The Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor Award is the highest honor the state of California bestows upon its employees. It is awarded to individuals, on or off duty, who perform a special act or service of heroism above and beyond the normal call of duty to save the life of another person or state property. The awards are honorary and consist of a gold or silver medal, a certificate signed by the Governor, a citation describing the heroic act or service, and lapel pin. As defined by California Code of Regulations there are two categories of awards:

Special Act Award (Gold Medal)

For an extraordinary act of heroism by a state employee extending far above and beyond the normal call of duty or service, performed at great risk to his or her own life in an effort to save human life.

Special Service Award (Silver Medal)

For an act of heroism by a state employee extending above and beyond the normal call of duty or service performed at personal risk to his or her safety to save human life or state property.

Nomination Process

• The nominator reviews the Nomination Requirements listed below.
• If the heroic act or service meets criteria, the nominator completes the Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor Special Act/Special Service Award Nomination (CalHR-012).
• Once completed, the nominator submits the nomination to their agency/department Merit Award Administrator.
• The Merit Award Administrator reviews the nomination for completeness, and if necessary, requests additional documentation from the nominator.
• The Merit Award Administrator then forwards the finalized nomination to the agency/department director for approval and signature.
• Once signed, the Merit Award Administrator submits the completed nomination, including all substantiation, to the CalHR Merit Award Program prior to the annual deadline, the Friday after Labor Day in September.
• The CalHR Merit Award Program reviews the nomination for completeness. If necessary, additional documentation is requested.
• Once the nomination is deemed complete, it is reviewed by the State Merit Award Board (Board).
• The Board provides a recommendation to the CalHR Director who makes a final determination.
• The nominating agency/department is then notified of the determination, and ceremony planning commences.

Nomination Requirements

• The nomination must originate from the nominee’s agency/department.
• The nomination must meet the criteria and be substantiated with evidential documentation.
• The nomination must be approved by the agency/department head (e.g., director, commissioner).
• The nomination must explain in detail the risk to the nominee while performing the heroic act or service.

Nomination Packages

• A completed Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor Special Act/Special Service Award Nomination (CalHR-012), with substantiating documentation including, but not limited to duty statement(s), eyewitness reports, newspaper articles, police reports, etc.
• A draft citation (see below).

Required Draft Citation Elements

The draft citation is a summary of the heroic act or service. It is reviewed and edited by the CalHR Merit Award Program. The final citation is then read at the award ceremony and provided to the recipient as part of the award. The draft citation must be written in the following manner:

• Page set-up: 8 ½ x 11 paper with 1” margins (top, bottom, left, and right)
• Font: Arial, size 12
• Spacing: Double spaced
• Length: Maximum 1.5 pages
• Details: Include nominee name and classification, state agency/department, date, place and time of the heroic act or service

Sample Citations:

Citation for Heroic Act (Gold)

Performed by:

Max Hunter and Riley Rhodes
Lifeguard I

California Department of Parks and Recreation

On the evening of Saturday, January 21, 2023, lifeguards Max Hunter and Riley Rhodes were 10 minutes away from clocking out for the day when they received reports of a lost swimmer off Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay. With a minus tide in full effect, the lifeguards quickly arrived on the scene and from a cliff were able to catch a glimpse of the distressed individual about 300 yards out. Donned with their wetsuits, fins and rescue buoys, the lifeguards entered the water as the light was quickly fading. For the next 20 minutes, they swam through large swells more than 8 feet high and navigated shallow sandbars, deep holes and unrelenting surf to reach the spot where they hoped they would find the victim. But as they cleared the breaking waves, they realized they had lost sight of the swimmer over the swell lines. Ensuring they stayed together, the lifeguards began to urgently call out and heard the man screaming for help moments later. Guided by the victim’s cries, they finally reached him, roughly 500 yards from shore. Pummeled by waves, the lifeguards provided the victim with a floatation device. Due to the extremely hazardous conditions and darkness, the units on shore had lost sight of all parties and repeatedly attempted to call the lifeguards back. Believing that the local harbor patrol had seen them, the lifeguards tried to swim the victim to the patrol vessel since they were much closer to the boat than the beach. However, after towing for several minutes, they realized that the patrol boat had not seen them, and the vessel was moving away. During this time, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter arrived overhead and immediately began flying a search pattern to find them with no success. Lifeguards Hunter and Rhodes ultimately decided they had to swim to shore, towing the victim in a rescue buoy in complete darkness, while navigating the increasingly dangerous conditions. After being in the water for nearly an hour while navigating large winter surfs and rip currents, the two eventually towed the exhausted survivor ashore near Redondo Beach, almost a mile from where they had first entered the water. For the other first responders on the beach, seeing the lifeguards emerge with the rescued individual was truly wondrous. The State of California takes great pride in presenting the Gold Medal of Valor to California Department of Parks and Recreation, Lifeguard I’s Max Hunter and Riley Rhodes for their extraordinary act of heroism extending far above and beyond the normal call of duty.

