Payday FYI

Capitol Campus Child Care Center cares for state employees’ kids
Capitol Campus Child Care Center (5Cs) is a child care center that provides quality child care for the children of state employees. 5Cs serves children ages six weeks to six years old.

If you are interested in having your child attend 5Cs or have additional questions, please contact 5Cs Director Tina Rogers at 360-754-7246. You can also visit our website for more information.

Women Veterans Summit
Washington state women military veterans are encouraged to attend the Women Veterans Summit, Sat., June 29, 7am-4pm, at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center.

This free conference will provide women veterans with information about opportunities and challenges women veterans face today, as well as information on benefits and services they might be entitled to. Register today!

For more information, contact Barb Logan at barb@dva.wa.gov, 360-725-2227.

Enroll in GET by May 31
This year’s enrollment period for Washington's Guaranteed Tuition Program (GET) ends May 31. Take control of future college expenses by saving early while your children are young. As a 529 Prepaid Tuition Plan, GET offers the following benefits:

• A state guarantee that your account will increase along with rising tuition costs
• A choice of colleges nationwide
• Tax free savings and withdrawals
• Flexible payment options

For your convenience, Washington State employees can set up payroll deduction for as little as $25/month. You can even open a GET account for a grandchild or any other family member or friend’s child. If you already have a GET account, you can add to it at the current $172 unit price through July 1.  It’s never too early to start saving for your child’s future! Enroll online and manage your account at www.get.wa.gov.

Reminder! TSR Leave Program ends in June.
The temporary 3 percent salary reduction that was enacted in 2011 and affected most state government employees is scheduled to end on June 29, 2013.

In addition, accumulation of the temporary salary reduction (TSR) leave will end on June 30, 2013. With the exception of 16 hours of TSR leave time, all accumulated TSR leave must be used before July 1, 2013. After July 1, any leave in excess of 16 hours will be lost to the employee. The remaining 16 hours or less must be used prior to September 1, 2013.

Note: Employees covered under the 2013-2015 Teamster’s collective bargaining agreement have different leave use deadlines and should contact their union representative for more information.  

Employee Self Service will be off line from Thursday, May 23, until Tuesday, May 28.
Mark your calendars. The Human Resource Management System (HRMS), including Employee Self Service (ESS), will be taken offline for maintenance beginning at 6 p.m., Thurs., May 23, until the morning of Tues., May 28. Employees who use ESS to access their earnings statements or request leave should take note of this outage and plan accordingly.

Earnings Statements for the May 24 payday will be available throughout the day on Thurs., May 23, until 6 p.m.  Pay will be posted to employee bank accounts as usual on payday, Fri., May 24. Employees who use the ESS leave application should note this outage and submit leave accordingly.

What kind of maintenance is being performed?
The HRMS is currently running on older hardware that is nearing the end of its useful life.  Over Memorial Day weekend, Enterprise Services will upgrade the HRMS system to a new virtual platform on new hardware at the State Data Center. As part of the hardware refresh and virtualization of SAP, the DES technicians will install the latest SAP supported operating system and SQL server software.  The result will be a fully compliant and faster system.

Temporary Salary Reduction and Leave Program set to end in June
The temporary 3 percent salary reduction that was enacted in 2011 and affected most state government employees is scheduled to end on June 29, 2013.

In addition, accumulation of the temporary salary reduction (TSR) leave will end on June 30, 2013.  With the exception of 16 hours of TSR leave time, all accumulated TSR leave must be used before July 1, 2013. After July 1, any leave in excess of 16 hours will be lost to the employee.  The remaining 16 hours or less must be used prior to September 1, 2013. 

Note:  Employees covered under the 2013-2015 Teamster’s collective bargaining agreement have different leave use deadlines and should contact their union representative for more information.

Layoff workshop now available online
For several years, key state agencies and programs have worked together to provide a special workshop for state employees who are facing a layoff situation. Since 2008, 140 of these workshops have been provided for over 2,500 attendees.

