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The 86th Legislature made many changes to Article IX of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) that take effect Sept. 1. See Changes to Article IX of the GAA and Other Bills of Interest to State Agencies (FPP F.008) for a summary of these changes and major bills passed that affect state agencies.

Several Accounting Policy Statements (APSs) have been updated through acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session. The APSs include changes to terminology, policies, procedures and transaction coding blocks.

Review each APS carefully to ensure compliance with the most current policies and procedures.

Sept. 13 is the maintenance and corrections deadline for the fiscal 2019 fourth quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (June 1 – Aug. 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Sept. 17. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Sept. 17 and must be submitted by Sept. 24.

See Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information.

The USAS annual cash-basis close for fiscal 2019 will occur Aug. 30.

The fiscal year-end close process requires shutting down the statewide fiscal systems. For more information, please see the Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events, which includes:

• Processing deadlines
• The dates and times the online systems will be unavailable
• Contacts for any issues

The 86th Legislature, Regular Session, updated the salary administration laws:

• Retirement rates for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021
• Changes to leave administration
• Changes to salary/HR administration

See Legislative Changes Affecting Salary Administration, 86th Legislature (FPP F.021) for more information.

Because the 86th Legislature updated salary administration provisions of the General Appropriations Act (GAA), the Comptroller’s office has issued:

• Reason Code Definitions and Restrictions for State Agencies (Fiscal 2020-21)
• Reason Code Quick Reference for State Agencies (Fiscal 2020-21)
• Reason Code Definitions and Restrictions for Institutions of Higher Education (Fiscal 2020-21)

See Reason Code Resources and Classification Salary Schedules (FPP R.022) to view and download these PDFs.

The 2019 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Report summarizes state agency hiring practices. The Governor’s Office uses data from the biennial report (agency detail and summary reports) to comply with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reporting requirements.

Final copies of the 2019 EEO-4 Report will be available to agencies via electronic file transfer on Aug. 16. Agencies must:

• Review the final report
• Sign the Final Report Certification that prints at the end of the report
• Return the certification to the Governor’s Office by Aug. 26

See Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Report (FPP G.003).

Agencies and institutions must report emergency leave use by Oct. 1 for employees granted more than 32 hours of emergency leave during the prior fiscal year.

See Emergency Leave Reporting Requirements (FPP F.040) for details on the Emergency Leave Reporting web application and the required statement for agencies and institutions not sending a report.

Note: The required report layout has changed. You must submit your fiscal 2019 report in the new format.

Fiscal Management will host a webinar Aug. 20, 10–11 a.m., covering impacts to CAPPS, USPS, SPRS and HRIS resulting from the 86th Legislature, Regular Session.

Topics include:

• New leave entitlement for search-and-rescue volunteers
• Changes to the provision of equity adjustments
• New exceptions to the release of certain personal information under the Public Information Act

See the meeting agenda for teleconferencing instructions and contact information.

State agencies and institutions of higher education can request the use of Statewide Financial Systems (SFS) web services. Available services are PING (used to test web service connectivity with the Comptroller’s office) and Payee ID Status (VSTA) (provides a Texas Identification Number).

See Procedures for Agencies Requesting SFS Web Services (FPP N.010) (login required) for detailed instructions.

The Outstanding Warrants Control Report (DAFR8171) is generated on the first Friday of every month. Agencies should monitor their report before warrants become void on Aug. 31.

Refer to USAS Annual Close Process (FPP Q.004) for additional information, including details on generating reports via the Report Request Profile, USAS 91 screen.

Contact Payment Services with any questions.

State agencies and institutions of higher education must report certain salary supplements to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the State Auditor’s Office and the Secretary of State no later than Sept. 15.

See Salary Supplements Paid from Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031) for instructions and the online report form.

Preliminary copies of the 2019 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Report were available to agencies July 19 via electronic file transfer. Agencies must review the preliminary report and submit the electronic Report Acknowledgement form to the Comptroller’s office by Aug. 2.

The EEO-4 Report reflects state agency hiring practices for odd-numbered years and is used by the Governor’s Office to comply with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reporting requirements. Agencies receive a preliminary report to review the data and enter or submit changes before the final report is sent.

USPS agencies must use the fiscal 2019 USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Manual and USPS Year-End Close Schedule to prepare files correctly for the 2019 fiscal year-end close.

See USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Process (FPP R.016) for complete information, including training calendar and links to the manual/schedule.

Preliminary copies of the 2019 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Report will be available to agencies July 19 via electronic file transfer. Agencies must review the preliminary report and submit the electronic Report Acknowledgement form to the Comptroller’s office by Aug. 2.

The EEO-4 Report reflects state agency hiring practices for odd-numbered years and is used by the Governor’s Office to comply with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reporting requirements. Agencies receive a preliminary report to review the data and enter or submit changes before the final report is sent.

See Equal Employment Opportunity Report (EEO)-4 (FPP G.003) for complete copies.

See the 2019 Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events that includes:

• Processing deadlines
• System maintenance dates and times
• Support contacts

The fiscal 2019 USAS annual cash-basis close occurs on Friday, Aug. 30. The instructions, including important deadlines for submitting documents, are now available in USAS Annual Close Process (FPP Q.004).

See Scheduling Critical Payments at Year-End for detailed information by appropriation year, including deadlines.

Agencies using CAPPS Financials need to also follow CAPPS Financials Year-End Processing Instructions (FPP T.001).

The Statewide Payroll/Personnel Reports Guide (FPP D.002) has been updated to include the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s race/ethnicity updates. Effective April 1, 2019, USPS, SPRS, HRIS and CAPPS race/ethnicity values were updated.

Contact USPS, SPRS, HRIS or CAPPS Agency Support for questions.

For state agencies and institutions of higher education, the payroll due date for monthly and twice-monthly payrolls is no later than the seventh workday before payday.

Submitting your payrolls to the Comptroller’s office on or before the due dates ensures adequate processing time for direct deposits and warrant distribution.

Refer to Payroll Due Dates and Direct Deposit Schedules (FPP E.030) for more information, including the fiscal 2020 payroll due dates and direct deposit schedule.

June 14 is the maintenance and corrections deadline for the fiscal 2019 third quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (March 1 – May 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent by electronic file transfer (EFT) on June 18. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available June 18 and must be submitted by June 25.

See Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information.

Letter of Authorization (LOA) Signature Lists currently on file for HRIS, SPRS, USPS and CAPPS will expire on May 31.

By May 31, each agency and institution of higher education must submit the names of authorized employees and a new LOA Signature List form. Beginning June 1, only newly authorized state employees may request data changes.

See Authorization and Request Process for Data Changes to Statewide Payroll/Personnel Systems (FPP M.009) for instructions.

Letter of Authorization (LOA) Signature Lists currently on file for HRIS, SPRS, USPS and CAPPS will expire on May 31.

By May 31, each agency and institution of higher education must submit the names of authorized employees and a new LOA Signature List form. Beginning June 1, only newly authorized state employees may request data changes.

See Authorization and Request Process for Data Changes to Statewide Payroll/Personnel Systems (FPP M.009) for forms and instructions.

The USPS Payroll Deduct Payment Register (DAFR3913) features a new title and a new column for better monitoring of pending payroll deduction payments.

See ACR 60319 – USAS System Change for more information.

