Chapter 8: Transmittal Reporting

Edit Specifications by Field

List of Edit Fields

Information is organized by field names on the transmittal report. When submitting transmittals to DRS, your data fields must meet these specifications. If a field does not meet specifications, you will receive an Edit Message. For example, if your edit message says, "Invalid type code," refer to the Type Code field below to determine what data is accepted for this field.

A | B | C | D | E | G | H | I | M | O | P | R | S | T | Z

Address Change Flag

Valid values : Y or N

Address Lines

The first line must contain information

The second and third lines are optional

Birth Date

BIRTH DATE must appear on the first transmittal report you submit for an employee.

Valid values for day: 01-31, 01-30, 01-29, or 01-28 (depending on the month and year)

Note: If the BIRTH DATE indicates the member is younger than 16 or older than 100 years, DRS accepts the data but issues a warning message asking if the date is correct.

City

This field must contain a valid city whenever the member profile record is submitted.

Compensation (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

If COMPENSATION is reported, CONTRIBUTIONS must also be reported, with the following exceptions:

• Status code L must be reported with zero contributions. Valid only for earning periods from January 1987 through August 1991.
• For PERS Plan 2 or 3 elected officials with type codes 10-16, 24-25, and 27-28; or SERS Plans 2 and 3 elected officials with Type Code 31; status code A may be reported with zero contributions if no service credit was earned that month.
• Member Contributions are not reportable for Plan 3 members unless the member has chosen a rate option (MRL only).

Note: DRS checks its member account records to ensure the COMPENSATION reported for a member on any transmittal report will not result in a net negative balance on the member account for that particular earning period. Transactions creating a new negative balance are rejected if the earning period is three months prior to the current earning period.

If COMPENSATION is over $10,000.00, DRS accepts the data and issues a warning message asking if the amount is correct.

Control Number (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Accepts six characters or less.

Days (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

DAYS are reported to the nearest tenth (24.0) for TRS Plan 1 only.

If DAYS are greater than 24.0 (or less than -24.0), DRS accepts the data and issues a warning message asking if the amount is correct.

Note: DRS checks its member account records to ensure the DAYS reported for a member on any transmittal report will not result in a net negative balance on the member account for that particular earning period. Transactions creating a net negative balance are rejected.

Defined Benefit Member Contribution (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Member contributions for non-Plan 3 members only.

Contributions must be the product of the following calculation:

Contributions = (compensation) x (member contribution rate), calculated to four decimal points (200.0159) and rounded to two decimal points (200.02).

Refer to Chapter 6 for rate tables showing which rates apply to each earning period. If no contributions are to be reported, enter zeroes in this field.

Defined Contributions/Deferrals

Plan 3 member contributions or DCP participant deferrals only.

Must be numeric.

Disability/Leave End Date (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Valid for system code L only.

Valid values for year: 00-99

Valid values for month: 01-12

Valid values for day: 01-31, 01-30, 01-29, or 01-28 (depending on the month and year)

Disability/Leave Start Date (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Valid for system code L only.

Valid values for year: 00-99

Valid values for month: 01-12

Valid values for day: 01-31, 01-30, 01-29, or 01-28 (depending on the month and year)

Earning Period (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

A valid earning period must be present for the transaction * to be processed.

Valid values for year: 00-99

Valid values for month: 01-12

Earning period year must not be greater than current reporting period year (or current reporting period year +1 if the reporting month is 12).

For system code E,

• Plan 2, the earning period must be greater than September 1977 (> 197709);
• Plan 3, the earning period must be greater than August 2000 (> 200008) unless the Plan 3 member has prior PERS Plan 2 service;

For system code L,

• Plan 1, the earning period must be greater than February 1970 (> 197002);
• Plan 2, the earning period must be greater than September 1977 (> 197709);

For system code J,

• the earning period must be greater than July 1971(> 197107).

For system code N,

• Plan 2, the earning period must be greater than June 2006 (> 200606);

For system code P,

• Plan 1, the earning period must be greater than September 1947 (> 194709);
• Plan 2, the earning period must be greater than September 1977 (> 197709);
• Plan 3, the earning period must be greater than February 2002 (>200202), (Phase 1 employer);
• For August 2002 (>200208), (Phase 2 employer) unless the Plan 3 member transferred from PERS Plan 2.

