California Job Blog

State of California Typing Test For certain State of California Job classifications, a typing certificate is required. Most commonly, you'll need these certificates for the Office Technician and Office Assistant classifications. For both the Office Technician and Office Assistant classifications you'll find 2 forms, (Typing) or (General). If you search for either of these classifications from Jobs.ca.gov , you should see postings for both in your search results. For Office Technician, the class code will also tell you whether the position is (Typing) or not. For Office Technician (Typing) the class code is -1139. The Office Technician (Typing) positions have a starting salary of $68 per month more than those with the (General) designation. For Office Assistant (General) the class code is -1441 and for Office Assistant (Typing) the class code is -1379. The Office Assistant (Typing) positions have a starting salary of $103 per month more than those with the (General) desi...

State of California Employees are eligible to participate in 401(k) or 457(b) plans administered by CalHR . Participation in these plans is optional. These retirement savings plans are a great way to save for retirement in addition to CalPERS . For both the 401(k) and 457 plans, normal IRS limits on contributions apply. However, State of California employees are eligible to participate in both plans. Additionally, there are Roth versions of each plan available. Eligible employees may enroll in Savings Plus at any time. Employees are not limited to an open enrollment period. Participants can also change the amount of their contribution amount at any time. There is a $50 minimum for each plan. For each account you open there is a $1.50 monthly maintenance fee. Who is Eligible? Nearly all State of California employees are eligible to enroll in a Savings Plus 401(k) and/or 457(b) plan. This includes those working for the California State University system, State Legislators...

What is it about government jobs that are so attractive to job-seekers? For some people public service and working for the common good is important. For some it's the stability and work-life balance that comes with State jobs. For others it's the great benefits. We often ask people looking for State jobs what their reason (or combination of reasons) is for wanting to work for the State. Gaining employment with the State of California can be a lot of work compared to the private sector, and we like to find out why people are investing so much time into it. We also ask co-workers this question, some of whom have spent their entire careers working in California state jobs. Below you'll find the most common answers we get to this question. The Best Reasons to Work for The State of California: 1) There Are Jobs Everywhere in the State You can find jobs working for the State in every county in California. The largest concentration is in Sacramento, but there are tho...

California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) The California Public Employees' Retirement System ( CalPERS ) is the pension fund for employees of the State of California. CalPERS also administers health benefits for active and retired State employees as well as their dependents. At the time of this writing there was more than$380 billion dollars in the fund and nearly 2 million members. CalPERS investments are vast. The fund invests in domestic and foreign stocks, bonds and real estate. It is the largest pension fund in the United States, and among the largest in the world. A pension fund is a type of investment plan that provides income during retirement. Members contribute a percent of their income during their working years and then collect a “salary” after they retire. The contributions of the members are invested and grow over time. CalPERS is a Defined Benefit Plan. This means there is a set formula for determining how much you will contribute, and how m...

Establishing and continuously building upon your CalCareer account ( jobs.ca.gov ) is the ultimate first step in the State of California job search . Through your CalCareer account you can craft the application that you’ll use to apply for jobs electronically or in hard copy. After you’ve gotten your first job, your account and State application can be updated whenever you transfer, get promoted or take on new duties. Follow our guide for how to create your CalCareer account and read about the benefits of doing so below. How to Use Your CalCareers Account 1. Update your contact information Keep your contact information up to date. If you’ve taken an exam and you’re on an eligible list, the contact information you have listed here is where departments will notify you with new job opportunities. Also, make sure the contact information for previous supervisors you have listed on your State Application are up to date. 2. Take Exams The first step in the State of California Hir...

Vacation, Sick and Other Paid Time Off Vacation and Sick Leave When people think about why they're trying to get a job with the State of California, the reason is often the generous vacation and sick leave employees receive. Whether you're a parent with kids to take care of, someone who likes to travel, or you're burnt out from working 70 hours a week in the private sector, California State jobs can help you get the work-life balance you need. The paid time off from work is one of the many reasons working in California's public sector can help you achieve a healthy balance between your work and home lives. The State offers 2 systems of vacation and sick leave to choose from. The first is the traditional Vacation & Sick Leave option and the second is the Annual Leave option. With the traditional system you accrue vacation and sick time separately, but you must use them separately. This means you'll be unable to use your sick leave for a vacation or vacation...