The Comptroller’s office will be closed for business on April 19 in observance of Good Friday; however, Payment Services will distribute warrants from 8 to 10 a.m. The warrants will be for the April 18 processing cycle.

See Payment Distribution for warrant pickup requirements.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced changes to the statistical categories used to collect race/ethnicity data for the state and local government report (EEO-4). The statewide systems were updated to comply with the new standards.

Effective April 1, 2019, valid race/ethnicity values in USPS, SPRS, HRIS and CAPPS are:

• White
• Black
• Hispanic
• Asian
• American Indian or Alaskan Native
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
• Two or More Races

The Comptroller’s office strongly recommends that state agencies subject to EEO-4 reporting reevaluate any employee previously identified in your systems as Asian/Other Pacific Islander; these are now two distinct categories. Since the option to indicate more than one race is now available, you may choose to reevaluate your entire population.

Note: Institutions of higher education are not included in the EEO-4 report.

Contact USPS, SPRS, HRIS or CAPPS Agency Support for questions.

State agencies and institutions of higher education may need to send documents to Fiscal Management that contain confidential information.

Email is not a secured transmission. Confidential information must be sent as an encrypted email attachment as prescribed by your agency’s information security policy.

See Confidential Information Must be Encrypted Before Emailing to Fiscal Management (FPP D.004) for details.

The online quarterly Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by March 25.

See Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information.

Agencies that reimburse employees for state-related hotel stays are due a refund for the associated hotel occupancy taxes. USAS automatically generates the refunds each quarter. 

The hotel occupancy tax refund for December through February will be available on DAFR reports 8190 and 8200 on March 9.

See Hotel Occupancy Tax Quarterly Refund (FPP B.006) more information.

March 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2019 second quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (Dec. 1 – Feb. 28). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on March 18. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available March 18 and must be submitted by March 25.

See Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038) for more information.

Check the Forms page or appropriate topic page on FMX before submitting a form to ensure you submit the current version. Previously downloaded forms or stored links may be outdated.

The Forms page is available at the top of all FMX pages. Forms can be sorted alphabetically, numerically or by topic. Also, FMX topic pages such as Appropriations or Payment Services feature links to related forms.

Due to the New Year’s holiday, the deadline for submission of the Direct Deposit Reversal Request form (74-191) has been changed to 10 a.m. on Dec. 31.

State and federal holidays with no scheduled USAS cycle that are listed on the System Outages and Holidays calendar are excluded when determining the direct deposit settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Due to the New Year’s holiday, the deadline for submission of the Direct Deposit Reversal Request form (74-191) has been changed to 10 a.m. on Dec. 31.

State and federal holidays with no scheduled USAS cycle that are listed on the System Outages and Holidays calendar are excluded when determining the direct deposit settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

The online quarterly Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by Dec. 31.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) requires employers to offer affordable health insurance that provides minimum essential coverage to their full-time (and full-time equivalent) employees and their dependents or incur tax penalties.

The Comptroller’s office has updated ACA 1094C and 1095C Reporting Requirements (FPP F.039) for calendar year 2018. It is important to note that your agency is responsible for 1094-C and 1095-C reporting. Agencies should review this guidance for how it affects your agency.

USPS and CAPPS Central agencies are required to update 1094-C and 1095-C contact information by Dec. 31.

USPS will be unavailable all day Saturday, Dec. 15, for the calendar year-end (CYE) file split.

See the schedule in USPS Calendar Year-End Close Process (FPP R.014) and Splitting Files in the USPS Calendar Year-End Close Manual for more information.

Contact the USPS Help Desk at (512) 463-4008 or your assigned USPS representative for questions.

Dec. 14 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2019 First Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (Sept. 1 – Nov. 30). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Dec. 18. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Dec. 18 and must be submitted by Dec. 31.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

State and federal holidays with no scheduled USAS cycle that are listed on the System Outages and Holidays calendar are excluded when determining the direct deposit settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Warrant pickup on Wednesday, Nov. 21 is only available from 8 – 10 a.m. See Payment Distribution for more information.

If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, see the USAS/TINS Input Record File Submission Schedule.

Accounting policy statements (APS) Sources of Revenue Required to Pay Benefit Cost (APS 001) (FPP A.021) and Benefits Proportional by Method of Finance (APS 011) (FPP A.010) have been updated to:

• Reflect changes to paying benefit costs proportional to agencies’ or institutions’ methods of finance (MOF)
• Provide additional details related to revenue types and other financing by MOF
• Clarify funding types and the amount agencies and institutions must disclose or may exclude in each schedule
• Include additional guidance related to reporting interagency contract payments/proceeds and applicable benefits that are charged/collected

See APS 001 and APS 011 for more information.

USPS will be unavailable all day Saturday, Dec. 15, while we conduct the calendar year-end (CYE) file split.

All USPS ;payrolls finalized after the 2018/2019 file split must have a warrant date in calendar year 2019 and will be reflected in the 2019 files.

See USPS Calendar Year-End Close Process (FPP R.014) for more information.

For questions, contact the USPS Help Desk at (512) 463-4008 or your assigned USPS representative.

If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, see the USAS/TINS Input Record File Submission Schedule.

State and federal holidays with no scheduled USAS cycle that are listed on the System Outages and Holidays calendar are excluded when determining the direct deposit settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Warrant pickup on Wednesday, Nov. 21 is only available from 8 – 10 a.m. See Payment Distribution for more information.

State agencies that permit eligible employees to level their benefit replacement pay (BRP) must update their payroll/personnel systems for December payrolls paid in calendar year 2019.

Read more about Benefit Replacement Pay (BRP) Leveling Election (FPP F.035).

Final copies of the 2018 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will be sent to each state agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Oct. 30.

Oct. 26 is the deadline for making data corrections. Corrections entered or submitted after this date will not be reflected in the final report. The Comptroller’s office will send the final report to the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission on Oct. 30.

State agencies that permit eligible employees to level their benefit replacement pay (BRP) must update their payroll/personnel systems for December payrolls paid in calendar year 2019.

Learn more about Benefit Replacement Pay (BRP) Leveling Election (FPP F.035).

An exception to open records requests is available for employees who would be under substantial threat of physical harm if information such as work location were to be made public. See Personal Safety Exception in Confidential Employee Information for Open Records Requests Requiring Agency Input (FPP L.004).

If your agency has employees who may qualify for the personal safety exception, contact Ruth Soucy in Open Records at (512) 475-0411 or Ruth.Soucy@cpa.texas.gov.

The multi-system user group meeting is scheduled for Oct. 23 from 10 – 11 a.m. in the Travis Building, Room 1-100.

USPS, SPRS, HRIS, CAPPS Central and CAPPS Hub user groups are invited to attend. The primary topic will be statewide reports.

See Payroll Systems User Group Meetings for the meeting agenda, teleconferencing instructions and contact information.

Preliminary copies of the 2018 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will be sent to agencies and institutions of higher education via electronic file transfer on Oct. 16. The files will be available with the agency’s regular daily downloads.

Deadlines:

• Oct. 23 – Preliminary Equal Employment Opportunity Report Acknowledgement form due
• Oct. 26 – Data corrections due

Data corrections entered or submitted after Oct. 26 will not be reflected on the final report issued on Oct. 30.

Final copies of the fiscal 2018 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) will be sent to each state agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Oct. 4.