For system code S,

• the earning period must be greater than July 1947(> 194707).

For system code T,

• Plan 1, the earning period must be greater than June 1947 (> 194706);
• Plan 2, the earning period must be greater than September 1977 (>197709);
• Plan 3, the earning period must be greater than June 1996 (> 199606), unless the Plan 3 member transferred from TRS Plan 2.

Note: Corrections will be accepted from October 1977 forward for PERS, TRS and SERS Plan 2 members who transferred to Plan 3.

The earning period must be equal to or greater than the begin date for this Social Security number.

The earning period must not be greater than the end date for this Social Security number (unless a new period of employment is beginning and a new begin date is reported).

Note: Some STATUS CODES are valid only for a certain range of EARNING PERIODS.

DRS checks to see that the EARNING PERIOD is greater than or equal to the member's entry year and month into the system as recorded on the DRS member database.

Eligibility End Date

Valid values for year: 00-99

Valid values for month: 01-12

Valid values for day: 01-31, 01-30, 01-29, or 01-28 (depending on the month and year)

The ELIGIBILITY END DATE must be greater than or equal to the ELIGIBILITY BEGIN DATE for this employee with this employer.

Eligibility Start Date

Valid values for year: 00-99

Valid values for month: 01-12

Valid values for day: 01-31, 01-30, 01-29, or 01-28 (depending on the month and year)

Data must appear in this field the first time a SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER is reported.

Employer Contributions (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Employer contributions must be the product of this calculation:

contributions = (compensation) x (employer contribution rate), computed to four decimal points (200.0159) and rounded to two decimal points (200.02).

Note: The contribution rate must be correct for the SYSTEM, PLAN, and EARNING PERIOD.

Expected Monthly Reports

Employers using the multiple reporting option must use the Report Version Number and Expected Monthly Reports fields to identify this regular transmittal report in the month's sequence of reports. (DRS does not want employers who have a bi-weekly payroll system to send more than two reports in a month.)

Employers who are not using the multiple reporting option should always enter 01 in the Expected Monthly Reports field.

Employers submitting a correction report should always enter 01 in the Expected Monthly Reports field.

Gender Code

Valid values: F, M

F-Female

M-Male

GENDER CODE must be reported the first time you report an employee.

Hours (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Hours are reported for all systems except TRS Plan 1. Hours must be reported to the nearest tenth.

If hours are greater than 300.0 (or less than -300.0), DRS accepts the data and issues a warning message asking if the amount is correct.

Note: DRS checks its member account records to ensure the HOURS reported for a member on any transmittal report will not result in a net negative balance on the member account for that particular earning period. Transactions creating a net negative balance are rejected.

Hours or Days (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

HOURS or DAYS must be reported to the nearest tenth of an hour or day (for example, 133.3 hours, 160.0 hours or 20.5 days). If you do not keep track of service to the nearest tenth, include a decimal point and zero following the whole number when you report.

If HOURS are greater than 300.0 (or less than -300.0), or if DAYS are greater than 24.0 (or less than -24.0), DRS accepts the data and issues a warning message asking if the amount is correct.

Note: DRS checks its member account records to ensure the HOURS or DAYS reported for a member on any transmittal report will not result in a net negative balance on the member account for that particular earning period. Transactions creating a net negative balance are rejected.

Investment Program (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Valid values: WSIB or SELF

Member Contributions (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS must be the product of the following calculation:

contributions = (compensation) x (member contribution rate), calculated to four decimal points (200.0159) and rounded to two decimal points (200.02).

Note: The contribution rate must be correct for the SYSTEM, PLAN, and EARNING PERIOD. (Does not apply to Plan 3. The member rate in Plan 3 is not connected to a specific earning period.)

Member/Participant Name Change Flag

Valid values: Y or N

Member/Participant Name Extension

Accepts three characters or less for legal name extensions, such as III, SR or JR. Use capital letters; no punctuation

Member/Participant Name-Last, First, Middle

A valid NAME must be present for the transaction to be processed.

Reported data must not be all numbers

Middle name is optional

Note: DRS checks that the EMPLOYEE NAME matches the DRS member database for the reported SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.

