Small Agency Services Bulletin - October 2022

October 2022

Important Dates Important Messages Small Agency Financial Services News Travel Tips Contact Us

Your feedback is important

Please send your feedback about the Department of Enterprise Services' (DES) Small Agency Financial Services (SAFS). Your feedback helps us improve and better meet your needs. Finance welcomes your feedback at any time.

Important Dates

Oct. 31

  • Performance Measure actuals for quarter ending Sept. 30, to be entered into the Results through Performance Management (RPM) system.
  • Annual DOR unclaimed property filing is due.
  • Quarterly DOR Use Tax filing is due.

Nov. 1 through Nov. 30

  • Healthcare Benefits Open Enrollment

Nov. 1

  • Travel Workshop

Nov. 7

  • To reflect in your agency's monthly financial statements, all invoices and travel reimbursement requests are due to Accounts Payable.

Jan. 31

  • 2022 W-2s will be distributed. They will also be available electronically in MyPortal.
  • Annual sick leave buy-out form is due.

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Important Messages

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource

Keep informed via Washington State's coronavirus response website Coronavirus.wa.gov.

DES Travel Workshop - Tuesday, November 1st from 2-3 p.m.

This workshop will cover:

SAAM Travel Policy

  • Lodging & Meals
  • Mileage
  • Prior Approvals
  • Miscellaneous Rules

Meals with Meetings & Light Refreshments

  • SAAM policy highlights

TEMS how-to:

  • Create a Trip Walkthrough
  • Create a Reimbursement Walkthrough
  • Common TEMS challenges
  • How to request new TEMS profiles
  • How to request TEMS profile updates

Telework & Travel

  • Common questions
  • What we know now

Please contact Ian Shelley if you haven't seen the workshop meeting invite yet.

Annual Healthcare Benefits Open Enrollment is November 1–30.

During the Health Care Authority's (HCA) Public Employees Benefits Board's (PEBB) annual healthcare open enrollment, you can make changes to your PEBB benefits, including:

  • Change medical/dental
  • Make LTD elections
  • Enroll in FSA/DCAP
  • Enroll in PEBB coverage if previously waived
  • Waive medical if enrolled in Tricare/Medicare
  • Add dependents

Learn about your benefits options
A virtual benefits fair is a way to learn about your benefit options through an online experience — and it's available anytime, day or night. No in-person benefits fairs will take place this year.

Through the PEBB website, you will find links to videos, webinars, downloadable content, provider searches, and other information to help you choose the right benefits for you. Use your computer, tablet or smartphone to explore at your own pace.

Make your changes online
You can use the PEBB My Account tool to make nearly all changes to your benefits this year. Just create an account and log in at your convenience.

The following changes may not be made online using your PEBB My Account:

  • Add or remove dependents.
  • Enroll in FSA/DCAP.
  • Make changes to life Insurance.
  • Change HSA contributions.

To make these changes, fill out the 2023 enrollment form. Then send all forms to DES Payroll at despayroll@des.wa.gov.

Important dates

  • Enrollment forms will be available beginning Nov. 1.
  • You have until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, to make changes.
  • All changes go into effect Jan. 1, 2023, unless otherwise noted.

If you don't plan to make changes this year, no action is required. Your current coverage will continue on after Jan. 1, 2023.

Learn more
Watch for more information on PEBB open enrollment in next week's DES News and throughout November.

You can view the 2023 PEBB employee monthly premiums here.

If you have questions about your benefits, go to a virtual benefits fair or webinar.

If you have questions about enrollment, email DESpayroll@des.wa.gov.

Basics Guidelines (if DES/SAFS handles your cash receipting) for Transferring Combined Fund Drive Fundraising Proceeds

Please submit your agency Combined Fund Drive (CFD) deposit on a separate A45 from your normal deposits and indicate "Combined Fund Drive." Please include a 2022 Fundraiser Transfer Form with your deposit. CFD deposits will be posted to your agency (fund 525) and transferred by DES/SAFS to the Secretary of State’s Office (SOS) on or before the December 9, 2022 deadline. Your Fundraiser Transfer Form MUST match the total amount transferred to SOS.

For more information about what to do after your event, please visit the CFD website at give.wa.gov/cfd/fundraising-resources.

Agency operating budget requests now available (2023-25 biennium and 2023 supplemental)

View operating budget requests submitted to OFM for consideration in Gov. Inslee's 2023–25 biennial budget proposal and FY23 supplemental.

Inclement weather – Are you prepared?