For more information, including HRIS, SPRS and USPS contacts, see Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices for the Fiscal Year) (FPP F.005).

Preliminary copies of the 2018 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will be sent to agencies and institutions of higher education via electronic file transfer on Oct. 16. The files will be available with the agency’s regular daily downloads.

Deadlines:

• Oct. 23 – Preliminary Equal Employment Opportunity Report Acknowledgement form due
• Oct. 26 – Data corrections due

Data corrections entered or submitted after Oct. 26 will not be reflected on the final report issued on Oct. 30.

The annual State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC) runs Sept. 1 – Oct. 31. During the SECC, state employees may elect to deduct contributions to participating charities from their paychecks. Local campaign areas or statewide federations receive those contributions.

Payroll/personnel systems must be updated for December 2018 payrolls. Each year, some information for participating local campaign areas and statewide federations is subject to change, including mailing addresses and contact information, payee codes and Texas Identification Numbers.

See State Employee Charitable Campaign Participation (FPP F.033) or the SECC website to access the list of participating statewide federations, local campaign areas and other helpful information.

Administrative heads must report annually by Oct. 1 specific information for employees granted more than 32 hours of emergency leave during the prior fiscal year.

See Emergency Leave Reporting Requirements (FPP F.040) for more, including information on the new Emergency Leave Reporting web application and the required statement for agencies and institutions not sending a report.

How well are we meeting your customer service expectations?

Please let us know by completing the online survey by Friday, Oct. 12. We appreciate your feedback.

If you have any questions about the survey, please email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov.

Preliminary copies of the fiscal 2017 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) will be sent to each state agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Sept. 21. Electronic report acknowledgment forms must be submitted by Sept. 28. Agencies and institutions have until Oct. 2 to review the preliminary report and enter or submit changes.

For more information, including detailed instructions and HRIS, SPRS and USPS contacts, see Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices for the Fiscal Year) (FPP F.005).

The online Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by Sept. 25.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

Administrative heads must report annually by Oct. 1 specific information for employees granted more than 32 hours of emergency leave during the prior fiscal year.

See Emergency Leave Reporting Requirements (FPP F.040) for more, including information on the new Emergency Leave Reporting web application and the required statement for agencies and institutions not sending a report.

A new USPS screen (HM9CM) is available for entering comments associated with Emergency Other leave. Entered comments are loaded to the Emergency Leave Reporting web application to support the required reporting of Emergency Other leave.

For more, including a list of resources updated to reflect the new screen, see ACR 60309 – USPS System Change.

State agencies and institutions of higher education must report certain salary supplements to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the State Auditor’s Office and the Secretary of State no later than Sept. 15.

For complete information including instructions and online report form, see Salary Supplements Paid From Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031).

Sept. 14 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2018 Fourth Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (June 1 – Aug. 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Sept. 18. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Sept. 18 and must be submitted by Sept. 25.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

The USAS annual cash-basis close for fiscal 2018 will occur on Friday, Aug. 31.

The fiscal year-end close process requires shutting down the statewide fiscal systems. For more information, please see the Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events that includes:

• Processing deadlines
• The dates and times the online systems will be unavailable
• Contacts for any issues

The Outstanding Warrants Control Report (DAFR8171) is generated on the first Friday of every month. Agencies should monitor their reports before warrants become void on Aug. 31.

The Outstanding Warrant Report (DAFR 8161) can be requested through the Report Request Profile, USAS 91 screen. It includes two special select options:

• SPEC SEL 1: Provides a report by payee number in ascending order. To select this report, enter V on the 91 screen and check that the SPEC SEL 2 field is blank.
• SPEC SEL 2: Provides a report for specific dollar amount thresholds in descending order. To select this report, enter values A-D on the 91 screen as follows:
  • A = over $500
  • B = over $1,000
  • C = over $5,000
  • D = over $10,000

The 91 Report Request Profile in USAS Coding Instructions (FPP Q.010) provides detailed information on this profile screen.

Agencies are also reminded of the following:

• Vendor requests for a list of outstanding warrants must exclude the warrant number and TIN.
• Payments can be assigned to a third party via contract. If payees request a third-party assignment, a copy of the contract should be submitted for approval by your agency’s legal staff. See Assignments in TexPayment Resources.

For questions, please contact Payment Services.

State agencies and institutions of higher education must report certain salary supplements to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the State Auditor’s Office and the Secretary of State no later than Sept. 15.

For complete information including instructions and online report form, see Salary Supplements Paid From Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031).

The Treasury Operations’ Web Warrant Inquiry and Cancellation System (WWIC) (login required) has a new edit that checks for hold status on cancelled warrants.

When cancelling a warrant that is on hold, WWIC defaults the Cancel Reason to 304 Warrant on Hold. This change was made to:

• Assist agencies with statutory compliance that requires consent from the hold source agencies before a warrant is cancelled
• Alert agencies that the warrant is on hold and not lost when a payee reports they did not receive the warrant

Note that a held warrant may be cancelled after it is released from hold. Agencies are advised to check the Payee Held Warrants Released (PYWTHR) screen in TINS. If listed on PYWTHR, the agency does not need to seek approval, since the warrant is no longer on hold, but must still select Cancel Reason 304 Warrant on Hold.

For questions, contact Payment Services.

USPS agencies must use the fiscal 2018 USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Manual and USPS Year-End Close Schedule to correctly prepare files for the 2018 fiscal year-end close.

For complete information, including training calendar and links to the manual/schedule, see USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Process (FPP R.016).

The multi-system user group meeting is scheduled for July 24 from 10 – 11 a.m. in the Travis Building, Room 1-100.

All system user groups will be combined to include USPS, SPRS, HRIS, CAPPS Central and CAPPS Hub. The primary topic will be emergency leave.

See Payroll Systems User Group Meetings for the meeting agenda, which includes teleconferencing instructions and contact information.

Please see the 2018 Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events that includes:

• Processing deadlines
• Dates and times the online systems will be unavailable
• Contacts for any issues

June 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2018 Third Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (March 1 – May 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent by electronic file transfer (EFT) on June 18. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available June 18 and must submitted by June 25.

For more information, see Veterans Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

For state agencies and institutions of higher education, the payroll due date for monthly and twice-monthly payrolls is no later than the seventh workday before payday.

Submitting your payrolls to the Comptroller’s office on or before the due dates assures adequate processing time for direct deposits and warrant distribution.

Refer to Payroll Due Dates and Direct Deposit Schedules (FPP E.030) for more information, including the fiscal 2019 payroll due dates and direct deposit schedule.

State agencies and institutions of higher education may need to send documents to Fiscal Management that contain confidential information.

Email is not a secured transmission. Confidential information must not be sent in the body of an email, but included as an encrypted attachment as prescribed by your agency’s information security policy.

Refer to Confidential Information Must be Encrypted Before Emailing to Fiscal Management (FPP D.004) for details.

Every two years, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts’ Fiscal Management Division requires an updated Agency Authorization for Warrant Pickup form (74-189) from state agencies and institutions of higher education.

All authorizations now on file terminate at 5 p.m. on April 30, with new forms becoming effective May 1. Agencies and institutions must return the completed original authorization form to Payment Services no later than close of business April 20. If an agency’s renewal form is not on file by May 1, 2018, warrants will not be distributed for that agency.

For more information and the form, go to Authorization for Warrant Pickup.

