Small Agency Services Bulletin - November 2020
| Important Dates | Important Messages | Small Agency Financial Services News | Travel Tips | Contact Us |
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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
Nov. 1 through Nov. 30
- Healthcare Benefits Open Enrollment - see a preview in the September PEBB newsletter.
Dec. 8
- To reflect in your agency's November monthly financial statements, all invoices and travel reimbursement requests are due to Accounts Payable.
Dec. 9
- DES will transfer Combined Fund Drive (CFD) deposits in fund 525 to the Office of the Secretary of State.
Dec. 22
- 2020 IRS 1099-MISC reporting invoice cutoff. Accounts Payable will not process payments from Dec. 28 - Dec. 31. Accounts Payable will resume payment processing Jan. 4.
Dec. 20
- Statutory deadline for Governor to release budget proposals.
Dec. 31
- Due date for agencies that file annual/monthly DOR Use Tax.
Jan. 8
- 2020 IRS 1099-MISC upload deadline.
Jan. 11
- 2021 Legislative Session begins.
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Important Messages
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource
Keep informed via Washington State's coronavirus response website Coronavirus.wa.gov
Annual Healthcare Benefits Open Enrollment is here
Find information to help you make your benefits decisions for 2021. Open enrollment (OE) is November 1 though 30, 2020.
- 2021 benefits and plan changes
- Premiums and benefit information
- Newsletters, benefits fairs, and webinars
- Employees only: Supplemental life insurance enrollment opportunity
OFM budget preparations are under way
The Office of Financial Management (OFM) is busy reviewing agency requests and preparing recommendations to the Governor 2021-23 biennial and 2021 supplemental budgets. Be sure to contact your DES budget analyst should you receive any questions or make subsequent changes to your budget submittal. The Governor's budget proposal is required by statute to be submitted to the Legislature by Dec. 20.
Purchase Cards - Training / Card User Agreements
Have you taken necessary training? The Washington State Learning Center offers:
- WA-State Purchasing Small Purchase
- WA-State Purchasing and Procurement Ethics
Do you have current Card User Agreements?
Purchase card users are individuals designated by the agency to make purchases using an individually assigned card. Each card user must complete a Card User Agreement stating that they have read and understand the policies and procedures of the State and their agency relative to card use and agrees to comply with this policy.
For your agency's Card User Agreements, be sure to:
- have it signed by both the card user and the appropriate approving official before issuing the card
- maintain copies of the signed agreements in the agency's files
- review the agreements at least every three years
- update agreements for any changes to the card user or approving official
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Small Agency Financial Services News
Small Agency Highlight
The Washington State Board of Accountancy is a consumer protection agency that initially qualifies and continues to monitor the professional performance and ethical behavior of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), CPA-Inactive certificate holders, CPA firms, and non-licensee CPA firm owners, serving individual and enterprise consumers in Washington State.
In February 2021, the Board of Accountancy is planning to go live with their new online system modernization project. Users will notice a new, updated look when they use the Board's online system for renewals, initial applications, CPE tracker, and all other online services. The functionality will remain the same, but the process will be easier, more accessible, and able to be used on modern web browsers and mobile devices. Additionally, CPE authoring companies will be able to create accounts to add and manage their courses, which licensees will then be able to add to their list of completed courses in the new CPE tracker.
The Board is looking forward to launching the new system! Please feel free to contact the Board with any questions you have about the modernization project.
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 |
Sarah Parker |
We are truely thankful for you, our customers. |
| Budget |
Chad Johnson |
Thanks for being a part of our journey this year. |
| Payroll |
Carrie Knudson |
May this year be a wonderful reminder of ... |
| Accounts Receivable |
Kara Skinner |
the best and most important things in life. |
| Administrative Assistance |
Danelle Guerin |
Happy Thanksgiving! |
DES Payroll statistics for Oct 2020 (40 agencies served)
| Total Employees Paid | 1,240 |
| New Hires / Rehires | 9 |
| Transfer In / Transfer Outs | 1 |
| Separations | 29 |
| Supplemental Payments / Walk Throughs | 1 |
| Overpayments | 16 |
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Travel Tips
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Travel Advice
Experts advise canceling all non-critical travel plans. The World Health Organization has tips about traveling if you absolutely must during COVID-19.
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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