Member/Participant Name Suffix

Accepts five characters or less for abbreviations for educational degrees, such as PHD. Use capital letters; no punctuation

Member/Participant Name Title

Valid Values: Accepts only DR or REV
Invalid Values: Mr, Mrs, Miss, or Ms will be ignored and default to a blank field

Organization Display (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Accepts six characters or less

Plan Choice

Valid values: 2C, 3C, 3D or 3X

PERS, SERS and TRS members only:

• 2C—New Plan 2 member chooses Plan 2
• 3C—New Plan 2 member chooses Plan 3
• 3D—New Plan 2 member is defaulted into Plan 3

Plan 2 Members of PERS, SERS or TRS transferring to Plan 3 per the January Transfer Option:

• 3X—Plan 2 member transfers into Plan 3 Plan

Note: Potential members such as substitutes should be treated like new members; they have a plan choice if hired into an eligible position.

For SERS, this is true only if they have no prior PERS Plan 2 service. If they have prior PERS Plan 2 service, report in SERS Plan 2; the employee has no plan choice, but is eligible for a January Transfer Option

Choice/Transfer Date

Valid values for year: 00-99

Valid values for month: 01-12

Valid values for day: 01-31

Data must appear in this field the first time a Plan 2 member of PERS, SERS, or TRS is reported in Plan 3; or when a PERS , SERS with no prior PERS Plan 2 service, or TRS member has chosen Plan 2.

Transfer Dates:

• Phase 1 PERS employers-March 1, 2002-August 31, 2002, and January 1-31 of every year beyond 2002.
• Phase 2 PERS employers-September 1, 2002-May 31, 2003, and January 1-31 of every year beyond 2003.
• For SERS: September 1, 2000-February 28, 2001, and January 1-31 of every year beyond 2001.
• For TRS: July 1, 1996-December 1997, and January 1-31 of every year beyond 1997.

Plan Choice Date:

• Must be within 90 days of a member's eligibility start date. (PERS, SERS, or TRS)

Notes:
–SERS new members with prior PERS Plan 2 service are reported in SERS Plan 2 with no plan choice, but are eligible for a January Transfer Option.
–PERS JBM members with no prior PERS membership are mandated into PERS Plan 2 with no plan choice rights. No Plan Choice Record should be transmitted for new PERS JBM Plan 2 members.

Plan Code

A valid plan code must be present for the transaction to be processed.

Valid values: 0, 1, 2 or 3

• 0-Retirees
• 1-Plan 1
• 2-Plan 2
• 3-Plan 3

PLAN 3 is valid only for SYSTEM codes E, P, and T.

PLAN 2 is valid only for SYSTEM codes E, L, N, P, S, and T.

PLAN 1 is valid for all SYSTEM codes except E and N.

Note: DRS checks the PLAN code against the plan shown for the employee's Social Security number on the DRS member database.

Rate Option (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Valid values: A, B, C, D, E and F

PERS JBM members in Plan 3 can't choose the following rates options:

• At all ages, 'A' or 'D'
• If less than 35 years of age, 'C'
• If less that 45 years of age, 'B'

Record Sequence Number (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

A valid RECORD SEQUENCE NUMBER must be present for the transaction to be processed.

Records must be listed in ascending RECORD SEQUENCE NUMBER order.

For any monthly transmittal report, there must be a unique RECORD SEQUENCE NUMBER for each transaction within a PLAN.

Record Type Identifier

Valid values: B, C, E, M ,S, T and L

Report Type

Valid values: R or C

Report Version Number

Valid values: 01-03 (03 is not valid for DCP reporting).

Employers using the multiple reporting option must use the Report Version Number to identify this report in the month's sequence of reports.

Employers who are not using the multiple reporting option should always enter 01 in the REPORT VERSION NUMBER field.

Employers submitting a correction report should always enter 01 in the REPORT VERSION NUMBER field. (Correction reports are given version numbers by the DRS system.)

Reporting Group Number

A valid REPORTING GROUP NUMBER must be present for the transaction to be processed.

The REPORTING GROUP must be valid for the SYSTEM reported for this transaction.

The following ranges of numbers are valid for each system:

• JRS [0001-0003]
• LEOFF [A001-H999]
• PERS [0101-9999]
• PSERS [N0101-N9999]
• SERS [90011-99991]
• TRS [000001-999999]
• WSPRS [S056-S057]

Note: DRS validates the REPORTING GROUP NUMBER against the DRS database of valid reporting group numbers. DCP/JRA numbers are not reflected within consistent ranges.