The Comptroller’s office has a new secure web application to assist state agency and institution of higher education human resource officers with researching state of Texas employment history. The information contained in the application can be used to assist hiring decisions.

Access to the new application must be requested through your agency's security coordinator and should be limited to human resource officers in need of specific employment-related data.

For complete information and a link to the new application, go to the State of Texas Employment History Application page.

The multi-system user group meeting is scheduled for April 24, 10 – 11 a.m. in the Travis Building, Room 1-100.

All system user groups will be combined to include USPS, SPRS, HRIS, CAPPS Central and CAPPS Hub. The primary topics will be emergency leave and the new State of Texas Employment History web app.

See Payroll Systems User Group Meetings for the meeting agenda, which includes teleconferencing instructions and contact information.

Soon the Business Intelligence team will upgrade the payroll and SIRS reports from the current version of BusinessObjects 3.1 (BO 3.1) to BusinessObjects 4.1 (BO 4.1).

• The Payroll reports in BO 3.1 will be upgraded to BO 4.1 reports on April 1
• The SIRS reports in BO 3.1 will be upgraded to BO 4.1 reports on April 16

On these dates, BO 3.1 reports will be decommissioned and no longer available for access.

Visit the FMQuery page for more information on the new BO 4.1 reporting environment, including access and training.

Although the Comptroller’s office will be closed for business on March 30 in observance of Good Friday, Payment Services will distribute warrants from 8 to 10 a.m. The warrants will be for the March 29 processing cycle.

March 30 is also the Payroll Direct Deposit Reversal deadline. Reversals must be submitted to Payment Services by 10 a.m.

For the warrant pickup requirements, refer to Holiday Payment Distribution.

Every two years, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts’ Fiscal Management Division requires an updated Agency Authorization for Warrant Pickup form (74-189) from state agencies and institutions of higher education.

All authorizations now on file terminate at 5 p.m. on April 30, with new forms becoming effective May 1. Agencies and institutions must return the completed original authorization form to Payment Services no later than close of business April 20.

For more information and the form, go to Authorization for Warrant Pickup in TexPayment Resource.

The online quarterly Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by March 23.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts’ ability to accurately distinguish confidential and non-confidential payments is critical in making payment information promptly available to the public. State agencies and institutions of higher education must ensure that confidential transactions are properly marked to protect payee confidentiality as stipulated by USAS and CAPPS Confidentiality Indicator (FPP E.045).

Under state law, it is the responsibility of the agency or institution submitting a transaction to determine the confidentiality of the transaction. Transactions are legally considered public unless specifically excluded by the Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552).

When an agency or institution marks a transaction confidential, they should be prepared to cite the law or attorney general opinion that excludes the payment from public disclosure.

Check the Forms page or appropriate topic page on FMX before submitting a form to ensure you submit the current version. Previously downloaded forms or stored links may be outdated.

The Forms page is available at the top of all FMX pages. Forms can be sorted alphabetically, numerically or by topic. Also, FMX topic pages such as Appropriations or Payment Services feature links to related forms.

Due to inclement weather, the Comptroller’s office will open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 17. Warrant pickup will be available at 10 a.m.

Additional closures or delayed openings will be announced on FMX.

Due to inclement weather, the Comptroller’s office will be closed on Jan. 16. Warrants will not be distributed on this day.

Additional closures or delayed openings will be announced on FMX.

Due to inclement weather, the Comptroller’s office will be closed on Jan. 16, 2018. Agencies can check FMX or call (512) 475-0510 after 12:00 p.m. to confirm if warrants are available for distribution.

On days the Comptroller’s office is closed but warrant pickup is available, your authorized representative must have photo identification and a cell phone to call (512) 475-0510 upon arrival at the LBJ building if no guard is present.

The Internal Revenue Service has extended the deadline for health care providers to provide Forms 1095-B to covered individuals, and for applicable large employers to distribute Forms 1095-C to employees.

The original deadline for Forms 1095-B and 1095-C to be distributed to individuals was on or before Jan. 31, 2018. The new deadline is March 2.

For details, see IRS Reporting Deadlines in ACA 1094C and 1095C Reporting Requirements (FPP F.039).

The multi-system user group meeting is scheduled for Jan. 23 from 10 – 11 a.m. in the Travis Building, Room 1-100.

All system user groups will be combined to include USPS, SPRS, HRIS, CAPPS Central and CAPPS Hub. The primary topic will be longevity pay.

See Payroll Systems User Group Meetings for the meeting agenda, which includes teleconferencing instructions and contact information.

State and federal holidays listed on the System Outages and Holidays Calendar with no scheduled USAS cycle are excluded when determining the direct deposit effective settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Note: If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, please see the USAS/TINS Input Record File Submission Schedule.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) requires employers to offer affordable health insurance that provides minimum essential coverage to their full-time (and full-time equivalent) employees and their dependents or incur tax penalties.

The Comptroller’s office has issued ACA 1094-C and 1095-C Reporting Requirements (FPP F.039). The most important thing to note is that your agency is responsible for 1094-C and 1095-C reporting.

USPS and CAPPS Central Agencies are required to update 1094-C contact information by Dec. 31, 2017.

Review this guidance for how it affects your agency.

USPS will be unavailable all day Saturday, Dec. 9, for the calendar year-end (CYE) file split.

All USPS payrolls finalized after the 2017/2018 file split must have a warrant date in calendar year 2018 and will be reflected in the 2018 files.

For more information, see USPS Calendar Year-End Close Process (FPP R.014).

For questions, contact the USPS Help Desk at (512) 463-4008 or your assigned USPS representative.

On Saturday, Dec. 9, USPS will be unavailable all day while we conduct the calendar year-end (CYE) file split.

All USPS payrolls finalized after the 2017/2018 file split must have a warrant date in calendar year 2018 and will be reflected in the 2018 files.

See USPS Calendar Year-End Close Process (FPP R.014) for details.

Contact the USPS Help Desk at (512) 463-4008 or your assigned USPS representative with questions.

Dec. 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2018 First Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (Sept. 1 – Nov. 30). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Dec. 18. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Dec. 18 and must be submitted by Dec. 29.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

State and federal holidays with no scheduled USAS cycle that are listed on the System Outages and Holidays Calendar are excluded when determining the direct deposit settlement date of a payment. Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Note: If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, please see the USAS/TINS Input Record File Submission Schedule.

Warrant pickup will only be available from 8 to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22. For more information, see Holiday Payment Distribution.

State and federal holidays with no scheduled USAS cycle that are listed on the System Outages and Holidays Calendar are excluded when determining the direct deposit settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Note: If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, please see the USAS/TINS Input Record File Submission Schedule.

Warrant pickup will only be available from 8 to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22.

For more information, see Holiday Payment Distribution.

State agencies and institutions of higher education are required to ensure benefit cost payments are proportional to the agency or institution’s method of finance, unless another legal provision prohibits proportionality.

Benefits Proportional by Method of Finance Reports and related adjustments are due Nov. 19.

Read more about Benefits Proportional by Method of Finance (APS 011) (FPP A.010).

Final copies of the 2017 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will be sent to each agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Nov. 16.

Nov. 14 is the deadline for making data corrections. Corrections entered or submitted after this date will not be reflected in the final report. The Comptroller’s office will send the final report to the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission on Nov. 16.

Final copies of the 2017 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will be sent to each agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Nov. 16.

