System Access Administrators
To effectively conduct business through myCalPERS, your organization must designate a system access administrator (SAA) to oversee and manage access privileges for all users. The SAA serves as the primary point of contact, ensuring that only authorized users have the appropriate level of access within myCalPERS. Additionally, the SAA is responsible for setting up the designated point of contact to receive important correspondence from us. Through dedicated system administrator tools, the SAA assigns unique usernames and passwords to users, resets passwords, adjusts access roles, and can lock or restrict access, as needed. This role is essential for maintaining security, operational efficiency, and clear communication between us and your organization.
Managing myCalPERS Employer Access
Maintaining an accurate list of contacts for your agency is necessary to ensure correct personnel receive the information they need and have the access required to perform their work.
Your agency's SAA is responsible for maintaining this contact information. The myCalPERS System Access Administration (PDF, 1.8 MB) student guide provides detailed information and instructions for performing these duties.
Who/What is a Contact?
A contact is someone representing your agency and must be added to your agency's contact list in myCalPERS by your agency’s SAA.
Each contact must be assigned a contact type which identifies their duties, position titles, and/or program areas. If a contact serves multiple functions within the agency, it's appropriate to add the contact multiple times, each time with a different contact type.
Contacts designated as the primary contact will receive direct communication from us regarding specific business activities related to their assigned contact type.
Contacts who need access to agency information, process transactions, and/or run reports must be granted system access and the appropriate system access role(s) by the SAA.
Use the checklists below to ensure your agency contact information is complete and up to date to allow your staff to effectively conduct agency business with us.
New Contact Checklist
Periodically review your agency's contact information in myCalPERS for accuracy. Keeping this information up to date allows us to effectively communicate with your agency. When reviewing your agency’s contact information:
- Verify all contact information is accurate
- Add any new contacts
- Deactivate access for contacts no longer in their position
When adding a new contact, enter the following information in myCalPERS:
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Contact Type | Specify the type of work the contact performs and the type of communication they will receive (e.g., payroll, human resources). |
| Programs Supported | Select CalPERS Retirement, Health, Supplemental Income Plans (SIP), and/or Social Security. |
| Entity Type | Specify whether the contact will be an individual (e.g., John Smith) or a job function (e.g., CEO, receptionist).
|
| Allow System Access | Select the Allow System Access box to grant access to the myCalPERS system. |
| Make Contact Viewable to Other Organizations | Allow other business partners (e.g., health carriers, other CalPERS employers) to access the contact's name and contact information. |
| Primary Contact |
Designate the contact as the primary contact for the specified contact type. Only one primary contact may be designated per contact type. A primary contact can’t be removed or changed to another contact type unless another contact is designated as the primary contact for that contact type. |
| Communication Preference | Select mail or email. |
| Mailing Address | Provide the mailing address at which the contact would like to receive communication. |
| Work Phone Number | Provide the work phone number at which the contact can be contacted. |
| Work Email Address | Provide the work email address at which the contact can be contacted. This option is required if email is selected as the communication preference. |
Contacts who need to access myCalPERS or communicate with us regarding agency or member-specific information must be granted system access.
When you first grant system access to a contact, you must enter a username the contact will use to log in to the system. You'll be provided with a temporary password which you're responsible to provide to the contact, along with their username.
Inform the contact when they log in for the first time, they'll be required to choose a new password and set up multi-factor authentication.
Roles should be assigned based on the duties the contact will be performing for your agency. To determine the appropriate roles to assign, review the myCalPERS System Privileges for Business Partner Roles (PDF) supplemental guide.
You're responsible for making sure your contact information remains accurate and up to date, as well as ensuring the appropriate staff can access and use myCalPERS.
The SAA's maintenance responsibilities include:
- Resetting passwords and changing usernames
- Managing the agency's primary contacts and contact types
- Managing contacts' system access and system access roles
- Locking/unlocking system access for contacts who temporarily do not need it
- Deactivating system access for contacts who are no longer in their position or no longer need access to the agency's CalPERS information
- Deleting contacts added in error
Refer to the myCalPERS System Access Administration (PDF, 1.8 MB) student guide for step-by-step instructions for performing each of these actions.
Passwords for business partner myCalPERS accounts are valid for 60 days. Passwords should be changed prior to their expiration by selecting Contact Personal Security Settings, on the myCalPERS home page, and then selecting Edit Password.
If a password expires, it can be reset by the SAA or by selecting Forgot Password when logging in.
We recommend each agency establish more than one SAA for situations when an SAA may be out of the office or needs their own account maintained. If the SAA is unavailable (e.g., left your agency, on vacation, etc.), call us toll free at 888 CalPERS (or 888-225-7377) for assistance.
If the agency's only SAA will be vacating their position, a new SAA should be established beforehand to prevent any interruption or delays in accessing the agency's CalPERS information.
Help your employees learn where to find the information they need to perform their work with CalPERS. The following resources are available to help new contacts become familiar with our business procedures:
- Employer Education - Find training, events, and materials to assist you with your CalPERS-related business responsibilities.
- Circular Letters - Read critical business information on changes in policies and procedures.
- Email Subscriptions - Subscribe to the Employer Bulletin to receive important employer news, Circular Letters, and event updates.
- myCalPERS Employer Reports (Cognos) Catalog - Review agency information and generate reports.
- Technical Resources - Find the documents and tools needed to develop XML files for reporting health, retirement enrollment, and payroll information to us.
User Access Role Change and Exit Checklist
As an SAA, it's your responsibility to deactivate myCalPERS access for contacts who should no longer have access.
Reasons You Must Deactivate An Account
- Permanent separation from employment
- A leave of absence
- An appointment change that impacts the need for system access
If you'd like the employee to remain an active contact while on leave of absence, their account should be locked, not deactivated.
Impacts of Deactivating an Account
- The contact changes from active to inactive
- The contact's access to myCalPERS is prohibited
- Communications to the individual are terminated, if the contact was a primary contact
Instructions
Refer to Unit 2, Scenario 9 in the myCalPERS System Access Administration (PDF, 1.8 MB) student guide.
After deactivating a contact’s myCalPERS access, the SAA has the ability to reactivate the account.
Some Reasons for Reactivating an Account
- An appointment change requiring myCalPERS access
- A former employee returning to a similar position
Impacts of Reactivating an Account
- The contact changes from inactive to active
- System access can be restored with the same user roles that were assigned prior to deactivation and/or modified at the time of reactivation
Instructions
Refer to Unit 2, Scenario 10 in the myCalPERS System Access Administration (PDF, 1.8 MB) student guide.
When a contact no longer needs access to myCalPERS, but should continue to receive CalPERS communications, it's the SAA's responsibility to lock their account.
Some Reasons for Locking an Account
- A leave of absence
- An appointment change that impacts system access, but not as a primary contact, and contact should continue to receive CalPERS communications
Impacts of Locking an Account
- The contact will remain active
- Removes contact's access to myCalPERS
- The contact will continue to receive CalPERS communications
When a contact needs access to myCalPERS after their account has been locked, it's the SAA's responsibility to unlock their account.
Some Reasons for Unlocking an Account
- Return from leave of absence
- Five consecutive, unsuccessful password attempts that result in a locked account
Impacts of Unlocking an Account
- The contact regains access to myCalPERS
- The contact's system privileges are restored