PLP 2020 Effective July 1. The CAPS membership overwhelmingly approved the side letter agreement between CAPS and the State of California surrounding the employee compensation reductions mandated by the state budget. Because of this, PLP 2020 went into effect on July 1, 2020. The Side Letter Agreement states that PLP 2020 will be credited on the first day of each pay period, so members are eligible to start using PLP 2020 now. If you encounter issues getting approval to use your PLP 2020 days, contact CAPS (caps@capsscientists.org).
CAPS Insurance Premium Adjustment. Some CAPS members who have insurance through CAPS with The Standard Insurance Company will see an increase in their insurance premium deduction effective with their pay warrant received at the end of June (July 1 warrants for retired CAPS members).
Members who turned 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, or 60 since July 1, 2019 will see an age- related premium increase as specified in plan documents. (Please note that The Standard Insurance Company does not send individual letters notifying affected individuals of these increases.)
Everyone should periodically review their estate plan to ensure loved ones are financially secure in case of death or disability. If you want more information about CAPS low-cost insurance benefits, or obtaining a quote on insurance coverage- with the convenience of payroll deduction-please contact CAPS (caps@capsscientists.org), or visit the CAPS web page here.
SCO Releases Cal Employee Connect for All State Employees. The State Controller’s Office (SCO) has released Cal Employee Connect for all civil service and California State University employees. This secure self-service portal allows state employees to view, print, and electronically save their own W2, leave balances, direct-deposit earnings statements, and more. This accelerated release comes as a result of employees working in alternate locations during the COVID-19 outbreak. You can access Cal Employee Connect here.
CAPSule on the Website. The June issue of CAPSule is now on the CAPS Website. You can access it here. If you’d prefer to go green, you can opt-out of receiving a printed copy of the CAPSule here.
News Briefs.
State recalls, quarantines raw milk because of Campylobacter – California officials have recalled and quarantined raw milk from Valley Milk Simply Bottled because tests have shown it to be contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni. State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones announced the recall and quarantine July 2nd in a public alert. She warned consumers about the dangers in the alert. There is concern that some people may have unused portions of the unpasteurized milk in their homes.
Poisoned sea lions are showing up on California beaches. Here’s why experts are worried – More than 20 California sea lions are suffering from deadly domoic acid poisoning on the West Coast, including a handful in San Luis Obispo County. Sickened marine mammals have been found in Avila Beach, Pismo State Beach and Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. Domoic acid poisoning is caused by an algae, Pseudo-nitzchia australis, that produces a natural neurotoxin that accumulates in fish such as sardines and anchovies.People can also be affected by domoic acid poisoning when they eat tainted shellfish. According to the California Department of Public Health website, symptoms of amnesic shellfish poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood.