This post appeared in August 2016.  It has been reviewed and is up to date.

CalPERS issued a Circular Letter on July 12, 2016, which provided information on its compliance review process and its most common findings, including employing retired annuitants.  In our practice, we have also observed some confusion surrounding the specifics on

The problems facing public agencies, many of which are struggling just to keep their heads above water, may get much worse in the near future.  The California Legislature is currently debating Senate Bill (SB) 278 (Leyva), which if passed would create new and in some cases retroactive financial burdens and uncertainties for local public agencies

On July 30, 2020, the California Supreme Court issued its decision in Alameda County Deputy Sheriff’s Assn. v. Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Assn. (Alameda).  It was anticipated that the Court would address the continuing viability of the “California Rule.”  Under the California Rule, a public employee is vested in a pension benefit

January 1, 2018, is just around the corner, and as of that date PERS contracting agencies, as well as employers in ‘37 Act county retirement systems, will for the first time have the legal ability to impose increases to the member contribution rate of their classic employees.

The Public Employee Pension Reform Act of 2013

Beach background with towel and flip flops and the word Retirement written in sand (studio shot - directional light and warm color are intentional).

On December 20, 2016, the California Court of Appeal for the Third Appellate District reaffirmed the purpose and spirit of the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (“PEPRA”) as a law designed to “limit,” rather than “shield,” public employees’ retirement compensation.  In the recent case, San Joaquin County Correctional Officers Association v. County of San Joaquin

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A number of California transit agencies, as well as cities and counties that operate and maintain transit systems, are in legal limbo over whether the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013 (“PEPRA”) applies to mass transit employees.  The State of California prevailed in its legal challenge against the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”),

Retirement-Sign.jpgThe California Public Employees’ Retirement System (“CalPERS”) substantially increased the number of public agency audits it conducted last year.  As discussed in our previous post, the audit process can be long, complex, and time-consuming.  An audit can also result in significant liability or administrative headache for an agency when its reporting practices and labor