Payroll

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What is a Status Check?

To ensure that employees are set up correctly in Workday and the Payroll system, all agencies are required to do a “status check” with PERS prior to entering the PERS Class Plan coding.  PERS is the only entity that has access to an employee’s entire work history in order to determine their PERS Plan and contribution start date (CSD). 

 

A status check provides the following details that can be used to determine appropriate Workday and Payroll coding:

o   PERS Plan (Tier 1, Tier 2 or OPSRP)

o   “Eligible upon hire with CSD” or “needs to serve a wait time”

o   Retired and if retirement was “Normal” or “Early” (This impacts the retiree hour limit)

o  ​  If the employee is already enrolled in Voluntary Contributions with another PERS employer. 

 

Agency staff must be authorized by DAS CPERS in order to receive a status check from PERS. See the detailed process outlined below:

Process:

·       Agency HR/Payroll partners notify DAS CPERS analyst of staff that need authorization to obtain status checks.  CPERS maintains the list of authorized contacts and regularly updates PERS of any changes. DAS CPERS recommends that HR perform the status check so that the employee is set up correctly in Workday, and then shares the information with Payroll for coding OSPA accordingly.

·       Authorized personnel may request a status check using two methods:

o   Phone: Contact PERS Employer Center at 1-888-320-7377 M-F between the hours of 8:30-12:00.

o   Fax: Fill out the Status Check Form and fax it to PERS directly.

·       PERS completes section B, columns 4-9 and faxes the form back to the agency.

·      Agency uses PERS C​lass Plan worksheet​ to  determine appropriate code to enter into Workday and Payroll.

· ​    CPERS will work as a Liason between the agency and PERS on any account issues that arise. CPERS may ask the agency for a copy of the status check from if needed.  

 

How this process has financial impact:

·       The coding entered  in Workday is sent to PERS via a monthly file from CPERS. This sets up the employee’s PERS account and sets the rate PERS will expect to receive each month. 

·       The information in Workday interfaces to OSPA and updates the P030 screen.

·       Based on the PERS Class Plan Coding, payroll determines the appropriate code to enter on the P010 screen in the RTMT SYST and RTMT STMT fields.

·       The P010 coding controls the employee IAP and employer contribution rate being sent to PERS.

·       If this process is not completed correctly and timely agencies will be invoiced at the end of the year for additional contributions owed to PERS. 

·  ​   Voluntary Contributions are a monthly deduction the employee has enrolled in through PERS.  The status check will provide notification if the employee is enrolled in Voluntary Contribitions. Setting the deduction up timely prevents multiple months from being deducted from the employees pay at one time.​

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Get the PERS publication “Perspectives” ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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​Police and Fire Unit purchases need prior approval by PERS staff who determine the rate or outcome of the unit purchases.  Do not send forms directly to PERS.  All forms are sent to the Centralized PERS Services Team to work with PERS.  Once the Centralized PERS Services Team receives approval they will contact the agency regarding the necessary entries in OSPA.  Due to the required prior approval process please do not add, change or delete the OSPA P070 screen PRNN deduction without first working with the Centralized PERS Services Team.  ​

What? This process has been designed as a manual way of reporting LWOP hours to PERS to ensure accurate retirement benefit calculations. 

When? Quarterly.

How?  CPERS will email each agency (payroll & HR contact) an excel spreadsheet containing quarterly leave without pay data. The spreadsheet will contain a list of all employees that coded leave without pay hours equal or greater than 88 hours a month. The email will include instructions on how to complete the spreadsheet.

Agencies will….

1. Confirm the information on the spreadsheet, and supply corrected hours if needed.
2. Provide dates of the full days of leave without pay for the hours/timeframes provided.
3. Indicate if leave was related to an approved workers comp claim.
4. Return the information to CPERS within 30 days of the receive date.

CPERS will….

1. Review agency information and comments.
2. Complete the process to record the leave without pay in the PERS system.

 

Supplemental Information:

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What is USERRA?

The Uniform Services Employment Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is a federal law.  USERRA is a reemployment act.  It protects the jobs of employees who are called to service, ensuring that they have employment to come back to after military duty. USERRA also protects employment benefits, such as health insurance and PERS retirement contributions.

More detailed information about USERRA may be found here: https://www.oregon.gov/pers/MEM/Pages/Reemployment-Under-USERRA.aspx

 

Filling out the USERRA form:

• It is the agency’s responsibility to determine if an employee qualifies for benefits under USERRA.
• Once the employee returns from service and the agency determines that the employee meets the eligibility requirements for USERRA, the agency will need to complete the PERS USERRA form.
• The PERS USERRA form provides all the information DAS CPERS needs to apply service credit and contributions to the employees PERS account for the period of their military leave.
• IMPORTANT: DAS CPERS facilitates the reporting of USERRA wages on behalf of all state agencies. Please fax the completed USERRA form directly to CPERS and disregard the PERS fax number listed on the form. CPERS Fax: 503-378-4596
• Since USERRA is processed outside the payroll system, agencies will be inv​oiced for any associated contributions or interest. ​

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