Citation for Heroic Service (Silver)

Performed by:

Ken Myers, Darrell VanNatta and Bruce Perry

Caltrans Equipment Operator II

California Department of Transportation

On December 28, 2022, surrounded by mountainous terrain and steep drop-offs, Equipment Operator II Ken Myers was patrolling his area in the Sierras on eastbound I-80 between Drum Forebay Road and Blue Canyon when he spotted smoke just above the exit. Mr. Myers immediately responded to the location and found a vehicle on fire. Five of the six passengers were outside of the car. Some were wandering around while the others were lying on the ground, bloodied and injured. One was almost scalped with severe cuts on his head. With a language barrier impacting communication, Mr. Myers went directly to the door of the vehicle and found the driver trapped and semi-conscious. Flames were quickly rising around and under the vehicle’s hood and dash. He hastily grabbed a fire extinguisher from his truck and set to work on putting the flames out. Shortly after, colleagues Equipment Operator II Darrell VanNatta and Bruce Perry arrived on the scene to assist in battling the fire. Their combined efforts kept the fire at bay long enough to allow CAL FIRE to arrive and extinguish the fire before cutting the injured driver out of the car. The heroic acts of the three Caltrans employees—jumping into harm’s way, approaching the burning car and extinguishing flames while not knowing if the car would explode—were remarkable. This quick action from a trio of Whitmore Maintenance crew members is credited for saving the life of the driver. A Placer County Fire Department Captain stated that he believes with 100 percent certainty that if the Caltrans employees were not there providing lifesaving efforts, the driver of the vehicle would have perished or suffered life-altering burn injuries. The State of California takes great pride in presenting the Silver Medal of Valor to California Department of Transportation, Caltrans Equipment Operator II’s Ken Myers, Darrell VanNatta and Bruce Perry for their heroic service extending above and beyond the normal call of duty.

Award Ceremony

The CalHR Merit Award Program coordinates the award ceremony with the Governor’s Office and participating agencies/departments. ​

Medal of Valor Awardees

To search for awardees by state agency/department, last name, first name, or year awarded, please visit the Medal of Valor website.

The 25-Year Service and 25-Year Retirement Awards were established by the California Legislature to recognize state employees who have completed 25-years or more of state service. State agencies/departments may purchase mementos for eligible employees directly from the State Price Schedule service provider, MTM Recognition. There are two categories of awards:

​25-Yea​​​r Service Award

The 25-Year Service Award recognizes employees who have completed 25 years of state service (completion of 300 months of qualified state service). Agencies/departments may present a certificate, plaque, or other suitable memento to state employees with 25-years of completed state service, however the cost may not exceed $125 plus tax.

25-Year Retirement Award

The 25-Year Retirement Award recognizes retiring employees who have completed 25 years or more of state service upon retirement (completion of 300 months of qualified state service). Agencies/departments may make a presentation to a retiring employee who, on the date of their retirement, has completed 25 or more years of state service, however the cost may not exceed $125 plus tax.

Procurement Information

MTM Recognition is the State Price Schedule service provider. Agencies/departments may utilize their Core Item and Non-Core Item catalogues to fulfill procurement orders (see below). At the discretion of the agency/department, an employee may purchase a gift that is a Non-Core Item, including those above the $125 threshold. The State of California will be responsible for the first $125 (plus the tax on $125). The employee is responsible for the balance. At the time of order, it is the employee’s responsibility to pay anything above the $125 plus tax. No order will be officially placed until the employee’s portion is paid in full. The state’s portion of the payment will be standard state terms.

MTM Recognition State Price Schedule details may be found on Cal eProcure, by searching Contract ID 2-21-84-14A.

​MTM Recognition Gift Catalogs

Visit the MTM Recognition website to view the Core and Non-Core award catalogs

• To access Core awards, click on the “25-Year” and “Retirement” links on the left of the page below the “Core” heading.
• To access Non-Core awards, click on the “Non-Core” links (L1 through L5) on the left of the page below the “Non-Core” headings.