Nov. 14 is the deadline for making data corrections. Corrections entered or submitted after this date will not be reflected in the final report. The Comptroller’s office will send the final report to the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission on Nov. 16.

Preliminary copies of the 2017 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will be sent to agencies and institutions of higher education via electronic file transfer on Nov 1. The files will be available with the agency’s regular daily downloads.

Deadlines:

Nov. 8 – Preliminary Equal Employment Opportunity Report Acknowledgement Form due

Nov. 14 – Data corrections due

Data corrections entered or submitted after Nov. 14 will not be reflected on the final report issued on Nov. 16.

Final copies of the fiscal 2017 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) will be sent to each state agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Nov. 3.

For more information, including HRIS, SPRS and USPS contacts, see Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices for the Fiscal Year) (FPP F.005).

The prenotification (prenote) period for direct deposits has been reduced from six to three banking days, effective Oct. 27.

As a result, statewide accounting systems can issue direct deposit payments as soon as three banking days after the setups/changes to the prenote process is complete and the account information becomes active in TINS.

See the Prenotification (Prenote) Period page on TexPayment Resource for more information. For questions, contact Payment Services.

State agencies that permit eligible employees to level their benefit replacement pay (BRP) must update their payroll/personnel systems for December payrolls paid in calendar year 2018.

Read more about Benefit Replacement Pay (BRP) Leveling Election (FPP F.035).

Final copies of the fiscal 2017 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) will be sent to each state agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Nov. 3.

For more information, including HRIS, SPRS and USPS contacts, see Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices for the Fiscal Year) (FPP F.005).

State agencies and institutions of higher education are required to ensure benefit cost payments are proportional to the agency or institution’s Method of Finance, unless another legal provision prohibits proportionality.

Benefits Proportional by Method of Finance Reports and related adjustments are due Nov. 19.

Read more about Benefits Proportional by Method of Finance (APS 011) (FPP A.010).

State agencies that permit eligible employees to level their benefit replacement pay (BRP) must update their payroll/personnel systems for December payrolls paid in calendar year 2018. 

Learn more about Benefit Replacement Pay (BRP) Leveling Election (FPP F.035).

An exception to open records requests is available for employees who would be under substantial threat of physical harm if information such as work location were to be made public. See Personal Safety Exception in Confidential Employee Information for Open Records Requests Requiring Agency Input (FPP L.004).

If your agency has employees who may qualify for the personal safety exception, contact Ruth Soucy in Open Records at (512) 475-0411 or Ruth.Soucy@cpa.texas.gov.

The annual State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC) runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31. During the SECC, state employees may elect to deduct contributions to participating charities from their paychecks. Those contributions are sent to the statewide federations or local campaign areas.

Payroll/personnel systems must be updated for December 2017 payrolls. Each year, some information for participating local campaign areas and statewide federations is subject to change, including: mailing addresses and contact information, payee codes and Texas Identification Numbers.

See State Employee Charitable Campaign Participation (FPP F.033) or the SECC website to access the list of participating statewide federations, local campaign areas and other helpful information.

Senate Bill 73, 85th Legislature, Regular Session, amended the emergency leave provisions by providing state agencies and institutions of higher education with guidance on the awarding of emergency leave. Administrative heads now have to report annually by Oct. 1 specific information for employees granted more than 32 hours of emergency leave during the prior fiscal year. For more on the new reporting requirements, see Emergency Leave Reporting Requirements (FPP F.040)

How well are we meeting your customer service expectations?

Please let us know by completing the online survey by Friday, Oct. 13. We appreciate your feedback.

If you have any questions about the survey, please email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov.

Senate Bill 73, 85th Legislature, Regular Session, amended the emergency leave provisions by providing state agencies and institutions of higher education with guidance on the awarding of emergency leave. Administrative heads now have to report annually by Oct. 1 specific information for employees granted more than 32 hours of emergency leave during the prior fiscal year.

For more on the new reporting requirements, see Emergency Leave Reporting Requirements (FPP F.040).

Several Accounting Policy Statements (APSs) have been updated through acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The APSs include changes to terminology, policies, procedures and transaction coding blocks.

Each APS should be carefully reviewed to ensure compliance with the most current policies and procedures.

The online Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by Sept. 25.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

State agencies and institutions of higher education must report certain salary supplements to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the State Auditor’s Office and the Secretary of State no later than Sept. 15.

For complete information including instructions and the online report form, see Salary Supplements Paid From Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031).

Many state agencies and institutions have been called on to assist Texas citizens who have suffered losses due to Hurricane Harvey. Governor Abbott has issued several proclamations to provide relief to those affected. See the governor’s website for more information on how these proclamations may affect your agency’s business.

For additional information and contacts by topic, see Accounting for Natural Disaster Relief Efforts (FPP K.011).

Several Accounting Policy Statements (APSs) have been updated through acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session. The APSs include changes to terminology, policies, procedures and transaction coding blocks.

Each APS should be carefully reviewed to ensure compliance with the most current policies and procedures.

Sept. 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2017 Fourth Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (June 1 – Aug. 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Sept. 18. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Sept. 18 and must be submitted by Sept. 25.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

The USAS annual cash-basis close for fiscal 2017 will occur on Thursday, Aug. 31.

The fiscal year-end close process requires shutting down the statewide fiscal systems. For more information, please see the Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events, which includes:

• Processing deadlines
• The dates and times the online systems will be unavailable
• Contacts for any issues

The multi-system Legislative Summer User Group meeting is scheduled for Aug. 24 from 9 – 11:30 a.m. in the Travis Building, Room 1-100. All system user groups will be combined to include USPS, SPRS, CAPPS Central and HUB. This meeting will include legislative and system-specific changes.

See Payroll Systems and Legislative Updates for the agenda and teleconferencing instructions.

The 85th Legislature made numerous changes to Article IX of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) that take effect Sept. 1. A summary of these changes and of major bills passed that affect multiple agencies can be found at Changes to Article IX of the GAA and Other Bills of Interest to State Agencies (FPP F.008).

The 2017 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Reportsummarizes state agency hiring practices. The Governor’s Office uses data from the biennial report (agency detail and agency summary reports) to comply with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reporting requirements.

On Aug. 18, final copies of the 2017 EEO-4 Report will be available to agencies via electronic file transfer. Agencies must:

• Review the final report
• Sign the Final Report Certification that prints at the end of the report
• Return the certification to the Governor’s Office by Aug. 28

See Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Report (FPP G.003).

Due to additions and changes to salary administration provisions of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) made by the 85th Legislature, the Comptroller’s office has issued:

• Reason Code Definitions and Restrictions for State Agencies (Fiscal 2018-19)
• Reason Code Quick Reference for State Agencies (Fiscal 2018-19)
• Updated Reason Code Definitions and Restrictions for Institutions of Higher Education

To download and view these PDFs, see Reason Code Resources and Classification Salary Schedules FPP R.022.

The 85th Legislature, Regular Session, made several changes to the salary administration laws:

• Changes to leave administration
• Changes to salary/HR administration

See Legislative Changes Affecting Salary Administration, 85th Legislature (FPP F.021).

The monthly Outstanding Warrants Control Report (DAFR8171) is generated on the first Friday of every month. Agencies are reminded to monitor their report, especially during the summer months, before warrants become void on Aug. 31.

