You are here

Home » Budget » Agency Activities » Efficient, Effective and Accountable Government

Efficient, Effective and Accountable Government

Last Updated: 10/07/2024

Provide a capable workforce to execute government functions

Strategy: Provide a capable workforce to execute government functions

Agency: 124 - Department of Retirement Systems

A001 - Public Pension Administration

The Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) serves nearly a million active, retired, and inactive members of the Public Employees, School Employees, Teachers, Law Enforcement and Firefighters, Washington State Patrol, Public Safety Employees, and Judicial retirement systems. Services include receiving and processing essential member information submitted by almost 1,400 public employers, determining member eligibility for retirement, educating and counseling prospective retirees, processing disability and death adjustments, and computing retirement benefits, deductions, and benefit adjustments. The authority for DRS is established by RCW 41.50. Authority for administering the retirement systems is contained in RCW 2.10, 2.12, 41.26, 41.32, 41.34, 41.35, 41.37, 41.40, and 43.43. DRS also must conform to legislative mandates established in RCW 28.B10, 41.44, 41.45, 41.54, and 44.44.

Account FY 2024 FY 2025 Biennium Total
FTE 569.3 569.3 569.3
600 - Dept of Retirement Systems Expense
State 76,834,000 78,219,000 155,053,000
Non-Appropriated 6,914,000 6,910,000 13,824,000
600 - Dept of Retirement Systems Expense Totals 83,748,000 85,129,000 168,877,000
FY 2024 FY 2025 Biennium Total
FTES 286.9 286.9 286.9
GFS
Other 42,264,000.0 43,148,000.0 85,412,000.0
Totals 42,264,000.0 43,148,000.0 85,412,000.0

000612 - Timely Estimates

Average number of days to complete requests for retirement estimates.
Biennium Period Actual Target
2019-21 A2 9 14
2019-21 A3 12 14
2021-23 A2 23 14
2021-23 A3 37 14
2023-25 A2 42 14
2023-25 A3 0 14

000614 - Timely Response to Walk-In Customers

Average number of minutes after arrival that members visiting the Department of Retirement Systems will receive knowledgeable staff service.
Biennium Period Actual Target
2019-21 A2 7 5
2019-21 A3 0 5
2021-23 A2 0 5
2021-23 A3 3 5
2023-25 A2 2 5
2023-25 A3 0 5

000615 - Timely Response to Phone Calls

Percent of incoming phone calls to DRS answered within 30 seconds.
Biennium Period Actual Target
2019-21 A2 36% 65%
2019-21 A3 24% 65%
2021-23 A2 35% 65%
2021-23 A3 29% 65%
2023-25 A2 28% 65%
2023-25 A3 0% 65%

000806 - Benefits paid annually in dollars ($M)

Benefits paid annually (in $M) for annuitants, withdrawals and Deferred Compensation.
Biennium Period Actual Target
2019-21 A2 $5,873.00 $5,651.00
2019-21 A3 $6,365.00 $5,990.00
2021-23 A2 $7,125.00 $6,349.00
2021-23 A3 $7,872.00 $6,730.00
2023-25 A2 $8,081.00 $7,132.00
2023-25 A3 $0.00 $7,562.00

002470 - Customer Satisfaction

Percent of members interviewed, identifying that DRS met or exceeded their expectations across 10 aspects of customer service.
Biennium Period Actual Target
2019-21 A2 91% 80%
2019-21 A3 0% 80%
2021-23 A2 91% 80%
2021-23 A3 91% 80%
2023-25 A2 93% 80%
2023-25 A3 0% 80%

002471 - Accuracy of Benefit Estimates

Percent of benefit estimates that are within +/- 3% of the final benefit.
Biennium Period Actual Target
2019-21 A2 93% 90%
2019-21 A3 92% 90%
2021-23 A2 91% 90%
2021-23 A3 91% 90%
2023-25 A2 91% 90%
2023-25 A3 0% 90%

002857 - Percent below peer median cost per member

Percent that DRS' per-member cost is below the median for the public sector peer group.
Biennium Period Actual Target
2019-21 A2 8% 20%
2019-21 A3 14% 20%
2021-23 A2 29% 20%
2021-23 A3 25% 20%
2023-25 A2 0% 20%
2023-25 A3 0% 20%

A002 - Deferred Compensation Management for Public Employees

This program enables eligible public employees to defer a portion of their earnings under a series of investment plans until retirement or termination of public employment. At the end of Fiscal Year 2023, the program had $6.18 billion in assets, serving approximately 132,000 participants from state government, higher education, and political subdivisions. This activity also includes a supplemental retirement program serving 90 judges. Authority for the Deferred Compensation Plan is contained in RCW 41.50 and Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code, while authority for the Judges program is contained in RCW 2.12.

Account FY 2024 FY 2025 Biennium Total
FTE 38.0 38.0 38.0
888 - Deferred Compensation Admin Account
Non-Appropriated 4,806,000 4,797,000 9,603,000
FY 2024 FY 2025 Biennium Total
FTES 19.0 19.0 19.0
GFS
Other 2,402,000.0 2,429,000.0 4,831,000.0
Totals 2,402,000.0 2,429,000.0 4,831,000.0

000622 - Number of new deferred compensation participants

Number of new deferred compensation participants.
Biennium Period Actual Target
2019-21 A2 14,211 8,500
2019-21 A3 12,345 8,500
2021-23 A2 15,034 13,700
2021-23 A3 20,168 15,200
2023-25 A2 17,942 17,400
2023-25 A3 0 17,400

002470 - Customer Satisfaction

Percent of members interviewed, identifying that DRS met or exceeded their expectations across 10 aspects of customer service.
Biennium Period Actual Target
2019-21 A2 91% 80%
2019-21 A3 0% 80%
2021-23 A2 91% 80%
2021-23 A3 91% 80%
2023-25 A2 93% 80%
2023-25 A3 0% 80%

A006 - One-Time Projects

This activity contains the one-time costs associated with legislative projects approved and funded each session, which are then removed in the carry forward level calculation process each biennium.

Account FY 2024 FY 2025 Biennium Total
FTE 96.6 70.4 83.5
001 - General Fund
State 774,000 774,000
600 - Dept of Retirement Systems Expense
State 39,984,000 37,260,000 77,244,000
888 - Deferred Compensation Admin Account
Non-Appropriated 793,000 225,000 1,018,000
FY 2024 FY 2025 Biennium Total
FTES 47.3 35.1 41.2
GFS 387,000.0 387,000.0
Other 20,392,000.0 18,826,000.0 39,218,000.0
Totals 20,779,000.0 18,826,000.0 39,605,000.0
Expected Results

Implement projects on time and within budget.

A010 - Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Program

This activity administers the Social Security and Medicare coverage program, also known as Old Age Survivor Insurance (OASI), for all state and local (public) government employers throughout the state of Washington, by serving as a facilitator and communication bridge between those employers and the Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service.

Account FY 2024 FY 2025 Biennium Total
FTE 2.6 2.6 2.6
874 - OASI Revolving Account
Non-Appropriated 362,000 373,000 735,000
FY 2024 FY 2025 Biennium Total
FTES 1.3 1.3 1.3
GFS
Other 183,000.0 189,000.0 372,000.0
Totals 183,000.0 189,000.0 372,000.0
Expected Results

State and local government employees have retirement benefits. State and local governments meet their obligations under the federal law.