Supporting Your Transition Back to the Office

As part of the governor’s executive order, effective July 1, 2025, state employees are required to return to the office at least four days per week. We recognize that this transition may bring new financial, logistical, and work-life balance challenges. To support you, we’ve compiled a list of state employee benefits and resources designed to ease the shift, from childcare and financial assistance programs to health benefits and tools.

For questions: If you need assistance, contact your departmental personnel office via the California Personnel Office Directory. Be sure to also review your department’s communications and intranet pages for department-specific guidance.

Open Enrollment: If you need to make changes to your benefits, you can do so during the annual Open Enrollment period (September/October). Changes will take effect January 1, 2026.

Please bookmark this page and check back often for updates as new details become available.

Jump to a section:

• Commuting & Transportation
• Childcare Resources & Cost-Savings
• Leave Benefits & Scheduling
• Health & Wellbeing
• Employee Engagement
• Training Opportunities

Commuting & Transportation

State employees can get commute program incentives for biking, taking mass transit, or joining a vanpool.

• Bicycle Commuter Program – Get up to $240 per year (taxable) to help cover biking costs.
• Mass Transit and Vanpool Commute Program – Receive subsidies for commuting using mass transit or vanpool.
• Other tips:
  • Ask your department for guidance on the commute programs, parking information, including nearby locations and any subsidized monthly rates.
  • State employee drivers in downtown Sacramento can learn how to participate in the Online Parking Lottery System.

Childcare Resources & Cost-Savings

Save money on childcare and everyday expenses with these benefits.

• Dependent Care Reimbursements – If you are currently enrolled in FlexElect, you can set aside pre-tax money to help cover childcare costs for in-office workdays. If you’re not enrolled, you can sign up during Open Enrollment for benefits starting January 1, 2026.
• EAP Work-Life Services – Get help with time management, finding childcare, and adjusting to work-life balance. (When asked to search for your organization, start typing State of CA and then select any department.)
• EAP Discount Center (Powered by Lifemart) – Save money with discounts on real-life needs, including child and elder care, car purchases and services, fitness centers, and more. (When asked to search for your organization, start typing State of CA and then select any department.)

Leave Benefits & Scheduling

• Leave Benefits – State employees are eligible for several types of time off. Ask your supervisor or personnel office for details.
• Flexible Work Arrangements – Flexible work arrangements offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. Ask your supervisor or personnel office for details.

Health & Wellbeing

• Find a provider – If you’re commuting, check your health, dental, and vision plan to find providers near your office.
  • Health plan contact information
  • Dental plan contact information
  • Vision plan contact information
• EAP Wellbeing Coaching & Counseling – Access EAP offerings for stress management and workplace adjustment. (When asked to search for your organization, start typing State of CA and then select any department.)
• Employee Wellness Program – Get resources for staying healthy at work, including desk stretches and mindfulness tips. (Use registration code StateofCA.)
• Other tips:
  • Ask your supervisor or departmental personnel office about getting a workstation ergonomic assessment.

Employee Engagement

Improve workplace morale and team collaboration with these tools and programs.

• Statewide Engagement Program – Explore strategies to enhance employee engagement and wellbeing.
• DEIA Psychological Safety Guide – Information and best practices to create a psychologically safe workplace. 

Training Opportunities

Visit CalLearns to register for courses to support you and your teams through change:

• Change Management Basics
• Effective Change Management
• Effectively Managing Disability Related & Religious Reasonable Accommodations (this course is part of the EEO Academy and is designed for RA Coordinators and EEO Audience)
• Empathetic Leadership
• Interpersonal Skills
• Introduction to Cultural Intelligence
• Organizing and Prioritizing for Success
• Providing Meaningful Feedback and Recognizing Employee Contributions
• Stress Management

For more resources on change management:

• California Organizational Change Management (CA-OCM) Framework

Stay Updated

This page is updated on an ongoing basis as new information becomes available. Bookmark and check back often for the latest updates.