Severe weather and natural disasters cause physical damage and often create health risks. Loss of power and water can make it difficult to store food or cook safely, find clean water and safely heat homes. Now is a good time to get ready for whatever might happen.

Check out the Department of Health's webpage on how to prepare for different types of severe weather and natural disasters such as:

  • Cold weather
  • Floods
  • Landslides and mudflows
  • Power outages
  • Windstorms

Department of Enterprise Services (DES) has designed a snow and ice removal plan designed to maintain operational capabilities and provide safety for public and state employees during winter weather conditions. The purpose for the snow and ice removal plan is to:

  • Make every effort to keep the Capitol Campus and surrounding locations safe during inclement weather conditions.
  • Provide accessible guidelines and procedures for internal and external customers.
  • Provide reasonable driving conditions during adverse inclement weather conditions.
  • Reduce interruption of state business on and off of the Capitol Campus.
  • Maintain clear and safe access to state buildings.
  • Winterize equipment and water lines to avoid damage and costly repairs.

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Small Agency Financial Services News

SAFS (Small Agency Financial Services) Team Updates

Did you know? Your DES financial support team consists of ALL of our SAFS team members. Even though you may work with specific SAFS members regularly, other SAFS members often step in to assist and provide continuity of services. We would like you to know about our whole SAFS team. Below is a list of each work group within SAFS, the members you may hear from, and recent news or a message from each team.

Team Members News / Message
Accounts Payable

Ian Shelley
Megan Finger
Norma Rosado
Bryn Parker
Kira Faught
Riley Hyland

Fun Fall Fact: The 2022 record pumpkin was 2,560 pounds, a new North American record.

Budget

Diann Lewallen
Paul Bitar
Seth Flory
Bret Skipworth
Lisa Piper

7 Best Washington State fall destinations: Lake Wenatchee State Park, Winthrop and the Methow Valley, Washington Park Arboretum (Seattle), Mt Rainier National Park, Leavenworth, Manito Park (Spokane), Whatcom Falls Park (Bellingham).

Payroll

Carrie Knudson
Bona Brewer
Phuong Luong (benefits)
Vanno Non
Erica Williamson (tax/retirement)
Tasha Fitzgerald (shared leave)
Kayla Preble (shared leave/VOE)

Payroll is very happy to announce that Kayla has accepted the DES Fiscal Analyst 2 position and will be working on shared leave. Kayla has demonstrated excellent customer service skills, is a quick learner, and is excited about this new opportunity.

Please join us in Congratulating Kayla!

Accounts Receivable

Betti Bartoldo
Crystal Marshall
Jeff Wilhelm
Tristin Loduha

Fun Fall Fact: When leaves change color in the fall, they are actually becoming their true color. In the summer, the chlorophyll takes over and causes them to turn green and hide their real color.

Administrative Assistance

Danelle Guerin
Molly Guinan

Fun Fall Fact: Pumpkin spice has nothing to do with pumpkins.

Pumpkin spice is actually the spice mix used for pumpkin pies. It is made from 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves. You can make it at home or buy it pre-mixed at the grocery store.

DES Accounts Payable statistics for Sept 2022 (34 agencies served)

Invoices Received from Agency 1,411 72.47% $7,973,927
Invoices Paid on Delegated Authority 410 21.06% $968,555
Travel Requests Paid through TEMS 113 5.80% $36,638
Payments Reissued (SOL, Lost Warrant) 13 0.67% $5,268
Total Payments Processed 1,947 100% $8,984,388

DES Payroll statistics for Sept 2022 (42 agencies served)

Total Employees Paid 1,385
Appointment Changes 86
New Hires / Rehires 23
Transfer In / Transfer Outs 30
Separations 49
Supplemental Payments / Walk Throughs 0
Overpayments 6

Quarterly DES Accounts Receivable statistics for July-Sept 2022 (30 agencies served)

Invoices Produced 278 $523,458
Revenue Recorded 533 $5,011,058
Expenditure Reductions Recorded 102 $775,214
Accounts Receivable FTEs Completing the Work 2.01  

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Travel Tips

Our annual Travel workshop is November 1 from 2-3pm. Any agency staff who travel and/or work in TEMS are welcome.

As always, if you have any questions regarding travel: call SAFS AP at 360-407-8183 or email travel.safs@des.wa.gov

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Contact Us

If you would like to know what budget analyst, payroll analyst and HR business partner is assigned to your agency, see our Agency Assignments webpage.

If you would like to get contact information for DES SAFS and HR staff, see our Contacts webpage.

If you have suggestions or feedback about the Small Agency Services Bulletin, please send your comments to SmallAgencyBulletin@des.wa.gov.

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