The Outstanding Warrant Report (DAFR8161) is a requestable report via the online Report Request Profile, USAS 91 screen and includes two special select options.

SPEC SEL 1: Provides an outstanding warrant report by payee number in ascending order. To select this report, enter V on the 91 screen. To ensure all outstanding warrants are listed for all payees, the SPEC SEL 2 field must be blank.

SPEC SEL 2: Provides an outstanding warrant report for specific dollar amount thresholds and lists warrants in descending order by dollar amount. To select this report, enter values A–D on the 91 screen as follows:

• A = over $500
• B = over $1,000
• C = over $5,000
• D = over $10,000

The 91 Report Request Profile in USAS Coding Instructions (FPP Q.010) provides detailed information on this profile screen.

If you have questions, please contact Payment Services.

State agencies and institutions of higher education must report certain salary supplements to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the State Auditor’s Office and the Secretary of State no later than Sept. 15.

For complete information, including instructions and the online report form, see Salary Supplements Paid From Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031).

Please see the 2017 Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events that includes:

• Processing deadlines
• Dates and times the online systems will be unavailable
• Contacts for any issues

Preliminary copies of the 2017 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-4 Report will be available to agencies July 21 via electronic file transfer. Agencies must review the preliminary report and submit the electronic Report Acknowledgement form to the Comptroller’s office by Aug. 3.

The EEO-4 Report reflects state agency hiring practices for odd-numbered years and is used by the Governor’s Office to comply with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reporting requirements. A preliminary report is provided to allow agencies time to review the data and enter or submit changes before the final report is sent.

See Equal Employment Opportunity Report (EEO)-4 (FPP G.003) for complete copies.

The online Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by June 23.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

For state agencies and institutions of higher education, the payroll due date for monthly and twice-monthly payrolls is no later than the seventh workday before payday.

Submitting your payrolls to the Comptroller’s office on or before the due dates assures adequate processing time for direct deposits and warrant distribution.

See Payroll Due Dates and Direct Deposit Schedules (FPP E.030) for more information, including the fiscal 2018 payroll due dates and direct deposit schedule.

June 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2017 Third Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (March 1 – May 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent by electronic file transfer (EFT) on June 16.

The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available June 16 and must be submitted by June 23.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

The INFOSGA application retires on May 12. INFOSGA is used to access daily reports from the Comptroller mainframe systems (USAS, USPS, SPRS, HRIS and TINS).

Most agencies use an alternative method to access the mainframe reports such as the free version of BlueZone available from the Comptroller’s office (login required) or any preferred secure file transfer protocol (SFTP). Agency technical staff must implement an alternative method by May 12 to access daily reports.

For more information, see Requirements for Transmitting Comptroller Information Over Public Networks and Downloading Mainframe Reports Using Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) (FPP N.007) (login required).

State agencies and institutions of higher education may need to send documents to Fiscal Management that contain confidential information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, direct deposit instructions, net pay and Texas identification numbers that include Social Security numbers.

Email is not considered a secured transmission, and confidential information should not be sent in the body of an email. Provide an encrypted attachment for any confidential information as prescribed by your agency’s Information Security Office. Passwords should be provided in a separate email or over the phone. Fax transmission is also acceptable.

For more information, see Confidential Information Must be Encrypted Before Emailing to Fiscal Management (FPP D.004).

Letter of Authorization (LOA) Signature Lists currently on file for HRIS, SPRS, USPS and CAPPS expire on May 31.

By May 31, each agency and institution of higher education must submit the names of authorized employees and a new LOA Signature List form. Beginning June 1, only newly authorized state employees may request data changes.

For detailed instructions and forms, see Authorization and Request Process for Data Changes to Statewide Payroll/Personnel Systems (FPP M.009).

Although the Comptroller’s office will be closed for business on April 14 in observance of Good Friday, Payment Services will distribute warrants from 8 to 10 a.m. The warrants will be for the April 13 processing cycle.

For the warrant pickup requirements, please see Holiday Payment Distribution.

The online quarterly Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by March 23.

For more information, please see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

March 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2017 Second Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (Dec. 1 – Feb. 28).

Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on March 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available March 16 and must be submitted by March 23.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

Check the Forms page or appropriate topic page on FMX before submitting a form to ensure you submit the current version. Previously downloaded forms or stored links may be outdated.

The Forms page is always available from the top drop-down menu bar. Forms can be filtered by topic, browsed alphabetically or numerically. Topic pages such as Appropriations or Payment Services feature a forms subheading with a link to forms on that topic.

The Fiscal Management applications and mainframe systems are expected to be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance on Sunday, Jan. 29, from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m.

State and federal holidays listed on the System Outages and Holidays Calendar with no scheduled USAS cycle are excluded when determining the direct deposit settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Note: If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, please see the Batch File Submission Calendar.

State and federal holidays listed on the System Outages and Holidays Calendar with no scheduled USAS cycle are excluded when determining the direct deposit effective settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Note: If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, please see the Batch File Submission Calendar.

Monday, Jan. 2, 2017 is a banking holiday, observed by the Federal Reserve and most financial institutions.

According to state law, Jan. 2 is considered the first working day following the December 2016 pay period, making it pay day.

As a result, payroll warrants will be dated Jan. 2, 2017. While direct deposit payments will be transmitted to financial institutions before and with the payment date of Jan. 2, those institutions are not required to post payments on the banking holiday. Consequently, some employees’ funds may not be available until Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Supplemental direct deposit payrolls and regular vendor (bills) payments will also be affected. Payments that process through USAS and payrolls that process through USPS and SPRS/CAPPS on Thursday, Dec. 29, will be transmitted with a payment date of Jan. 2. Consequently, employees’ and payees’ funds may not be available until Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Employees and payees with direct deposit should check with their financial institutions to confirm when their funds will be available. This is especially important if the employee or vendor has established automatic withdrawals on Jan. 2.

The online quarterly Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by Dec. 23.

For more information, please see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

USPS will be unavailable all day Saturday, Dec. 10, while we conduct the calendar year-end (CYE) file split.

All USPS payrolls finalized after the 2016/2017 file split must have a warrant date in calendar year 2017 and will be reflected in the 2017 files.

For more information, see USPS Calendar Year-End Close Process (FPP R.014).

For questions, please contact the USPS Help Desk at (512) 463-4008 or your assigned USPS representative.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) requires employers to offer affordable health insurance that provides minimum essential coverage to their full-time (and full-time equivalent) employees and their dependents or incur tax penalties.

The Comptroller’s office has issued ACA 1094C and 1095C Reporting Requirements (FPP F.039). The most important thing to note is that your agency is responsible for 1094-C and 1095-C reporting.

USPS and CAPPS Central Agencies are required to update 1094-C contact information by Dec. 31, 2016.

Please review this guidance for how it affects your agency. If applicable, agencies must submit the new Designation of Government Entity for ACA Reporting form to the Comptroller’s office by Dec. 31.

USPS will be unavailable all day Saturday, Dec. 10, while we conduct the calendar year-end (CYE) file split.

All USPS payrolls finalized after the 2016/2017 file split must have a warrant date in calendar year 2017 and will be reflected in the 2017 files.

For more information, see USPS Calendar Year-End Close Process (FPP R.014).

For questions, please contact the USPS Help Desk at (512) 463-4008 or your assigned USPS representative.

