California State Jobs Exam Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield California State Jobs Exam facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. The five stages of grief are, in order: → Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance
2. Under the California Public Records Act, how should you respond to a records request? → Provide records within 10 calendar days unless an exemption applies
3. Number series: 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, ___. What comes next? → 96
4. Toner cartridge costs increased 40% from usual vendor. What should you do? → Research alternative vendors and state-approved contracts
5. A bar chart shows Department A processed 1,200 applications while Department B processed 900. What percentage more did A process compared to B? → 33.3%
6. Creating a filing system for applications, correspondence, financial records, and compliance reports. Best approach? → Separate categories with chronological order within each
7. A California state employee who believes they were passed over for promotion due to discrimination should first file a complaint with which entity? → The Department of Fair Employment and Housing (CRD)
8. Under the ADA and California FEHA, an employer must provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities unless doing so would cause: → Undue hardship on the employer's business
9. Which leadership style is best for an urgent safety emergency? → Autocratic/Directive
10. An employee receives a complaint via email about a coworker's rude behavior toward the public. The BEST action is to: → Acknowledge receipt, document the complaint, and forward it to the appropriate supervisor
11. When communicating with a member of the public who speaks limited English, a California state employee should FIRST: → Speak slowly, use plain language, and offer interpreter services if available
12. Which type of filing system arranges records based on geographic location? → Geographic filing
13. When filing state employee records, you encounter two employees named 'James Smith.' What is the best next step? → Use their middle names or initials to differentiate
14. Electronic records stored on state systems are subject to the SAME retention requirements as paper records because: → California law defines records by content and purpose, not by physical format
15. When using a 10-key numeric keypad for data entry, which finger is traditionally placed on the '5' key as the home position? → Middle finger
16. Which document classification level applies to state records containing personal identifying information (PII) such as Social Security numbers? → Confidential
17. Block 25 on the CMS-1500 is where the provider reports: → TIN
18. First step in a California state employee grievance process? → Informal resolution with immediate supervisor
19. A member of the public becomes verbally aggressive at your counter. Best initial response? → Remain calm, acknowledge frustration, offer to help
20. Under California's FEHA, how long does an employee generally have to file a discrimination complaint with the California Civil Rights Department? → Three years from the discriminatory act
21. Best practice for office supply reordering? → Maintain minimum stock levels and reorder at thresholds
22. A supervisor delegates a task to you but does not provide a deadline. What is the most professional response? → Ask the supervisor when the task needs to be completed
23. Which California agency handles employment discrimination complaints filed under the Fair Employment and Housing Act? → California Civil Rights Department (formerly DFEH)
24. Team 1 has more members than Team 2. Team 3 has fewer than Team 2. Which team is largest? → Team 1
25. Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon? → The report is due Friday; however, extensions may be requested.
26. A building has 12 floors, 18 offices each. If 75% are occupied, how many are vacant? → 54
27. A supervisor asks you to schedule a meeting with 8 attendees across three offices. Best first step? → Check shared calendar for overlapping availability
28. In California State offices, which form is used to request reimbursement for travel expenses? → STD 261
29. Policy: 'Leave requested 5 business days in advance except emergencies.' Employee requests 3 days ahead for a planned dental appointment. Compliant? → No, planned dental is not an emergency
30. According to the California Constitution, the State Legislature is required to pass the annual budget bill by which specific deadline? → June 15