Governing for Results 13 - Washington State Digital Archives

Employment Security Department
End to End Collection Process
Until May 2000, Employment Security Department’s (ESD’s) Benefit Payment Control
Unit (BPC) had two distinct business operation teams to recover overpayments of
Unemployment Insurance Benefits—one for initial collections and another for
garnishment. Processes did not work well for overpayment customers because they
had to deal with different people on the Collections and Garnishment Teams. Collectors
were performing repetitive clerical support tasks that kept them from taking on more
revenue producing accounts. The two BPC teams flow charted processes,
brainstormed, and designed a flow chart for the new process. They created a
management system where one BPC team member works with an overpayment
customer throughout the entire repayment process. FTE's have been converted to
clerical support positions preparing legal documents, freeing up the professional and
technical positions. Technology was introduced allowing easier access to account files.
The phone system has also been improved. When overpayment customers call in and
identify the last four digits of their social security number, they are immediately
connected to a personal account manager.
Results
★ Increased revenues to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund from
overpayment accounts by 20% or a total of $1,172,000 in the first six months.
★ Saved $45,844 a year in staff salaries by converting two FTEs to clerical
support.
★ Increased the solvency of the Trust Fund through faster recovery of the
principle portion of a benefit overpayment.
★ Improved collection and detection methods from increased interest revenue.
★ Improved customer service by timely release of garnishment documents,
eliminating unnecessary withholding of money.
Team Name: Benefit Payment Control Team
Team Members: Carole Bernhardt, Becky Richards, Bill McDonald, Pam
Sulenes, Pat Kirk, Maria Laucirica, Leovy Cabrera, Terry Casillas, Linda
Marshall, Kathlyn Sweet, Renee O’Hara, Matthew Thompson, Iris Riutort, Debbie
Calcote, Robin Hedden, Lisa Zolman
CONTACT: Carole Bernhardt, (360) 902-9787
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