Ascentis HR News - Q2 2009

Join us for an Ascentis HR Workshop in Seattle, Oct. 26-28 - Click here to see the agenda

Have you been wanting to "dive deep" into Ascentis HR but aren't sure how to get started? Join us for an Ascentis HR Workshop in Seattle (Oct. 26-28). This workshop will feature three days of intensive training as we cover the ENTIRE Ascentis HR product. The curriculum is designed for both Ascentis HR administrators and the HR generalist - this is an ideal training opportunity for new employees! You'll also get to network with other Ascentis HR users in a friendly, relaxed setting. To review the workshop agenda, click here. To reserve a workshop date, please fill out this form.

Mandate to Insurance Carriers May Mean Additional Data Gathering

The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 contained a provision, the Voluntary Data Sharing Agreement (VDSA), to help facilitate the coordination between insurance carriers and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

VDSA became effective on Jan. 1, 2009, and under the agreement insurance carriers are now required to report certain eligibility data to CMS. This eligibility data includes social security numbers (SSNs) for any covered members (employees and dependents). If you are using the Ascentis Carrier Connect service, your insurance carrier(s) may require you to start tracking and submitting dependent SSNs on each Carrier Connect file transmission.

Dependent SSNs are already included in Carrier Connect files if they are present in Ascentis HR, so in order to comply with this requirement you will simply need to find covered members’ dependents, and enter their SSNs (if missing) into Ascentis HR. To get more information regarding this new requirement and how it may specifically impact your company’s benefits processes, please contact the insurance carrier(s) that currently receive your electronic eligibility files.

Updated Alerts Help You Stay in Compliance

Ascentis HR Alerts have been updated to include the newest I-9 form as well as the W-4 form for 2009. The new I-9 form, required at the beginning of the year, now makes a distinction between U.S. citizenship and non-citizenship. The new I-9 process also reduces the list of acceptable documents for proof of citizenship. The new I-9 form will be sent out with the “I-9 Not Complete” and “I-9 Verification” Alerts included in HR Alerts to remind employees that they must still submit the new form to HR. The new W-4 form has proper 2009 dating and will be sent out with the “W-4 Not Complete” alert.

If you currently use Ascentis HR Alerts, update to the latest version. If you would like to begin using Alerts, please contact your account manager. New compliance changes in 2009 also require an update to the latest build of Ascentis HR (v7.6.1).

If you have any questions about Ascentis HR product updates, contact Ascentis support at 800.229.2713 x8 or send an e-mail to support@ascentis.com.

Are You Ready for Open Enrollment?

Four ways Ascentis Employee Self-Service (ESS) makes open enrollment easier, faster and more accurate.

1. Time savings and effective communications: By publishing plan information in one central location, ESS allows you to enter plan information online and gives employees the ability to compare plans side by side. With ESS, you avoid answering the same question multiple times and communicate all plan information instantly, effectively and globally.
2. Error elimination: With ESS, data is transmitted electronically. This includes information sent from ESS to Ascentis HR, and from Ascentis HR to benefits carriers. Because information is sent digitally, you don't have to decipher handwriting or worry about mistyping addresses. Electronic transmissions drastically reduce the open enrollment error rate.
3. Easy eligibility management: ESS handles all complex eligibility tasks. ESS automatically calculates eligibility and shows only eligible plans to employees during open enrollment. This eliminates having to juggle different sets of employees and plans to determine eligibility.
4. Elimination of dual data entry: Ascentis HR can report on all deduction changes that occurred during open enrollment. Simply use Payroll Connect or export to Excel to transfer these changes into the payroll system. Ascentis’ Carrier Connect service can send all enrollment elections automatically to the carrier eliminating the need to send spreadsheets or manually key-in to a carrier’s portal.

If your organization currently uses ESS, and you would like assistance in configuring your ESS for an upcoming open enrollment period, you can work directly with an Ascentis professional services consultant for a remote, half-day training course ($525). For more information about Ascentis Employee Self-Service or remote training, contact your Ascentis account manager.

The Advantages of Ascentis Payroll

Ascentis Payroll is a Web-based payroll system that allows payroll processing in real-time, ensuring 100% accuracy and control. Immediate synchronization with Ascentis HR combined with the ability to interface with general ledger and time and attendance systems mean that Ascentis Payroll offers an optimal integrated solution.

What is real-time payroll processing?
Real-time payroll processing allows the user to audit payroll BEFORE creating checks, rather then correcting mistakes after the fact. Payroll can be run anytime, anywhere and as many times as needed. This instantaneous process eliminates the need to transmit data to a processing center and wait, and requires no batch uploads and no transmission windows.  

The convenience and power of Ascentis Payroll
Ascentis Payroll gives the user the control of an in-house solution with the benefits of an outsourced, hosted payroll service. Pay periods can be scheduled ahead of time and off-cycle payrolls can be run at anytime. In combination with Ascentis Employee Self-Service, employees can access their direct deposit information, tax withholdings and paycheck history.

Integration means efficiency and cost reduction
Ascentis Payroll can be fully integrated with Ascentis HR, time and attendance systems, retirement plans and general ledger files. Real-time integration simplifies the payroll process by eliminating redundancy and minimizing inaccurate information. Basic employee information, benefit deductions, salary information and more are transferred from Ascentis Payroll to Ascentis HR in real-time. 

If you would like more information about Ascentis Payroll, contact your Ascentis account manager.

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