Enterprise Services recently completed an online version of the workshop and made it available on the State’s HR Web site. The online workshop makes the information available 24/7 at any location that has internet access, and it saves the state the expense of sending several presenters and employees to a scheduled live workshop.  For those who prefer, live workshops will continue to be scheduled periodically by Enterprise Services or offered by agencies that are experiencing a layoff. See workshop flyer.
 

Public Service Recognition Week is coming up.
During the week of May 6-10, public employees across the state will celebrate the important work we do. The Seattle Mariners are honoring state employees by offering discount tickets for their May 11 game against the Oakland Athletics. Tickets will be sold on first-come, first-served basis. Learn more.

Save a little, GET a lot

College savings is among the most important goals a family makes. Our state GET Program makes it easy with payroll deduction for all state employees. Even if you already have a GET account, there are little things you can do that make a big impact on your savings.

There are four easy ways to boost your GET account:

• Increase your current deduction. Even $10 more each pay period can increase your annual savings by hundreds.
• Add a Custom Monthly Plan. Take advantage of this year’s unit price and pay over time.
• Encourage family members to contribute to your GET accounts on a regular basis. Just a few dollars a month adds up over time.
• If you haven’t already, start your GET account by May 31.

Payroll deduction is available for all state employees from just $20/mo. Learn more and enroll online at www.get.wa.gov. See flyer

You may be richer than you think!
The Department of Revenue has over $1 billion in unclaimed property for 3.1 million Washingtonians!

Examples of unclaimed property include unclaimed paychecks, utility deposits, bank accounts, uncashed refunds, life insurance proceeds, stocks, bonds and contents from safe deposit boxes.

In 2012, the Department returned $54 million to 119,722 claimants. Go to ClaimYourCash.org to find out if you are richer than you think!

Annual retirement statements available online
Your 2012 annual retirement statement is now available. If you’re a member of one of the following retirement systems, just log into your online account at the DRS website:

• Public Employees’ (PERS)
• Public Safety Employees’ (PSERS)
• Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ (LEOFF)
• Washington State Patrol (WSPRS)
• Judicial (JRS)

If you haven’t created on online account, why not register now?  It’s easy, secure and will only take a few minutes. If you need assistance, call us at 800-547-6657.

2012 tax "Notice to Employees" available online
Enterprise Services recently discovered that the 2011 version of the “Notice to Employees” was printed on the back of W-2s for 2012. W-2s were distributed in late January. The W2 forms themselves contain 2012 tax data.

View the 2012 version of the W-2 Notice to Employees.

Be aware of changes to your paycheck
Enterprise Services reset the employee Social Security tax rate to 6.2 percent beginning with the January 10, 2013 pay day. The rate had been temporarily reduced by the 2011 Tax Relief legislation and was extended through 2012. The employer rate was never reduced and remains at 6.2 percent. Enterprise Services moved the change into production as quickly as possible to ensure that employees would not experience a one-time larger reduction to make up for a late start. The Social Security rate increase amounts to approximately $83 per month for an employee earning $50,000 a year.

Now available at the Department of Retirement Systems: All-in-one retirement account access
With all-in-one retirement account access (also called single sign-on), you can now view all of your retirement accounts with one user ID and password by logging into DRS online account access. Learn more.

Open enrollment ends November 30  
November 30 is the last day to make changes to your Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) health coverage for changes effective January 1, 2013. If you’ve made your plan decisions for 2013 already, great! If not, here are some reminders and quick facts about changes that take effect next year. Learn more.

Give the gift of nature
Buying the Discover Pass – and giving it as a gift – is more convenient than ever! 

Now, when you buy the Discover Pass online, you can choose any start date within a year of the purchase.  This new feature makes the Discover Pass a great gift for the holidays or for any occasion. Discover Pass gives you access to millions of acres of Washington state parks and other recreation lands managed by the Washington departments of Natural Resources and Fish & Wildlife. Visit www.DiscoverPassGift.com to learn more.

