1425 - Bicycle Commuter Program (Historical View)

** Effective: 5/4/2018 4:07:43 PM - 6/1/2018 2:33:58 PM **

Status: Active

Change Notes

Contact updated: Updated email address.

Category

Benefits and Insurance

Audience List

Synopsis

This policy:

Introduction

The Program is a taxable benefit administered by CalHR. This benefit is voluntarily provided by the State of California and encourages active state employees (employees) to consider bicycle commuting as a means of active transportation to and from their residences and places of employment. The Program promotes health and wellness and sustainable commuting practices by encouraging employees to use bicycles as their primary means of commuting. The Program supports the California Department of Transportation’s “Toward an Active California State Bicycle and Pedestrian” plan to triple bicycling in the state between 2010 and 2020.

The Program allows the employer, the State of California, to provide a taxable benefit to eligible employees who use their bicycles as a primary means of commuting. For the purposes of this Program, a bicyclist is any person riding a bicycle or tricycle, including Class I and II e-bikes, cargo bikes, recumbent bikes, bikes with trailers, handcycles, or other variations. Motorized scooters or mopeds are not considered bicycles.

Departments will absorb the cost of providing this taxable bicycle commuter benefit to all of their eligible employees who participate in the Program.

CalHR encourages departments to:

Statement

Eligibility

Effective May 1, 2018, any active state employee whose salary is paid directly by the State of California is eligible to participate in the Program. Employee participation in the Program is voluntary. Participants are eligible to receive the taxable bicycle commuter benefit if they:

The bicycle commuter benefit may be claimed by employees who combine using transit passes for a portion of their commutes with bicycling for a portion of their commutes.

Employees may change their participation in the Program on a monthly basis.

Enrollment/Participation

There is no enrollment process to participate in the Program. See the “How to Submit a Bicycle Commuter Benefit Claim” section of this policy for information on how to participate in the Program.

CalHR strongly encourages participating employees to wear helmets.

Program Cost

There is no cost for eligible employees to participate in the Program. However, departments will absorb the cost of providing this taxable bicycle commuter benefit to all of their eligible employees who participate in the Program.

Maximum Allowable Bicycle Commuter Benefit Claim

Employees may claim $20 for each calendar month in which they commute a substantial portion (at least 50 percent of the days employees are scheduled to work in a calendar month) by bicycle, up to a maximum of $240 per calendar year.

Taxability

This is a taxable benefit.

Bicycle Commuter Benefit Claim Submission Deadlines

CalHR recommends that employees submit their claims on a quarterly basis. Employees are required to submit claims by the end of the next quarter as follows:

How to Submit a Bicycle Commuter Benefit Claim

Employee Responsibilities

Forms
Follow the established process for your department.  Either submit your claim through CalATERS Global or submit a STD 262A -Travel Expense Claim Form (TEC).

Additional Instructions for Employees Submitting Claims via CalATERS

Employees perform the following actions to submit claims:

If their supervisors approve their claims, then employees or their supervisors submit them to their Accounting Office/Departmental Bicycle Commuter Program Coordinators (Departmental Program Coordinator) according to their department’s internal process.

Departmental Responsibilities

The Accounting Office/Departmental Program Coordinator will:

If the Accounting Office/Departmental Program Coordinator approves the claim, he/she shall follow the department’s internal process for issuing payment.

Bicycle Commuter Claim Checks

Payments Issued by SCO

For departments that process TECs via CalATERS Global, payment is issued in the same manner as your payroll (direct deposit or warrant).  Once the form is approved by the department, CalATERS Global takes five business days to issue payment.

If your warrant is lost or stolen, contact your Accounting Office/Departmental Program Coordinator. They will contact SCO CalATERS for further information.

Payments Issued by Departments

Departments may have internal processes which include issuing claim checks directly to employees.

Contact the Accounting Office/Departmental Program Coordinator for updates on the status of these claim checks.

False Claim

Making a false claim to the State of California by knowingly presenting or knowingly causing to be presented an untrue statement to obtain payment or funds from the State of California is grounds for removal from participation in the program and could result in legal action, including, but not limited to, adverse action. Employees who make false claims shall reimburse the state for funds they receive for their participation in this Program.

Complaint Process

Employees may dispute denied claims to their department head or designee. The department head or designee is the final approval authority for bicycle commuter benefits claims.

Application

Not Applicable.

Authorities

Resources

FAQs

Forms

PML

Web Pages

Authorized By

Machelle Martin
Chief, Benefits Division

Contact Person

Theresa Reid
Benefits Program Analyst, , Travel/Relocation
Phone: 916-324-0526
Fax: 916-324-3213
Email: travel.manager@calhr.ca.gov

Superseded Policies

Not Applicable.