Dec. 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2016 First Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (Sept. 1 – Nov. 30). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Dec. 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Dec. 16 and must be submitted by Dec. 23.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

Warrant pickup will be available only from 8 to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23. For more information, see Holiday Payment Distribution.

State and federal holidays listed on the System Outages and Holidays Calendar with no scheduled USAS cycle are excluded when determining the direct deposit settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Note: If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, please see the Batch File Submission Calendar.

The TINS SWA18802: Direct Deposit Cancellations Report is generated when bimonthly and monthly payroll and retirement direct deposit payments are canceled prior to transmission. Effective Nov. 14, the report will be distributed to agencies with applicable direct deposit cancellations.

For more information, see ACR 60218 – TINS System Change.

Warrant pickup will be available only from 8 to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23. For more information, see Holiday Payment Distribution.

State and federal holidays listed on the System Outages and Holidays Calendar with no scheduled USAS cycle are excluded when determining the direct deposit settlement date of a payment.

Since financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest.

Note: If you need to submit a USAS or TINS batch file on a weekend or holiday, please see the Batch File Submission Center.

The U.S. Department of Labor has released the final rules governing which executive, administrative and professional employees (white collar workers) are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) minimum wage and overtime pay protections.

The Federal Overtime Changes Effective Dec. 1, 2016 advisory is intended to ensure that state agencies and institutions of higher education are aware of the changes.

Note: The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts does not provide guidance on matters related to the FLSA and overtime exemptions.

Final copies of the 2016 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will be sent to each agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Nov. 16.

Nov. 14 is the deadline for making data corrections. Corrections entered or submitted after this date will not be reflected in the final report. The Comptroller’s office will send the final report to the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission on Nov. 16.

Final copies of the 2016 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will be sent to each agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Nov. 16.

Nov. 14 is the deadline for making data corrections. Corrections entered or submitted after this date will not be reflected in the final report. The Comptroller’s office will send the final report to the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission on Nov. 16.

State agencies that permit eligible employees to level their benefit replacement pay (BRP) must update their payroll/personnel systems for December payrolls paid in calendar year 2017.

While statute determines which state employees and state-paid judges are eligible to receive BRP, individual state agency policy dictates whether employees have the choice of receiving their BRP in equal monthly payments over the course of a calendar year. This choice is called leveling and must be exercised before the beginning of each calendar year.

For more information, see Benefit Replacement Pay (BRP) Leveling Election (FPP F.035).

Preliminary copies of the 2016 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will be sent to agencies and institutions of higher education via electronic file transfer on Oct. 31. The files will be available with the agency’s regular daily downloads.

Deadlines:

• Nov. 7 – Preliminary Equal Employment Opportunity Report Acknowledgement Form due.
• Nov. 14 – Data corrections due

Data corrections entered or submitted after Nov. 14 will not be reflected on the final report issued on Nov. 16.

State agencies that permit eligible employees to level their benefit replacement pay (BRP) must update their payroll/personnel systems for December payrolls paid in calendar year 2017.

While statute determines which state employees and state-paid judges are eligible to receive BRP, individual state agency policy dictates whether employees have the choice of receiving their BRP in equal monthly payments over the course of a calendar year. This choice is called leveling and must be exercised before the beginning of each calendar year.

For more information, see Benefit Replacement Pay (BRP) Leveling Election (FPP F.035).

Preliminary copies of the 2016 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (FPP F.016) will be sent to agencies and institutions of higher education via electronic file transfer on Oct. 31. The files will be available with the agency’s regular daily downloads.

Deadlines:

• Nov. 7 – Preliminary Equal Employment Opportunity Report Acknowledgement Form due
• Nov. 14 – Data corrections due

Data corrections entered or submitted after Nov. 14 will not be reflected on the final report issued on Nov. 16.

An exception to open records requests is available for employees who would be under substantial threat of physical harm if information such as work location were to be made public. See Personal Safety Exception in Confidential Employee Information for Open Records Requests Requiring Agency Input (FPP L.004).

If your agency has employees who may qualify for the personal safety exception, contact Ruth Soucy in Open Records at (512) 475-0411 or Ruth.Soucy@cpa.texas.gov.

Recently, Microsoft released and updated Internet Explorer (IE) to version 11.0.35. The new IE version was incompatible with the BlueZone Web-to-Host Windows-based terminal emulation application.

Microsoft has released a fix (KB3192665) that will eliminate the compatibility issue. It can be downloaded from their Update Catalog.

BlueZone can be used to access the Comptroller’s mainframe through online applications, such as the Uniform Statewide Accounting System (USAS) or the Uniform Statewide Payroll/Personnel System (USPS).

For more information, see Requirements for Transmitting Comptroller Information Over Public Networks (FPP N.007) (login required).

Please complete our online survey to let us know if we are meeting your customer service expectations. Your responses help us improve the services we provide.

The survey is extended to until close of business Friday, Oct. 7.

If you have questions about this survey, please email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov. Thank you in advance for your help.

State and federal holidays listed on the System Outages and Holidays Calendar with no scheduled USAS cycle are excluded when determining the direct deposit effective settlement date of a payment.

When financial institutions are closed, no direct deposit activity occurs on those days. Agencies must exclude these dates when determining when to process their payments to ensure prompt payment and avoid late payment interest. This includes Columbus Day (Oct. 10).

Final copies of the fiscal 2016 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) will be sent to each state agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Oct. 18.

For more information, including HRIS, SPRS and USPS contacts, see Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices for the Fiscal Year) (FPP F.005).

How well are we meeting your customer service expectations?

Please let us know by completing the online survey by Friday, Sept. 30. We appreciate your feedback.

If you have any questions about the survey, please email us at fiscal.documentation@cpa.texas.gov.

Preliminary copies of the fiscal 2016 Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices) will be sent to each state agency and institution of higher education via electronic file transfer on Sept. 23. Electronic report acknowledgment forms must be submitted by Sept. 30. Agencies and institutions have until Oct. 17 to review the preliminary report and enter or submit changes.

For more information, including detailed instructions and HRIS, SPRS and USPS contacts, see Annual Report (Statewide Hiring Practices for the Fiscal Year) (FPP F.005)

The annual State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC) runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31. During the SECC, state employees may elect to deduct contributions to participating charities from their paychecks. Those contributions are sent to the statewide federations or local campaign areas. Payroll/personnel systems must be updated for December 2016 payrolls. Each year, some information for participating local campaign areas and statewide federations is subject to change, including: mailing addresses and contact information, payee codes and Texas Identification Numbers.

See the State Employee Charitable Campaign Participation (FPP F.033) or the SECC website or to access the list of participating statewide federations, local campaign areas and other helpful information.

The online Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by Sept. 23.

For more information, please see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

The Employees Retirement System (ERS) offers employees a Consumer Directed HealthSelect Plan, Limited Flexible Spending Account and vision plan effective Sept. 1.

USPS, SPRS and CAPPS HR/Payroll (Central Agencies) now include the new deductions:

• ACR 60187 – USPS System Change
• ACR 60188 – SPRS System Change
• CAPPS ASP Ticket 982 (login required)

Note: If you do not have access to the CAPPS Application Service Provider (ASP) Solution Center, please contact your agency’s CAPPS support staff for more information.

State agencies and institutions of higher education must report certain salary supplements to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the State Auditor’s Office and the Secretary of State no later than Sept. 15.