GET enrollment is now open
Your children are growing fast, but college tuition is growing faster!

GET is Washington’s 529 prepaid tuition program, helping thousands of families like yours save for college. With a state guarantee, tax benefits, flexible payments and a nationwide choice of colleges, GET makes it easy to save for your child’s (or grandchild’s) future.

Payroll deduction is available for all state employees from just $20/mo. Learn more and enroll online at www.get.wa.gov.
 

Carbon monoxide alarms soon to be required in homes and hotels
Legislation requiring carbon monoxide alarms in residences takes effect January 1, 2013.

From the State Building Code Council, here’s the short version of what needs to happen and when:

• Single family/owner-occupied homes: If you’ve been living in the home since before July 26, 2009 you are exempt from the requirements. If you moved in after that date, the alarms are required now.
• When a home is sold, the alarms are required before anyone else can legally occupy the residence under the Sellers’ Disclosure law passed in 2012.
•  Single family/non-owner occupied: If you own a home and you’re renting it out, or it is otherwise occupied, the alarms are required.
• New homes and other residential/multi-family new construction: the alarms were required beginning on January 1, 2011.
• Multi-housing/rentals: the owner is responsible for installation of the alarms by January 1, 2013; tenants are required to maintain the alarms including replacement of the batteries.

See the State Building Code Council (SBCCC) fact sheet, or call (360) 407-9279, for more detailed information.
 

Human Resource Management System down for maintenance Dec 7- 9
The Human Resource Management System (HRMS) will receive periodic maintenance beginning at noon on Friday, December 7. This is a standard maintenance procedure that prepares the system for year-end processing. It will be back online the following Monday.  This means that Employee Self Service (ESS), the application that state employees use to view their earnings statements, will be unavailable during that time.  In addition, employees who work for agencies that use the ESS Leave system will not be able to access that application during the outage.  Learn more about ESS. 

Annual Retirement Statement
Your 2011-12 annual retirement statement is now available. If you’re a member of one of the following retirement systems, just log into your online account on the Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) website to view and/or print a copy of your statement.

• Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS)
• School Employees’ Retirement System (SERS)
• Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) members who are employed by higher education institutions (and PERS 1 members who are employed by a school district)

If you haven’t created an online account, why not register now? It’s easy, secure and will only take a few minutes. Just click the “Sign Up” button on the DRS website home page and follow the step-by-step instructions.

If you need assistance, call DRS at 1-800-547-6657.

Plan 3 members receive a quarterly statement that details their contributions and account balance. So, annual statements for Plan 3 members provide only service credit information. If you have questions about your account balance, please contact ICMA-RC at 1-888-711-8773.
Annual statements for all other employees of DRS-covered systems will be available in March.
 

Need to make changes to your benefits? Now is the time
The Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) Program’s open enrollment (November 1 – 30, 2012) is your opportunity to make changes to your PEBB account effective January 1, 2013. Learn how.

November is National Family Caregiver Month
During November, we are spreading the word to as many people as possible that family caregivers are not alone – there are supports and services to help!  Help us get these simple and very important messages to the more than 800,000 unpaid family caregivers in our state.
 
If you are a caregiver or know someone who is caring for an adult please share the following resources.

Washington State has a website that offers family caregivers information and links to educational resources (articles, tips, shortcuts, free publications) on a variety of caregiving topics, questions and challenges. 

There are knowledgeable and caring professionals in your local community that can help connect caregivers to resources, information and services. Learn more about the Family Caregiver Support Program.

Find out about Powerful Tools For Caregivers in a six-week class series offering a wealth of self-care tools to reduce stress and help you with challenging situations and decisions. To find out if and when a class series will be offered near you, contact your local Family Caregiver Support Program.

Join the online course, Building Better Caregivers, if you are caring for someone with dementia or memory problems and can use support. You’ll learn practical ways to manage your own fatigue and stress and improve your health, discover how to manage difficult care partner behaviors and feelings, and make good decisions and future plans for your loved ones and you. Sign up for the free six-week workshop until December 15, 2012.
 
