CHAPTER 4. Employer and Participant Responsibilities [26300. - 26306.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 4.

in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26300. Section 26300.

(a) Within 10 working days following the later of the first day of employment, the date of the employer’s governing board’s action to provide the Cash Balance Benefit Program, or the effective date of the employer’s governing board’s action to provide the Cash Balance Benefit Program, the employer shall make available to the employee the following information: (1) The employee’s rights and responsibilities as a participant in the program, the employer’s responsibilities under the program, and the benefits payable under the program. (2) The employee’s right to elect membership in the Defined Benefit Program in lieu of participation in the Cash Balance Benefit Program, the rights and responsibilities of a member and the employer under the Defined Benefit Program, and benefits payable under the Defined Benefit Program. (b) Written acknowledgment by the employee that he or she has received the information specified in subdivision (a) shall be retained in the employer’s files on a form prescribed by the system. (c) If an employer’s governing board’s action to provide the Cash Balance Benefit Program gives employees the right to elect other coverage in lieu of the Cash Balance Benefit Program pursuant to Section 26400, the employer shall, within 10 working days following the later of the first day on which creditable service is performed, the date of the employer’s governing board’s action to provide the program or the effective date of the employer’s governing board’s action to provide the program, notify existing employees of the following: (1) The employee’s right to elect other coverage if offered by the employer in lieu of participation in the Cash Balance Benefit Program. (2) The rights and responsibilities of the employer and a participant in an alternative retirement plan if offered by the employer. (3) The benefits payable under an alternative retirement plan if offered by the employer.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26301. Section 26301.

(a) Employers shall report contributions paid on behalf of each participant in each pay period, along with all other information required by the system no later than 10 working days following the last day of the pay period in which the salary was earned, and the report shall be delinquent immediately thereafter. That report shall be submitted electronically in an encrypted format provided by the system that ensures the security of the transmitted participant data. (b) The board shall, in accordance with regulations, assess a penalty against the employer for a report submitted late or in an unacceptable form. The penalty shall be based upon the sum of the employee and employer contributions required to be reported under this part at a rate of interest equal to the regular interest rate, accruing on the balance for the period between the time the report was due and the time an acceptable report is actually received by the system.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26301.5. Section 26301.5.

Each employer shall deduct from the salary of participants employed by the employer the participant contributions required by this part and shall remit to the system those contributions plus the employer contributions required by this part and Section 44987.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26301.7. Section 26301.7.

(a) All contributions due to the system by an employer under this part shall be paid by an electronic funds transfer method through an automated clearinghouse as prescribed by the board. This payment requirement is effective upon authorization by the board. (b) For purposes of this section, “automated clearinghouse” means any federal reserve bank, or an organization established in agreement with the National Automated Clearing House Association, that operates as a clearinghouse for transmitting or receiving entries between banks or bank accounts and which authorizes an electronic transfer of funds between these banks or bank accounts. (c) An employer that is unable, for good cause, to comply with subdivision (a) may apply to the board for a waiver that allows the employer to pay in an alternate manner as prescribed by the board.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26302. Section 26302.

(a) If more or less than the contributions required by this part are paid to the plan based on salary paid to a participant, proper adjustment shall be made by the employer within 60 days of discovery or of notification by the system, and any contributions deducted in error from the participant’s salary shall be returned to the participant by the employer within the same time period. (b) The board shall, in accordance with regulations, assess penalties for late or improper adjustments pursuant to Section 26301. These penalties shall be assessed at a rate equal to the penalties imposed under subdivision (b) of Section 26301 and shall be deemed to be interest earned in the year in which the penalty is received.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26303. Section 26303.

(a) Employers shall transmit to the plan the employee contributions and employer contributions with respect to the Cash Balance Benefit Program for salary paid to each participant during the pay period no later than 10 working days following the last day of the pay period in which the salary was earned. (b) Payments shall be delinquent on the 11th working day thereafter, and interest shall begin to accrue at the regular interest rate from that day until payment for the contributions and interest is received in full by the system. The board, in accordance with regulations, shall collect interest for late payment from the employer under this subdivision.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26303.5. Section 26303.5.

A person or entity that reports directly to the system that is assessed a penalty or interest pursuant to Section 26301 or 26303 may appeal the assessed penalty or interest using the appeals process established pursuant to Section 22219.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26303.7. Section 26303.7.

Penalties and interest due to the system pursuant to Section 26301 or 26303 are additional required contributions that, when received, shall be deposited to the Teachers’ Retirement Fund and treated in the same manner as other contributions.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26304. Section 26304.

An employer shall provide timely notice to the system of the employment, death, or termination of employment of a participant.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26305. Section 26305.

Upon request of the system, an employer shall provide the system with information regarding the salary paid or to be paid to employees subject to coverage by the Cash Balance Benefit Program in a plan year. The information may include, but shall not be limited to, employment contracts, salary schedules, and minutes from meetings conducted by the governing board of the employer.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 26306. Section 26306.

(a) Upon request by the system, a participant or beneficiary with respect to the Cash Balance Benefit Program shall provide to the system any information affecting his or her status as a participant or beneficiary. (b) Upon request by the system, the participant shall provide proof of his or her date of birth. (c) A participant who has not contributed to the Cash Balance Benefit Program during the immediately preceding plan year shall provide the system with his or her current mailing address and beneficiary information. (d) For a trust as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 26106.5 that is designated as a joint and survivor annuity beneficiary, the following documentation is required: (1) The participant shall provide an acknowledged certification that includes each declaration prescribed by clause A-6 of Section 1.401(a)(9)-4 of Title 26 of the Code of Federal Regulations and a declaration that the trust meets the requirements and conditions as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 26106.5. The certification shall be submitted to the system at the time of election of the beneficiary and is required for the election to be valid. The certification shall be in the form of an acknowledged declaration signed by the participant and by all then-acting trustees of the trust. (2) After the participant’s death, the then-acting trustee or trustees of the trust shall provide an acknowledged certification that includes each of the declarations prescribed by clause A-6 of Section 1.401(a)(9)-4 of Title 26 of the Code of Federal Regulations and a declaration that the trust meets the requirements and conditions as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 26106.5. The certification by the trustee or trustees of the trust shall be submitted to the system upon the participant’s death and shall additionally certify that the trust has not been revoked, modified, or amended in any manner which would cause the representations contained in the certification to be incorrect. The certification shall contain a statement that it is being signed by all of the then-acting trustees of the trust and shall be in the form of an acknowledged declaration signed by all the then-acting trustees. (3) At any time, upon demand by the system, the participant or trustee of the trust shall provide a copy of the trust instrument.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026