For questions or concerns contact:
Bryan Mular, MTM Recognition Customer Care Associate
bmular@mtmrecognition.com |  (877) 495-1011

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an employee who has completed 25 years of state service and plans on retiring, regardless of the time between the two events, receive both a 25-Year Service Award and 25-Year Retirement Award?

Yes. There is nothing in the current law that indicates an employee must choose between the 25-Year Service Award and Retirement Award.

Can a retiring employee who has completed 25 years of state service combine the 25-Year Service Award and 25-Year Retirement Award and purchase a $250 gift?

No. These are two separate awards.

Can an employee receive the appropriated $125 in cash?

No. The law states “a certificate, plaque, or other suitable memento.” Cash is not considered a “suitable memento” since the definition of memento is “a reminder or a souvenir.”

Does an agency/department have to purchase a gift from the State Price Schedule service provider?

No. It is not mandatory to purchase a gift from the State Price Schedule service provider although it is highly recommended.

Can an employee who is retiring and does not have 25 years of state service purchase a retirement award at their own expense?

No. This award is in recognition of 25 years or more of state service.

Can an employee with 23 years of state service qualify for the 25-Year Service Award and/or 25-Year Retirement Award if they previously purchased two years of service credit for retirement purposes?

No. To be elligible for these awards, and employee must complete 300  qualified months of state service.

If an employee transfers to a new  agency/department, can they still receive a 25-Year Service Award from the new agency/department?

Yes. The new agency/department would provide the 25-Year Service Award.

What is the difference between the Core items and the Non-Core items?

Core items are those most commonly purchased by agencies/departments for their employees and include watches, clocks, vases, etc. MTM Recognition also offers additional Non-Core items for purchase. The Core items do not exceed $125. The Non-Core items vary in price.

Can an employee choose a gift from the Non-Core items?

Each agency/department may establish their own internal policy for ordering awards. Please check with your agency/department’s Merit Award Administrator or HR Office.

If my agency/department allows it and I choose a gift from the Non-Core items that exceeds $125, how do I pay for it?

The State of California is responsible for the first $125, plus the tax on the $125. The employee is responsible for the balance. Employees may contact their agency/department’s Merit Award Administrator or HR Office for further details.

Is there a time limit for purchasing a 25-Year Retirement Award?

There are no time restrictions in the law; agencies/departments may establish reasonable time limits for their retiring employees.

What is the turnaround time when an award is ordered?

The normal turn-around time for MTM Recognition is three weeks. If a shorter turn-around time is required, please contact Bryan Mular, MTM Recognition Customer Care Associate.

My CalPERS statement shows a different amount of service time than the State Controller’s Office. Why?

Service years are based on qualifying months of state service as indicated by the State Controller’s Office. The State Controller’s Office and CalPERS calculate service time differently.

The Robert L. Negri Human Resources Achievement Award is presented to a state employee or organizational group for outstanding performance and achievement in the field of human resources.

Nominations must be submitted on the Robert L. Negri Human Resources Achievement Award Nomination form (CalHR 601) to the CalHR Merit Award Program for consideration. Nominations should clearly identify and support the nominee’s qualifications in the following areas:

• Dedication to excellence in the field of human resources.
• Outstanding customer service to the state, agency/department and/or employees.
• Excellent performance and achievements in the field of human resources.

The CalHR Director appoints members to the State Merit Award Board (Board), consisting of five members who are responsible for reviewing Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor Award (Special Act/Special Service) nominations and Employee Suggestion Program submissions that were:

• Adopted by more than one agency/department;
• Nominated for cash awards greater than $5,000; or

When there is disagreement between the suggester and agency/department which cannot be resolved by the agency/department or Merit Award Program.The Board then makes recommendations to the CalHR Director as to the merits of the nominations and proposals, and whether they justify an award. The CalHR Director then makes a final award determination. Note, CalHR Director approved employee suggestions awarded over $5,000 are submitted to the California Legislature for subsequent approval.

Board Members

Chairperson

• Nicole Griffith
  Chief, Benefits Division
  California Department of Human Resources

Members

• Jennifer Garces, Staff Services Manager I
  Administrative Services Division
  Department of Motor Vehicles

• Kimberly A. Malm, Division Chief30
  Operations Support Services Division
  California Public Employees Retirement System

• Evelyn Suess, Assistant Program Budget Manager
  Department of Finance

• Lucinda Ward, Division Vice President
  VSP Vision Care
  Public Member