Reporting Period

Valid values for year: 00-99

Valid values for month: 01-12

A valid REPORTING PERIOD must be present for the transaction to be processed.

REPORTING PERIOD YEAR must not be greater than current year.

REPORTING PERIOD MONTH must not be greater than current month.

REPORTING PERIOD must be one month greater than the last reported REPORTING PERIOD for this REPORTING GROUP.

All transactions on a particular transmittal report must have the same REPORTING PERIOD regardless of EARNING PERIOD(S) reported.

Social Security Number

A valid Social Security number must be present for the transaction to be processed.

If a Social Security number has not appeared on the transmittal report before, the transaction must have a begin date/eligibility start date.

A Social Security number should not appear for any earning period before the reported begin date/eligibility start date.

Once a Social Security number has been reported, that same Social Security number must be reported each earning period until an eligibility end or employment termination date is reported.

A Social Security number should not appear for any earning period after the reported end date, unless you report a new begin date.

Note: DRS verifies the SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER matches the name, birth date, address, and gender code, and that the SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER is in the DRS member database.

State

Valid values are each state's letter abbreviations used for mailing.

Status Code

A valid status code must be present for the transaction to be processed.

The following status codes are valid for any earning period:

• A, B, E, F, G, M, N, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y.

The following STATUS codes are valid only for restricted EARNING PERIODS:

• C code is valid only for EARNING PERIODS from September 1983 through August 1990 (198309-199008).
• D code is valid only for EARNING PERIODS prior to September 1989 (<198909).
• H code is valid only for EARNING PERIODS prior to September 1990 (< 199009).
• L code is valid only for EARNING PERIODS from January 1987 through August 1991 (198701-199108).
• Q code is valid only for EARNING PERIODS prior to January 1993 (<199301).

The STATUS code must be valid for the SYSTEM, PLAN, and TYPE codes reported.

A - For Status code A is valid for any SYSTEM, PLAN, EARNING PERIOD, or TYPE code.

B - For status code B the following edits apply:

• If status is B, compensation, employee contributions, and hours/days must be zero.

C - For status code C the following edits apply:

• C code is valid only for school district employees (DRS verifies against REPORTING GROUP).
• C code is valid only for SYSTEM P or E.
• C code is valid only for EARNING PERIODS from September 1983 through August 1990 (198309-199008).
• C code is valid only for TYPE codes 18 and 21.

D - For status code D the following edits apply:

• D code is valid only for higher education employees (DRS verifies against REPORTING GROUP).
• D code is valid only for SYSTEM P.
• D code is valid only for EARNING PERIODS prior to September 1989 (<198909).
• D code is valid only for TYPE codes 19 and 20.
• If STATUS is D, COMPENSATION, EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS, and HOURS/DAYS must be zero.

E - For status code E the following edits apply:

• E code is valid only if SYSTEM is L, and the PLAN is 1.
• If STATUS is E, COMPENSATION, EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS, and HOURS/DAYS must be zero.

F - For status code F the following edits apply:

• F code is valid only if SYSTEM is T.

G - For status code G the following edits apply:

• G code is valid only if SYSTEM is T and PLAN is 1.

H - For status code H the following edits apply:

• H code is valid only if SYSTEM is T.
• H code is valid only for EARNING PERIODS prior to September 1990 (< 199009).

L - For status code L the following edits apply:

• L code is valid only if SYSTEM is L and PLAN is 2, or SYSTEM is E, P or T.
• If STATUS is L, EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS must be zero.
• L code is valid only for EARNING PERIODS from January 1987 through August 1991 (198701-199108).

M - For status code M the following edits apply:

• M code is valid only if SYSTEM is E, L, N, P, S, or T.
• If STATUS is M, HOURS/DAYS must be zero.

N- For status code N the following edits apply:

• N code is valid only if SYSTEM is P and PLAN is 1, or SYSTEM is T and PLAN is 1, or SYSTEM is S and PLAN is 1.
• N code is valid only for TYPE codes 01-29, 51, 59, 70-75, 78, 80, and 97-99.

P - For status code P the following edits apply:

• P code is valid only if SYSTEM is P and PLAN is 1.
• P code is valid only for TYPE codes 02-08, 10-16. 27-28, and 98-99.

