Technology Awards

IT Recognition Award Recipients

November 2004

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Division of Employment Security
Unemployment State Tax Automation Reporting System (USTAR)

Recipients:

Bonnie Kliethermes

Project Description

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DOLIR) Division of Employment Security (DES) realized it needed to provide a way for the approximate 130,000 employers of the State of Missouri to be able to conduct unemployment insurance tax business electronically via the Internet.  DOLIR/DES wanted to be able to provide to its customers an easy and convenient way to conduct business with the agency.

On July 6, 2004 the Division of Employment Security began its first pilot of the Unemployment State Tax Automated Reporting System (USTAR).  This new Internet-based system went live for a group of approximately 500 Missouri employers.  During this first pilot, employers were able to register, file reports, upload file transfers and submit payments with their report or file transfer.  There were 404 contribution and wage reports submitted through the USTAR system.  This included wages for 17,666 workers.  There were 204 ACH transactions.  Contributions in the amount of $380,342.07 were paid by ACH debit.  A second pilot encompassing a larger group of employers began on October 12 with additional features made available.  It is anticipated the system will be available for all 130,000 employers in the state on January 2, 2005.

The project required Bonnie to work with outside IT contractors, internal office of information services, administrative services, purchasing and four business sections staff of the department. Through Bonnie’s persistence, knowledge of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, her willingness to deal with diverse disciplines, disparate technologies and her strong work ethics, this Internet application is providing the citizens and employers of Missouri the opportunity to improve their productivity.  The following are some of the comments that were received from employer surveys:

• The site is GREAT!!  Thank you a million times over for making on-line filing possible!!  I am a one-person business and very often I work overseas.  This month, for example, I had to return from Afghanistan to file my quarterly taxes.  On-line capabilities like yours make my business life manageable, even from a distance.  Thank you!”
• Very easy to use, thank you for this new tool.”
• It’s Great.  Thank you for doing this, it speeds up the report and makes it so easy and simple to do.”
• You’ve done a superb job of anticipating the needs of the online filers! Very clear instructions, and very easy to use. Thanks!
• I love this!  So easy and fast to use.  What use to take me hours, I now can do in minutes.”
• After using Arkansas’s, I can say yours is so much better. Great job on setting up the report and wage amounts.”

Invitees for Award Ceremony:

Gracia Backer, Employment Security Director
Cynthia Quetsch, Deputy Director
Hayden Hill, CIO
Cindy Guthrie

Back to Recipients