Employer Bulletin

Local ICI Employers
Vol. 22, Local C
February 4, 2005

Important Deadlines for WRS Statement of Benefits
Distribution Options and Address Information; Distribution Code/Address Option Selection Form; Update Employee Addresses

Important Deadlines for Wisconsin Retirement System
Annual Statement of Benefits, Address Information

February 25, 2005

The Distribution Code/Address Option Selection form must be submitted to select a distribution option.

March 21, 2005

All code and/or address data must be submitted based on the distribution option selection requested. The data must be submitted by the deadline using the format explained in the instructions included in this bulletin. Data not meeting the specifications will be returned to the employer for correction.

WRS Statement of Benefits Distribution Code/Address Option Selection Form

You are responsible for distributing individual Statement of Benefits to named employees when the January 1, 2005 annual WRS Statement of Benefits are distributed to employers. To make the distribution process easier, please select one of the four options on the attached Distribution Code/Address Option Selection Form. The options are explained in detail below. Return the distribution selection form to the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) even if you select Option D (alphabetical order by employee last name).

THE FOUR OPTIONS ARE:

OPTION A: Distribution Codes
Under this option, you receive your statements in alphabetical order by employee last name within a distribution code order specified by you. As an example, you could provide us with distribution codes that would group your employees’ statements by departments, individual buildings where employees work, or by different cities where employees work.

OPTION B: Employee Home Addresses
Under this option, you receive your statements by your employees’ home addresses in zip code order. This would enable you to attach postage and mail the statements directly to employees, rather than distributing statements at the work sites. If you select this option, place your return mailing address label over the ETF return address.

OPTION C: Sort by Distribution Codes and Also Print Home Addresses
Under this option, you receive your statements in alphabetical order within distribution code order, with home addresses of your employees printed on the statements. This allows you to distinguish between different buildings/work sites, but still have the option to mail some statements to employees who might not be present at the time you distribute statements.

OPTION D: Sort in Alphabetical Order
Under this option, you receive your statements in alphabetical order. Distribution codes and/or addresses of employess are printed on the statements, if you provide ETF with that information.

Mail or fax the attached Distribution Code/Address Option Selection form to ETF by February 25, 2005, to the address indicated below. When completing this form, please provide your WRS Employer Identification Number (69 036 XXXX XXX) and check the appropriate box to indicate whether you will be submitting these codes and/or addresses using disk, paper, or File Transfer Protocol (FTP). ETF encourages you to use electronic reporting to increase accuracy and efficiency, and instructions for using an Excel spreadsheet are attached. The FTP process for submitting data to ETF is relatively new and we continue to receive positive feedback regarding the process.

PLEASE REMEMBER:

• You must complete the attached Distribution Code/Address Option Selection form and submit these codes/addresses (even if you have submitted codes and/or addresses in the past).
• Provide ETF with your option selection form by February 25, 2005, even if you request that the statements arrive in straight alphabetical order by employee last name.
• If you are using an Excel spreadsheet to submit codes and addresses please follow the instructions on the enclosed sheet.
• Please send codes and addresses as one file.

Employee Addresses Due March 21, 2005

ETF requests that all WRS employers report their employees’ addresses for purposes of updating WRS member files by March 21, 2005.

The Distribution Code/Address Specifications for Statement of Benefits form (ET-9060, rev. 01/2005) is included with this bulletin. This form contains the reporting format/instructions for use when reporting codes and/or addresses via paper, disk, and FTP.

NOTE: Files not meeting the reporting format described on the ET-9060 will be returned to you for correction. Corrections will NOT be made at ETF.

Employers submitting distribution codes/addresses on paper reports must follow the same data format as disk and FTP reporters.

If you have questions regarding Statement of Benefit deadlines, statement distribution, Excel Spreadsheet instructions, or FTP, contact Dale Ferron. Please address all correspondence related to Statement of Benefits codes and addresses to:

Dale E. Ferron
Department of Employee Trust Funds
P. O. Box 7931
Madison, WI 53707-7931.
Phone: (608) 266-0728 FAX: (608) 266-5801
e-mail: dale.ferron@etf.state.wi.us