Maria Sapinoso

• Serves as a Liaison between staff, managers and other departments: Staff Support - point of contact in providing basic information on personal matters, employer benefits programs; Recruitment -performs human resource and recruitment duties for the division; Accounts Payable - verifying appropriate encumbrance numbers and account codes, identify and correct expenditures and accounting discrepancies: Payroll - serves as a lead on payroll and other related projects, this may include: providing training and guidance to monitoring data entry and changes for accuracy; reviewing computer calculations to assure accuracy and compliance; notifying appropriate parties of discrepancies and/or changes in processes; and verifying accuracy of payroll entry and processing changes: procurement - receives procurement requests from division program managers, determines appropriate method of meeting request/need, recommends procurement method and explains procedures and regulations, handles procurement process when appropriate, working with requestor to develop specifications for requesting quotes. Determines if responses meet established criteria. Maintains inventory of hardware and software specific to each workstation. Prepares Field Purchase Orders and Purchase Requisitions and obtains proper fiscal authorization for purchase: Administrative Financial Support - oversee and Certify GAX/Invoices, check coding and encumbrances, submittal to Finance Portal. Provide and oversee administrative support to the Director and Deputy Director encompassing a wide range of confidential, administrative and operational tasks. These responsibilities include data gathering, frequent communication and interaction with senior-level personnel necessitating exposure to, and handling of sensitive information: Budget: Project the personnel costs for vacancies and appointments utilizing the Alaska Budget System (ABS) and monthly budget projection spreadsheets. Provide the Administrative Operations Manager II estimated costs to fill vacancies and budgetary savings if positions are held open for various periods of time. Supervise and/or update Visio Organizational Charts for the Governor`s Plan budget and future budget requests. Prepare or assist Administrative Officer II with the development of monthly budget projections as needed. Monitors expenditures. Directs staff and managers on personnel, payroll, purchasing, travel and other activity that affects the budget.

Accounting and Financial Management: Provides information to the UI Support Services Manager who also is the Juneau Unemployment Insurance Claim Center (JUICC) manager, and JUICC Staff, and Fairbanks Unemployment Insurance Claim Center (FUICC) Employment Security Specialist III and Staff, Benefit Payment Control (BPC) Program Coordinator and Staff on administrative procedures and current financial information. This includes providing budget and expenditure status reports through the use of the State of Alaska Accounting System (AKSAS) management reports, audit trails, on-line warrant and encumbrance detail, and a complex divisional accounting tracking system using Excel spreadsheets located on the Local Area Network (CITRIX).

Procurement and Purchasing: Procurement of supplies for the two UI Claim Centers (JUICC & FUICC) and the BPC office within the positions delegated purchasing authority of $1,500. The incumbent contacts vendors to secure quotes for supplies, equipment, maintenance, transportation, and contractual services. Monitors and orders as needed office supplies and toner for fax, copier, and printers to ensure appropriate amount of materials is available for staff use. Prepares Purchase Requests to obtain and pay for routine and recurring services including equipment maintenance agreements. Review purchase invoices to ensure accurate pricing was charged in accordance with pre-purchase quotes. This position ensures compliance with the state as well as departmental procurement regulations and procedures.

Personnel Management:Initiate, coordinate, approve and/or submit Personnel Action Request Forms (PARFs) and other related personnel paper work related to the personnel actions such as recruitment, hiring, personnel actions and evaluations, payroll, training, conflict resolution/grievances, classification actions, and staffing adjustments for the two UI Claim Centers (JUICC & FUICC) and Benefit Payment Control.
Process bi-monthly payroll for the two UI Claim Centers (JUICC & FUICC) and Benefit Payment Control utilizing Alaska Payroll System (AKPAY) to include retrieving correct seeded batch numbers, checking timesheets for accuracy against leave slips taking into account holidays and payroll coding, entering information into AKPAY and balancing the batch, faxing information to HR for certification, filing copies in staff personnel files.

Provide assistance to hiring managers to include posting recruitments, coordinating personnel paperwork, scheduling interviews, finalizing WPAK close out and ensuring WPAK guidelines and EEO compliance. Assist in developing alternative recruitment strategies for difficult-to-fill position. Identify local, state and regional media availability; identify appropriate professional or other organizations and publications; estimate advertising cost and recommend course of action. Assist management by providing guidance on standardized personnel administration processes.

Coordinates and provides new employees guidance and direction on filling out all personnel related forms for new hires. Provides guidance to new employees in enrolling to all state benefit programs and other available resources.

Register Employer and Assign Contribution Rates: Independently and with occasional oversight from an Accounting Technician 3 and/or Accounting Technician 4: determines liability for new and reinstated employer accounts per registrations submitted by employers either electronically, by paper, or over the phone. Categorizes employer accounts according to legal entity, classifies
according to business type, and correctly interprets and transfers information from registration forms to the AATS system to establish new employer accounts. Assigns an industry rate to an employer by determining the proper NACIS (North American Industry Classification System) code based on the employer’s primary business type. For existing employers: analyze reporting patterns displayed or through review of documents, internet, other agencies resources, or telephone research to identify reporting anomalies that unfairly skew tax rate calculation; inform and educate the employer of the adverse effect of errors, and calculate the adjustments and entries required to remove the effects. Following the annual rating process after which all Alaska employers are assigned new rates for the following year: educate employers on the rating process and underlying statutes and regulations, confirm rate correctness through calculations, discuss “optioning” and other methods of legally reducing an employer rate, and occasionally advise the employer of their appeal rights, providing guidance in how to file a rate appeal.

Accounting and Cashier: process Alaska Quarterly Contribution reports and payments filed quarterly
verifying accuracy either on paper or electronically. Educate employers on proper reporting and payment procedures and explain consequences per statutes and
regulations. Troubleshoot issues, problems, or inquiries an employer has with the Tax On-line System (TOS) when filing reports, changing account information, and
registering. Educate employers on how to use TOS.

Provide Tax Information and Assistance: Is proficient with the phone queue, able to handle all incoming calls;
Educates employers on statutes, regulations, policies and procedures in layman terms pertaining to the Unemployment Insurance program. Provide tax assistance and information by deciphering complex statutes and regulations to assist employers and employees of their rights and proper requirements;

Is able to discuss complex and controversial laws with employers from liability laws to the calculations of rates;

Possesses the ability to understand, interpret, apply and explain the following: Alaska Employment Security Act, Administrative Code, Tax Policy Manual, Desk Manual, and appeal decisions. Instructs employers on how to complete the Employer Registration Form Employer´s Quarterly Contribution Report, Amended reports, and Employer Option Forms; instructs employers on how to calculate total and taxable wages, contributions, penalty, and interest.