Governor Brewer Has Proclaimed May 9, 2012 as Arizona State Employee Recognition Day
Governor Janice K. Brewer has proclaimed May 9, 2012 as Arizona State Employee Recognition Day to honor the dedication and commitment of all state employees. The following message was sent to agency heads, boards and commissions to pass along to their staff:
For State employees and the citizens of Arizona the last couple of years have been challenging and difficult to say the least. Even with the difficulties of budget constraints and furloughs, State employees have continued to provide excellent service to the citizens of Arizona with professionalism and compassion.
Please take time to recognize what your department has achieved. Celebrate the service these dedicated employees provide to the great citizen’s of Arizona each day. We encourage you to publicize the accomplishments of individuals or teams in your agency. Whether or not you have a formal recognition program, you are encouraged to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of your employees.
Click here to access the State Employee Recognition Day Proclamation.
July 1, 2011 Payday
For State employees on the HRIS payroll system, it has been a historical practice to actually pay wages on Thursday, the day before the official Friday payday. However, because the July 1, 2011 payday has been budgeted in Fiscal Year 2012 (which begins July 1, 2011), the date employees are actually paid must occur on the official payday and no sooner.
- Employees on direct deposit
You may need to make special arrangements if you have any automatic deductions from your bank account set up for Thursday, June 30, 2011. Your direct deposit funds will be available to your bank on Friday, July 1, 2011.
- Employees receiving a paper warrant
Your payroll warrant will be dated Friday, July 1, 2011 and cannot be distributed to you before then. Your agency payroll office may notify you of any additional changes necessary to your typical payroll distribution.
Please plan appropriately for this one-time change. The usual schedule of making pay warrants and direct deposits available on Thursday will resume on July 14, 2011.
ASRS Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Contribution Rates Notice
Contribution rates for the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) employers and employees for FY2010-FY2011 are shown below. These rates are effective for pay periods ending July 1, 2010 and after.
ASRS Defined Benefit Plan
| |
Pension and Health Insurance |
Long-Term Disability |
Total |
Employee |
9.60% |
0.25% |
9.85% |
Employer |
9.60% |
0.25% |
9.85% |
ASRS Defined Contribution System
| |
Pension and Health Insurance |
Long-Term Disability |
Total |
Employee |
7.00% |
0.25% |
7.25% |
Employer |
7.59% |
0.25% |
7.84% |
Updated Pandemic Influenza Planning Guide (09/30/10)
In order to keep our state employees informed about statewide government agency pandemic planning efforts, ADOA is sharing an updated version of the State of Arizona Pandemic Influenza Planning Guide. While this Guide is intended for use at the agency level to assist in implementing pandemic influenza plans that effectively and efficiently ensure continuation of essential business functions during a pandemic, there is valuable information included that state employees may find useful. Please click here to download the Guide.
Preparing for a Pandemic
Click here for an updated (as of 9/14/09) list of questions and answers regarding pandemic preparedness including information about the Swine Flu.
Important Update on Arizona State Elections
If you submitted a new A-4 election through the YES website after 6 p.m. from 6/1/10 through 6/9/10, your election may not have been saved. Please resubmit your election by June 25th, 2010 to ensure you have the proper withholding for the July 2, 2010 pay day. Submitting another A-4 election will simply override any previous elections and only the latest election will be loaded on your record.
Electronic A-4 Option Now Available
There will be changes in how Arizona taxes are calculated. These changes affect not only the rate of withholding from employee paychecks, but also the calculations. All employees are encouraged to use the tools and information that are now available on the YES website by clicking here, which can help guide employees in selecting the appropriate withholding option for each particular situation.
Employees will now have two options to complete the new Arizona Withholding Percentage Election (Form A-4) that is required by law for wages paid after June 30, 2010. Employees can submit the form on paper or electronically via the YES website.
Paper Form
Employees still have the option to submit a completed paper Form A-4 (available by clicking here) or from your Agency Payroll or Personnel Office. If a paper form is submitted, it must be received by June 15, 2010, in your Agency Payroll or Personnel Office. This will allow time for data entry and processing into the payroll system.
OR
Electronic Submission
Employees now also have the option to submit a completed electronic Form A-4 online via the YES website. If an electronic form is submitted, it must be entered into the system by close of business on June 25, 2010. To access the Form A-4 via YES, the following steps will need to be completed.
- Login to the YES website by clicking on the "Login" button at the bottom of this page
- Click on the "Pay" link on the left menu
- Click on "Tax Withholding"
- Click on the "State Withholding - (Starting 7/1/2010)" link
An electronic submission of a Form A-4 will override any previously submitted paper Form A-4.
Arizona Tax Withholding Notice
Beginning July 1, 2010, the State of Arizona has developed new rates which will be used in calculating the amount withheld for Arizona income tax withholding. Please click here for a full explanation of these changes. Please click here for the Arizona Withholding Percentage Election Form (A-4).
