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Contribution Report - Detail Contribution Transaction Record

The following table outlines the Minnesota PERA retirement contribution report’s detail contribution transaction record positions, field names, descriptions, data type, data source or valid value, and whether the field is required.

Position

Field Name

Description

Data Type

Data source or Valid value

Required

1-2

Transaction Code

Transaction code. One per transaction line.

Numeric

The valid value is 38.

Required

3-8

Employer Number

The employer’s unique identifier number assigned by PERA, where the first four digits represent the main PERA-assigned ID number, and the last two digits are the suffix code.

Numeric

The value is retrieved from the PERA Employer Number field on the Human Resources Profile - State page.

Required

9-10

Plan ID

The employee’s PERA plan.

PERA uses the Plan ID to determine the applicable contribution rates and validate the salary, deductions, and employer contributions reported for the coverage and paid dates.

Numeric

Valid values:

  • 01 = Basic

  • 02 = Coordinated

  • 03 = Police and Fire

  • 07 = Privatization

  • 11 = Correctional

  • 14 = DCP Ambulance

  • 15 = DCP Physician

  • 16 = DCP Elected Official

  • 17 = DCP City Manager

  • 99 = Exempt Re-employed PERA Benefit Recipient

The field value is retrieved from the PERA Plan field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

11-19

Social Security Number

The employee’s social security number.

This must be the valid Social Security Number for the named employee as shown on the person's Social Security card. PERA’s record must reflect that this SSN covers a person who has an active employment status under the applicable Employer and Plan ID. If the member is not reported under the Employer and Plan ID, the transaction will be held until the employer enrolls the employee.

Numeric

The field value is retrieved from the Social Security field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

20-49

Employee Last Name

The employee’s last name as maintained in the employer's records. If the employee has changed their name, submitting this record will not change PERA’s records. Changes in the name must be reported through a Demographic Record, the ERIS system, or a paper Member Information Change form.

Alpha-numeric

The field value is retrieved from the Name field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

50-79

Employee First Name

The employee’s first name as maintained in the employer's records. If the employee has changed their name, submitting this record will not change PERA’s records. Changes in the name must be reported through a Demographic Record, the ERIS system, or a paper Member Information Change form.

Alpha-numeric

The field value is retrieved from the Name field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

80-80

Employee Middle Initial

Employee’s middle initial as maintained in the employer’s records.

Alpha-numeric

The field value is retrieved from the Name field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Optional

81-84

Title After Name

The employee’s name suffix.

This must reflect the member’s name as maintained in the employer’s records. Do not use this field for titles such as Miss, Mr., or Mrs.

Alpha-numeric

The field value is retrieved from the Suffix field on the Employee Information page.

Optional

85-92

Payroll Coverage Start Date

The start date of the payment period during which the member earned the reported salary.

This is the beginning date of the payroll period to which the Detail Transaction Record applies. Only one earnings period can be entered on each line. If more than one earnings period must be reported for a member, use additional lines for each earning period. The coverage period (Coverage Start Date through Coverage End Date) must represent the date the member earned the reported salary.

If reporting an adjustment (Adjustment Indicator = A), the Coverage Start date must match the date reported on the original transaction to PERA.

The format is YYYYMMDD.

Numeric

The field value is retrieved from the Payroll Period Start Date field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

93-100

Payroll End Date

The end date of the payment period during which the member earned the reported salary.

This is the ending date of the payroll period to which the Detail Transaction Record applies. Only one earnings period can be entered on a line. Use additional lines to report salary for more than one earnings period. Coverage End Date cannot be less than the Coverage Start Date and must be at least 5 days after the reported Coverage Start Date. The coverage period (Coverage Start Date through Coverage End Date) must represent when the member earned the reported salary.

If reporting an adjustment (Adjustment Indicator = A), the Coverage End date must match the date reported on the original transaction to PERA.

The format is YYYYMMDD.

Numeric

The field value is retrieved from the Payroll Period End Date field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

101-102

Pay Type

The payment type for the employee.

PERA uses established pay types to determine how to allocate reported salaries and award service credit to members.

  • 01 is used to report that a member earned a salary for regular activity (including overtime and paid days off) during the current pay period. Determine the contribution amounts due on regular pay using the plan rate in effect on the pay date.

  • 02 is used to report lump-sum payments of unused, accrued compensatory time, holiday time, etc., which meet PERA’s definition of salary and cover a retroactive earnings period. Determine the contribution amounts due on pay coded as 02, using the contribution rate in effect on the date the amounts are paid, even if the total compensation period falls into more than one contribution rate period.

  • 04 is used to report lump-sum grievance pay that represents lost wages awarded under court orders, wrongful discharge settlements, or other settlement agreements. The coverage period must be the dates on which no salary had been reported for the member. When determining the contribution amounts due on grievance pay, always use the contribution rate that is in effect on the date the salary was earned. PERA staff must validate that all grievance pay meets the legal definition of salary by reviewing a copy of the applicable written agreement

  • Use Code 05 to report retroactive amounts that meet PERA’s definition of salary. Examples include pay increases awarded through union negotiations that cover past pay periods, annual payments for longevity pay, and certain types of performance bonus pay. For pay classified under this code, report the coverage dates on which the pay was earned. It is preferred that you use a separate transaction line to identify each earning period to which the pay is to be applied by PERA. Alternatively, at a minimum, identify the overall period to which the full payment applies. For example, use 01/01/XX -12/31/XX) to indicate pay earned over a calendar year. When determining the contribution amounts due on retroactive pay, always use the contribution rate in effect on the date the retroactive pay is paid, even if the earnings period falls into more than one contribution rate period.

