's specific to schools.
Recommended for: Health Benefits Officers, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers, Public Agencies, Schools
Join our Compensation, Compliance & Audit Resolution teams as they share common scenarios related to:
- Contributions
- Payroll, pay schedule, and pay transactions
- Salary, compensation, and more
Recommended for: All Attendees, CSUs, Finance, Fiscal, Leaders and Managers, Public Agencies, Schools, State Agencies
CalPERS and California public agencies have challenges ahead, but sometimes the facts are misunderstood. Join CalPERS CEO Marcie Frost and other executives as they tackle the most common myths and criticisms head on. They'll share their views on why they believe defined benefit plans are the most effective, cost-efficient retirement plan available, the steps CalPERS has taken to ensure the system remains strong for generations to come, and why everyone deserves financial security in retirement.
Recommended for: Finance, Leaders and Managers
IRS regulations are complicated. Get the clarity you need about how Internal Revenue Code section 415(b) (IRC 415) impacts the amount a person may receive as an annual retirement benefit paid through a tax-qualified, defined benefit plan like CalPERS. You'll also learn how the CalPERS Replacement Benefit Plan works under IRC 415 requirements and what happens when there is a significant increase in excessive liability due to increased compensation.
3:25 - 4:25 p.m.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Fiscal, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers, Payroll
Understanding the intricacies of employee tax coverage and withholding can save you time and headaches. With experts from both state and federal agencies on hand, we'll review common IRS audit findings to provide the advice you need to avoid errors. This session will help you:
- Better understand the roles and interrelationship of the State Social Security Administrator and IRS
- Identify possible tax reporting and withholding issues
- Review possible solutions and resources for additional support
Recommended for: All Attendees, Finance, Leaders and Managers
CalPERS' strategic asset allocation process transforms the fund's required rate of return to investments in stocks, bonds, real estate, private equity, and other securities. You'll get an overview of how CalPERS diversifies its $350-plus billion portfolio across asset classes and also a look at changes to the private equity program. You'll hear directly from our senior leaders in the Investment Office about our prudent, yet innovative, approach to increasing investment returns.
Recommended for: CSUs, Fiscal, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers, Payroll, Schools
Join our Compensation, Compliance & Audit Resolution teams as they share common scenarios related to:
- Contributions
- Payroll, pay schedule, and pay transactions
- Salary, compensation, and more
You'll learn how to avoid common pitfalls, resolve your audit-related issues, and gain valuable information to help during an employer review.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Health Benefits Officers, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers
Long-Term Care (LTC) is valuable for anyone's future. Available to current and former public employees and their extended family members, the CalPERS Long-Term Care Program is also an attractive employee benefit for employers, whether you contract with CalPERS for retirement and/or health benefits. Come learn how our LTC program can help secure your employees' futures. We'll cover:
- Available plans and features
- Average costs
- Common misconceptions
- How long-term care fits into retirement and financial planning
We'll provide free tools and resources to educate your employees.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Human Resources, Payroll
We've made service credit purchase improvements that can help your employees get retirement ready. You'll learn what's new, what's on the horizon, and the importance of your role in helping your employees understand their options.
Wednesday, October 30
9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Recommended for: CSUs, Fiscal, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers, Payroll, Public Agencies, Schools, State Controller's Office
The best way to avoid an audit is to stay in compliance. Join our Membership, Compensation, Compliance & Audit Resolution teams as they share common scenarios related to:
- Contributions
- Membership
- Payroll, pay schedule, and pay transactions
- Salary, compensation, and more
You'll learn how to avoid common pitfalls, resolve your audit-related issues, and gain valuable information to help during a compliance review.
Recommended for: CSUs, Health Benefits Officers, Human Resources, Membership, Payroll, Public Agencies, Schools, State Agencies
my|CalPERS has evolved to improve system navigation and usability based on feedback from employer partners like you. Learn about changes and how new features can help you in your role, such as added validations and enhancements to improve your user experience. We'll also showcase resources like the my|CalPERS student guides — simplified to assist you with processing transactions — and how CalPERS supports you through education.
Recommended for: Human Resources, Fiscal, Payroll, Public Agencies
my|CalPERS has several built-in safeguards to support accurate payroll reporting, but mistakes happen. Why not learn from them? Incorrectly reported payroll transactions can negatively impact the employer and member. Learn how to pinpoint commonly misreported payroll transactions — specific to public agencies — to prevent them from posting to your member and employer accounts.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Human Resources, Payroll
Help your employees make sense of their Social Security benefits and how those benefits interact with their CalPERS pension. Session topics include:
- Basic Social Security benefits
- How Social Security benefits are calculated
- Medicare
- my Social Security account access
- Social Security and CalPERS resources available to you and your employees
- Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO)
Recommended for: All Attendees, Fiscal, Human Resources, Payroll
Do you know what steps to take when an employee passes away? Learn about the benefits paid and why it's important for employees to have Beneficiary Designation and Special Power of Attorney forms on file with CalPERS. You'll also receive essential information on:
- Enhanced death benefits
- Emergency retirement counseling
- Pre-retirement death benefits
10:45 - 11:45 a.m.
Recommended for: Health Benefits Officers, Human Resources, Leaders and Managers, Public Agencies, Schools
Join our Compensation, Compliance & Audit Resolution teams as they share common scenarios related to:
- Contributions
- Payroll, pay schedule, and pay transactions
- Salary, compensation, and more
You'll learn how to avoid common pitfalls, resolve your audit-related issues, and gain valuable information to help during an employer review.
Recommended for: CSUs, Fiscal, Human Resources, Payroll, Public Agencies, Schools, State Agencies
Think you know what qualifies your employees for CalPERS membership? What about the laws surrounding compensation? Join us for a panel discussion regarding the prerequisites for CalPERS membership, the laws governing compensation, and how the two affect one another.
Recommended for: All Attendees, Fiscal, Human Resources, Payroll
Join the my|CalPERS System Support team for an interactive learning experience on all the benefits of using my|CalPERS Reports. It's a great opportunity to take a deeper dive into some of the most common reports and get answers to your frequently asked questions. You'll be able to vote for the reports you want covered and also learn how to:
- Access and download reports
- Query your agency's data
Recommended for: All Attendees, Financial, Fiscal, Leaders and Managers, Public Agencies, Schools
Last year, CalPERS revised the process for projecting contributions in my|CalPERS. Are you up to speed? Take advantage of this opportunity to learn from our experts. We'll help you understand:
- How contributions are projected
- What steps to take to ensure projections are as accurate as possible
- How to reverse projections and record actual contributions
- How to submit your payments and avoid penalties or additional interest
The more you know, the more money you can save your agency by avoiding late payroll reporting penalties and interest, and inaccurate actuarial calculations.