Reference & Health Guides
The reference and health guides are designed to help you in your business and health transactions with CalPERS. We encourage you to make the applicable guides available to all staff who process enrollments or convey retirement and/or health benefit information.
Reference Guides
Health Benefits Guides
- Public Agency & Schools Health Benefits Guide (PDF, 1.12 MB)
- State Health Benefits Guide (PDF, 1.19 MB)
Retirement Resource Guides
- Disability Retirement / Industrial Disability Retirement Resource Guide (PDF)
- Local Safety Disability Retirement / Industrial Disability Retirement Resource Guide (PDF)
These guides provide simplified explanations for often complex laws. Should there be a conflict between the language in either the reference or health guides, and the California Public Employees' Retirement Law (PERL) or Public Employees’ Medical & Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA), the PERL and PEMHCA will prevail. If you have comments or suggestions for future editions of these guides, contact us.
*For questions regarding account codes, or requests for account code corrections, adjustments, and/or verifications contact the State Controller's Office retirement liaison at (916) 324-1471.
Revision History
You can view a summary of the revisions made to our guides by selecting the desired link below. For content that received substantive changes, a PDF link is also available in the summary. To stay informed about changes to CalPERS policies and procedures, review our Circular Letters or subscribe to the Employer Bulletin.
| Topic/Summary | Revision Date |
|---|---|
|
Annual Review and Update Extensive updates throughout most guide topics with the addition of the new Health Education and Events topic |
Aug 2020 (PDF) |
| Chapter/Summary | Revision Date |
|---|---|
|
Introduction Added PEPRA information to service retirement topic |
Jul 2017 (PDF) |
|
Contract Coverage Procedures Clarified process to Initiate a New Contact and Updated Cost Estimate Factors for providing Two Years Additional Service Credit |
Apr 2018 (PDF) |
|
Membership Minor updates throughout with extensive updates to the Service Credit Purchase Options section |
Apr 2021 (PDF) |
|
Compensation Review Updates to the General Information for All Reporting Methods section |
Apr 2021 (PDF) |
|
Compensation Review 2021 Compensation Limits and New Member Contribution Caps |
Jan 2021 (PDF) |
|
Payroll Reporting Procedures Updated 1959 Survivor Benefit Contribution Index Levels |
Apr 2021 (PDF) |
|
Benefit Procedures Updates to the Employment of a Retiree section |
Apr 2021 (PDF) |
|
Benefit Procedures Updated instructions for Beneficiary Designation Form and the new Forfeiture Benefits Employer Form |
Oct 2020 (PDF) |
|
Web Services & Publications Updated Subscriptions Services |
Nov 2017 (PDF) |
|
Education & Other Resources New Educational Resources added |
Sep 2018 (PDF) |
|
Appendix Clarifying language added to Resolutions 1, 2, 3, and 4 |
Sep 2018 (PDF) |
| Topic/Summary | Revision Date |
|---|---|
|
Annual Review and Update Extensive updates throughout with the expansion of the Medicare topic and the addition of Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Health Education and Events topics |
Aug 2020 (PDF) |
| Chapter/Summary | Revision Date |
|---|---|
|
Introduction Added PEPRA information to service retirement topic |
|
|
General Membership Information Minor updates throughout with extensive updates to the Service Credit Purchase Options section |
|
|
CSU-Only Membership Updates to the General Information for All Reporting Methods section |
|
|
Pay Rate & Service Credit Updated 1959 Survivor Benefit Contribution Index Levels |
|
|
Pay Rate & Service Credit 2021 Compensation Limits and New Member Contribution Caps |
|
|
Benefits Procedures Updates to the Employment of a Retiree section |
|
|
Benefits Procedures Updated instructions for Beneficiary Designation Form and the new Forfeiture Benefits Employer Form |
|
|
Web Services & Publications Updated Subscription Services |
|
|
Education & Other Resources New Educational Resources added |
Sep 2018 (PDF) |
|
Appendix Removed outdated forms |
Sep 2013 |
Policies & Procedures
- Affordable Care Act (ACA) Guidance
- Circular Letters
- Health Procedures
- Pension Reform Impacts
- Reference & Health Guides
Resources
Forms & Publications
- Public Agency & Schools Health Benefits Guide (PDF, 1.12 MB)
- Public Agency & Schools Reference Guide (PDF, 2.66 MB)
- State Health Benefits Guide (PDF, 1.19 MB)
- State Reference Guide (PDF, 1.96 MB)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the employer required to provide CalPERS with the original agreement?
An original or certified copy of the agreement is acceptable. If the employer wishes to have an original signed copy of the agreement, it should send two copies with original signatures to CalPERS. After approval, CalPERS will sign both copies and return one to the employer.