For complete information including instructions and online report form, see Salary Supplements Paid From Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031).

Sept. 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2016 Fourth Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (June 1 – Aug. 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on Sept. 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available Sept. 16 and must be submitted by Sept. 23.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

The USAS annual cash-basis close for fiscal 2016 will occur on Wednesday, Aug. 31.

The fiscal year-end close process requires shutting down the statewide fiscal systems. For more information, please see the Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events, which includes:

• The dates and times the online systems will be unavailable
• Contacts for any issues

State agencies and institutions of higher education must report certain salary supplements to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the State Auditor’s Office and the Secretary of State no later than Sept. 15.

For complete information including instructions and the online report form, see Salary Supplements Paid From Sources Other Than Appropriated Funds (FPP F.031).

USPS agencies must use the fiscal 2016 USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Manual and USPS Year-End Close Schedule to correctly prepare files for the 2016 fiscal year-end close.

For complete information, including the training calendar and links to the manual/schedule, see USPS Fiscal Year-End Close Process (FPP R.016).

The next USPS User Group meeting will be held on July 13 at the Travis Building in Room 1-100 from 2 to 4 p.m. The handout is now available on the meeting page on FMX.

Register to attend in person or via teleconference in Training Center (login required).

Note: Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credit will be awarded for in-person attendance, so registration is encouraged. Teleconference attendees cannot receive CPE credit.

Please see the 2016 Master Schedule of Year-End Close Events that includes:

• Processing deadlines
• Dates and times the online systems will be unavailable
• Contacts for any issues

The next USPS User Group meeting will be held on July 13 at the Travis Building in Room 1-100 from 2 to 4 p.m. Presentation materials will be available on FMX before the meeting.

Register to attend in person or via teleconference in Training Center (login required).

The U.S. Department of Labor has released the final rules governing which executive, administrative and professional employees (white collar workers) are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) minimum wage and overtime pay protections.

The Federal Overtime Changes Effective Dec. 1, 2016 advisory is intended to ensure that state agencies and institutions of higher education are aware of the changes.

Note: The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts does not provide guidance on matters related to the FLSA and overtime exemptions.

The online Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by June 23.

For more information, please see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

Agencies that reimburse employees for state-related hotel stays are due a refund for the associated hotel occupancy taxes. The refunds are generated automatically through USAS each quarter.

The hotel occupancy tax refund for March through May will be available on the DAFR8190 and DAFR8200 reports on June 9.

For more information, see Hotel Occupancy Tax Quarterly Refund (FPP B.006).

June 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2016 Third Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (March 1 – May 31). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on June 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available June 16 and must be submitted by June 23.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

Every two years, the Fiscal Management Division of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts requires an updated Agency Authorization for Warrant Pickup form (74-189) from state agencies and institutions of higher education. All authorizations now on file will terminate at 5 p.m. on April 29 and the new forms will become effective May 2.

Agencies and institutions must return their completed authorization forms to the Fiscal Management Division no later than April 22. If an agency’s renewal form is not on file by May 2, 2016, warrants will not be distributed for that agency.

For the instructions and form, see Renewal of Agency Authorization for Warrant Pickup (FPP E.053).

Every two years, the Fiscal Management Division of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts requires an updated Agency Authorization for Warrant Pickup form (74-189) PDF from state agencies and institutions of higher education.

All authorizations now on file will terminate at 5 p.m. on April 29 and the new forms will become effective May 2. Agencies and institutions must return the completed authorization form to the Fiscal Management Division no later than April 22.

For the instructions and form, see Renewal of Agency Authorization for Warrant Pickup (FPP E.053).

Although the Comptroller’s office will be closed for business on March 25 in observance of Good Friday, Payment Services will distribute warrants from 8 to 10 a.m. The warrants will be for the March 24 processing cycle.

For the warrant pickup requirements, please see Holiday Payment Distribution.

The online quarterly Veteran Workforce Summary Report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) must be submitted by March 23.

For more information, please see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

March 15 is the maintenance/corrections deadline for the fiscal 2016 Second Quarter Veteran Workforce Summary Reports (Dec. 1 – Feb. 29). Copies of the quarterly reports will be sent via electronic file transfer (EFT) on March 16. The online quarterly report acknowledgment form (with required complaint reporting included) will be available March 16 and must be submitted by March 23.

For more information, see Veteran Workforce Summary Reports and Veteran Complaint Reporting (FPP F.038).

Do you need to submit a form to Fiscal Management? Visit the Forms page or appropriate topic page on FMX to ensure you submit the current version.

The Forms page is always available from the top drop-down menu bar. Forms can be filtered by topic or browsed alphabetically or numerically. Topic pages such as Appropriations or Payment Services feature a forms subheading with a link to forms on that topic.

Note: Previously downloaded copies or stored links may not provide up-to-date forms.

The 84th Legislature enacted House Bill 1771, which added Government Code Section 661.207, to provide state employees with severe illness or who have family members with severe illness access to sick leave in excess of what is available through the state employee sick leave pool.

The Comptroller’s office has been asked if this recently enacted provision creates tax consequences for the donor or the recipient.

For more information, see Tax Implications for Donated Sick Leave.

The Employees Retirement System now allows employees to participate in pre-tax Commuter Spending Accounts (CSAs).

February 2016 is the first pay period for CSA deductions. CSA Transit Pass/Vanpool and CSA Qualified Parking deductions are now available in USPS, SPRS and CAPPS HR/Payroll (Central Agencies).

• ACR 60076 – USPS System Change
• ACR 60135 – SPRS System Change
• CAPPS ASP Ticket 508 – Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit (login required)

Note: If you do not have access to the CAPPS Application Service Provider (ASP) Solution Center, please contact your agency’s CAPPS support staff for more information.

ERS now allows Texa$aver 401(k) and 457 plan participants to make payroll contributions either as a percentage or set dollar amount. February 2016 is the first pay period for the plan changes.

ACR 60015 – USPS System Change migrated Jan. 29 to allow either type of deduction. The changes will display on Report 978 (ERS Transmitted DCP Election Changes).

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has extended the deadline for employers to provide Forms 1095-B to covered individuals and Forms 1095-C to employees. The IRS notice also extends the deadline to submit the information from Forms 1094-B and 1094-C to the IRS.

• Forms 1095-B and 1095-C were originally required to be distributed to responsible individuals on or before Feb. 1, 2016. The new deadline is March 31, 2016.
• Information from Forms 1094-B and 1094-C was originally required to be submitted to the IRS on or before March 31, 2016. The new deadline for electronic filers is June 30, 2016.

Although the IRS has allowed additional time to adapt and implement systems and procedures, employers and other coverage providers are encouraged to distribute the forms and submit the form information as soon as possible.

The most important thing to note is that your agency has additional time to distribute Forms 1095-C to employees.

For details, see IRS Extension of Reporting Deadlines in ACA 1094C and 1095C Reporting Requirements (FPP F.039).

A payroll stuffer on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is available for download now. If your agency uses the Employee Information System (EIS) for direct deposit, your employees can find a link to the stuffer on the EIS menu page. The stuffer is available in both English and Spanish.

EITC is a credit for qualified taxpayers — even if you don’t owe any taxes. Each year, EITC brings more than a billion federal income tax dollars back home and into Texans’ pockets.

For more information, visit Comptroller.Texas.Gov or the IRS EITC website.