For grandparents and other relatives raising children, go to www.dshs.wa.gov/kinshipcare to learn more about related resources and services.

State's Human Resource Management System down for maintenance Oct. 12-14
Due to unforeseen circumstances, periodic maintenance to the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) that was scheduled for Oct. 5-7 had to be moved to Oct. 12-14.  Therefore, HRMS will be unavailable beginning at noon on Friday October 12. It will be back online the following Monday (Oct 15). This means that Employee Self Service (ESS), the application that state employees use to view their earnings statements will be unavailable during that time. In addition, employees who work for agencies that use the ESS leave tool will not be able to request leave during the outage.  Learn more about ESS. 

Open enrollment begins Nov. 1
The Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) Program – the source of our employee benefits – reminds you that open enrollment runs Nov. 1-30. Information on how to enroll and changes to PEBB coverage in 2013 will be mailed or emailed to you in mid-October.

During open enrollment, you can:

• Change your medical and dental plans.
• Add or remove dependents from your PEBB coverage.
• Waive PEBB medical coverage (if you have other comprehensive group medical coverage) or reinstate previously waived coverage.
• Enroll or reenroll in the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP).

 All changes made to your benefits during open enrollment will be effective Jan. 1, 2013. Learn more.

State’s Employee Assistance Program gets new phone numbers
Earlier this month, the phone system at the Olympia offices for the Employee Assistance Program  (EAP)was replaced with a more modern system. EAP’s new Olympia phone number is (360) 407-9490. The toll-free number for callers outside the area is 1-877-313-4455. The Employee Assistance Program helps state employees and their family members resolve personal or work-related problems. Using your EAP does not cost you anything. Learn more about the program.

State’s Human Resource Management System down for maintenance Oct 5-7

The Human Resource Management System (HRMS) will receive periodic maintenance beginning at noon on Friday, Oct. 5. It will be back online the following Monday. This means that Employee Self Service (ESS), the application that state employees use to view their earnings statements will be unavailable during that time. Employees who work for agencies that use the ESS Leave system will not be able to access that application during the outage. Learn more about ESS. 
 

AmeriCorps National Service is a Pathway to Employment

At a time when many individuals -- especially young Washingtonians -- are struggling to find work, national service programs offer training, skill-building and pathways to successful careers. 

Do you know someone who recently graduated from college who would benefit from a national service experience? Or perhaps someone who’s unemployed and wants to make a positive difference in the community while learning new skills and expanding their list of community contacts?  

If so, please encourage them to consider joining the ranks of more than 80,000 Americans of all ages and backgrounds who are getting things done for their community and country through AmeriCorps.

AmeriCorps offers both full-time and part-time service opportunities. Members receive a modest living allowance, health insurance, and a $5,550 education award upon successful completion of a full-time term of service. Learn more...

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) puts new face on Frontline and adds to Resiliency Project

Now part of the state’s new Department of Enterprise Services, EAP has updated the look and content of its Frontline newsletters – there are two, one for public employees and one for supervisors – and revamped its “Resiliency Project” website. Check out the new section on the site called Resilience in the Workplace to learn what employees feel makes a good workplace. While you’re there check your personal resilience, take the Resiliency Quiz.

EAP has made several changes over the last year that have expanded its services and improved efficiency. Check out the EAP site to learn what the program offers state employees and their organizations. 

You may be richer than you think

The Department of Revenue has $817 million in unclaimed property for 3 million Washington residents. Unclaimed property includes un-cashed paychecks, security deposits, bank accounts, insurance proceeds, insurance payments, stocks, bonds, and safe deposit box contents. Last year the Department returned $46.5 million to 108,441 claimants. Go to ClaimYourCash.org to find out if you are richer than you think!

DRS launches new online retirement application
Some who've tested it compare it to online retirement application developed by the Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) walks you through the retirement process step by step, very much like the best-selling tax return software. Read more.