Small Agency Services Bulletin - October 2023
| Important Dates | Important Messages | Small Agency Financial Services News | Travel Tips | Contact Us |
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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. 1
- New travel reimbursement rates for per diem and lodging go into effect.
Oct. 26
- DES SAFS Travel Info Session
Oct. 31
- Performance Measure actuals for quarter ending Sept. 30, to be entered into the Results through Performance Management (RPM) system.
Nov. 1 through Nov. 30
- Healthcare Benefits Open Enrollment
Nov. 6
- To reflect in your agency's monthly financial statements, all invoices and travel reimbursement requests are due to Accounts Payable.
Jan. 31
- 2023 W-2s will be distributed. They will also be available electronically in MyPortal.
- Annual sick leave buy-out form is due.
Important Messages
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 enroll in or 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 2024 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, 2024, 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, 2024.
Learn more
Watch for more information on PEBB open enrollment in next week's DES News and throughout November.
View the 2024 PEBB employee monthly premiums.
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.
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.
Be in the know! DES Capitol Campus Improvement Projects
Want to know what building projects are coming up? What to know when construction might affect you?
Visit DES' Capitol Campus Projects webpage for a list and information on upcoming projects.
Small Agency Financial Services News
DES SAFS Travel Info Session – Thursday, October 26, 2023 from 2-3 p.m.
This workshop will cover:
State Administrative and Accounting Manual (SAAM) Travel Policy
- Lodging & Meals
- Mileage
- Flights
- Miscellaneous Rules
- Prior Approvals
Meals with Meetings & Light Refreshments
- SAAM policy highlights
Travel Expense Management System (TEMS) how-to:
- Create a Trip Walkthrough
- Create a Reimbursement Walkthrough
- Common TEMS challenges
- How to request new TEMS profiles or profile updates
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 2023 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 8, 2023 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.
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 |
We are excited to share that Kaler Zoucha has joined SAFS AP as of 10/2/23. Please welcome Kaler! |
| Budget |
Diann Lewallen |
|
| Payroll |
Carrie Knudson |
Louisa Wilkes, Payroll Manager, left DES. Her last day in the office was October 13th. She has led the team through unprecedented times and has handled each obstacle with professionalism, grace, and enthusiasm. While we will miss her dearly, we are very excited for her to take on a new career opportunity with OFM as an HRMS functional analyst. Please send all communications to DESpayroll@des.wa.gov while we recruit for her replacement. |
| Accounts Receivable |
Betti Bartoldo |
|
| Administrative Assistance |
Danelle Guerin |
|
DES Accounts Payable statistics for Sept 2023 (34 agencies served)
| Invoices Received from Agency | 1,543 | 71.44% | $7,860,330 |
| Invoices Paid on Delegated Authority | 492 | 22.77% | $1,161,316 |
| Travel Requests Paid through TEMS | 120 | 5.56% | $37,449 |
| Payments Reissued (SOL, Lost Warrant) | 5 | .23% | $1,761 |
| Total Payments Processed | 2,160 | 100% | $9,060,856 |
DES Payroll statistics for Sept 2023 (42 agencies served)
| Total Employees Paid | 1,571 |
| Appointment Changes | 25 |
| New Hires / Rehires | 33 |
| Transfer In / Transfer Outs | 8 |
| Separations | 17 |
| Supplemental Payments / Walk Throughs | 0 |
| Overpayments | 3 |
Travel Tips
SAAM Travel Rules
Stay tuned for an upcoming SAAM travel rules refresher offered by the SAFS AP team later this fall.
Current rates - as of Oct. 1, 2023 (POV mileage rate effective January 1, 2023)
As always, if you have any questions regarding travel: call SAFS AP at 360-407-8183 or email travel.safs@des.wa.gov.
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.