Q - For status code Q the following edits apply:

• Q code is valid only if SYSTEM is P, PLAN is 2 or 3, and TYPE is 10-16.
• Q code is valid only for EARNING PERIODS prior to January 1993 (<199301).
• If STATUS is Q, COMPENSATION may be reported without CONTRIBUTIONS.

R - For status code R the following edits apply:

• R code is valid only if SYSTEM is P and PLAN is 1, or SYSTEM is T and PLAN is 1.
• R code is valid only for TYPE codes 01-29, 59, 70-78, 80, and 97-99.

S - Status code S is used by paper reporters and some school district reporters. For status code S the following edits apply:

• When STATUS is S, there must be data in the END DATE field.
• When STATUS is S, the END DATE YEAR and MONTH must match the EARNING PERIOD YEAR and MONTH.

T - For status code T the following edits apply:

• T code is valid only if SYSTEM is P and PLAN is 1, or SYSTEM is T and PLAN is 1,or SYSTEM is S and PLAN is 1.
• T code is valid only for TYPE codes 01-29, 51, 59, 70-75, and 78.

U - For status code U the following edits apply:

• U code is valid only if SYSTEM is P and PLAN is 1, or SYSTEM is T and PLAN is 1, or SYSTEM is S and PLAN is 1.
• U code is valid only for TYPE codes 01-29, 51, 59, 70-75, and 78.

V - For status code V the following edits apply:

• V code is valid only if SYSTEM is P and PLAN is 1, or SYSTEM is T and PLAN is 1.
• V code is valid only for TYPE codes 01-29, 59, 70-75, and 78.

W - For status code W the following edits apply:

• W code is valid only if SYSTEM is P and PLAN is 1.
• W code is valid only for TYPE codes 02-08, 10-16, and 27-28.

X - For status code X the following edits apply:

• X code is valid only if SYSTEM is P and PLAN is 1.
• X code is valid only for TYPE codes 02-08, 10-16, and 27-28.

Y - For status code Y the following edits apply:

• Y code is valid only if SYSTEM is P and PLAN is 1, or SYSTEM is T and PLAN is 1.
• Y code is valid only for TYPE codes 01-29, 59, 70-75, and 78.

System Code

A valid system code must be present for the transaction to be processed.

Valid Values: D, E, J, L, N, P, R, S, T

• D-Deferred Compensation Program (DCP)
• E-School Employees’ Retirement System (SERS)
• J-Judicial Retirement System (JRS)
• L-Law Enforcement (LEOFF)
• N-Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS)
• P-Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS)
• R-Judicial Retirement Account (JRA)
• S-Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS)
• T-Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS)
• U-Judges Retirement Fund (JRF)

Note: DRS checks that the SYSTEM code matches our record of the system for the REPORTING GROUP.

Tax/Non-tax (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Valid values: T or blank

Total Compensation (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Should equal the sum of all transactions for which compensation is reported

Total Days (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Should equal the sum of all days for which compensation is reported. Total days must be reported to the nearest tenth.

Total Employer Contributions (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Should equal the sum of all employer contributions for which compensation is reported

Total Hours (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Should equal the sum of all hours for which compensation is reported. Total hours must be reported to the nearest tenth.

Total Hours/Days (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

Should equal the sum of all hours/days for which compensation is reported. Total hours/days must be reported to the nearest tenth.

Total Member Contributions/Deferrals

Should equal the sum of all member contributions for which compensation is reported or the sum of all participant deferrals

Total Records Reported

Should equal the sum of all records reported, except the Summary Record

Type Code (Does not apply to DCP Reporting)

A valid TYPE CODE must be present for the applicable transaction to be processed.

The TYPE CODE must be valid for the SYSTEM and for the employee type.

TYPE CODES valid for each SYSTEM:

• D (DCP): none are required
• E (SERS): valid codes are 30-34. 39, 97-99
• J (Judicial): valid code is 52
• L (LEOFF): valid codes are 40-49, 55
• N (PSERS): valid codes are 60 - 65, 98
• P (PERS): valid codes are 01-29, 59, 97-99
• R (JRA): none are required
• S (WSPRS): valid code is 51
• T (TRS): valid codes are 70-80, 97-99

Note: DRS validates the TYPE CODE against the reported SYSTEM and the system's record of the Employer Type.

Zip Code

Must be numeric

Zip Extension

Must be numeric