  • Code 06 is for omitted deductions covering 60 days or less. You may pay omitted deductions through a Detail Contribution record only if you have not received an invoice from PERA for the amounts due. Coverage dates must reflect the entire omitted deduction period. This transaction is to be separate from a transaction that covers any regular pay period earnings for the member. When determining omitted employee contributions, use the contribution rate in effect on the date the salary was paid.

Numeric

Valid values:

  • 01 = Regular Activity

  • 02 = Lump sum payments of compensatory time

  • 04 = Grievance Pay

  • 05 = Retroactive lump sum payment

  • 06 = Omitted deduction from earnings of member

The field value is retrieved from the PERA Pay Type field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

103-103

Adjustment Indicator

Indicates if this record is for an adjustment.

Employers reporting adjustments electronically must:

  • Insert an ‘A’ in this field

  • Insert the adjustment amount in the PERA Eligible Earnings field, Member Amount field, or both fields if applicable. Adjustments can only be made to Defined Benefit Plans. They cannot be made to any of the Defined Contribution Plans.

Alpha-numeric

Valid values:

  • A = Adjustment

  • O = Not an adjustment

The field value is retrieved from the Adjustment Flag field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

104-104

Increase / Decrease

Indicates whether the Member Amount is a positive or negative amount.

To report a negative (-) Member Contribution Amount, the Adjustment Indicator must be “A,” or the detail member transaction will be held for further review and correction. A negative amount cannot be reported for any of the DCP plans.

Alpha-numeric

Valid values:

  • + = Increase/positive

  • - = Decrease/negative

Required

105-114

Member Amount

The member contribution for the PERA retirement benefits.

This must reflect the deduction amount withheld from the member’s salary. No member deduction amount may be reported under the Plan covering Exempt Benefit Recipients (Plan ID 99).

  • If the Member Amount differs from the system-calculated deduction using reported eligible earnings and plan rate, the transaction will receive an error status, and PERA will issue an invoice or a credit memo to the employer as appropriate.

  • The reporting of a member deduction amount must be consistent with the person’s employment status.

Data must include leading zeros and no decimal point.

For example, $3,800.15 would appear as 0000380015.

Numeric

It must equal the reported PERA-Eligible Earnings times the contribution rate in effect for the specified pay period for the applicable plan.

The valid values are 0000000000 - 9999999999.

The field value is retrieved from the Member Amount field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

115-115

Increase / Decrease

To report a negative (-) PERA Eligible Earnings, the Adjustment Indicator must be “A,” or the negative amount will encounter an error. DCP Plans cannot have a negative PERA Eligible Earnings.

Alpha-numeric

Valid values:

  • + = Increase/positive

  • - = Decrease/negative

Required

116-125

PERA Eligible Earnings

The salary subject to PERA deductions for the reported period.

PERA deductible earnings are not identical to Social Security-deductible earnings for state or federal taxable compensation.

Data must include leading zeros and no decimal point.

For example, $3,800.15 would appear as 0000380015.

Numeric

The valid values are 0000000000 - 9999999999.

The field value is retrieved from the Eligible Earnings field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

126-126

Increase/ Decrease Employer Amount

Indicates whether the Employer Amount reported in positions 127-136 is a positive or negative amount.

Alpha-numeric

Valid values:

  • + = Increase/positive

  • - = Decrease/negative

Required

127-136

Employer Amount

The employer contribution amount made on behalf of the member.

Data must include leading zeros and no decimal point.

For example, $3,800.15 would appear as 0000380015.

Numeric

The valid values are 0000000000 - 9999999999.

The amount should be from your payroll system and include the employer portion being remitted for the member. For the Coordinated and Basic plan, this must be the total of the employer match and the employer additional.

The field value is retrieved from the Employer Amount field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

137-140

School Fiscal Year

The school fiscal year of the payment period.

This field value is used to identify school district employees who are being paid Summer Pay for hours worked during the nine-month school term but for which the pay is being spread into June, July, and August.

Adding the School Fiscal Year will cause PERA to prorate the eligible earnings reported for the member over each calendar month during which the pay was earned.

School districts must always zero-fill for school employees who work all year round, such as payroll clerks, maintenance workers, etc. For 9- or 10-month employees, always zero-fill this field during non-summer months (typically, September through May).

Employers that are not school districts must zero fill this field.

Numeric

The valid values are:

  • 0000 (zeros)

  • YYYY

    (four-digit year)

The valid value is the school fiscal year for the regular pay you are reporting in positions 116-125, which the member earned.

The field value is retrieved from the field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

141-160

Filler

Leave blank

Not applicable

spaces

Required

161-161

Increase / Decrease Compensated Hours

Indicates whether the Compensated hours reported in positions 162-167 is a positive or negative amount. Do not complete for DCP members.

Alpha-numeric

Valid values:

  • + = Increase/positive

  • - = Decrease/negative

Optional

162-167

Compensated Hours

The work hours for which the employee is paid.

For non-DCP members, this is the number of hours an employee receives compensation during the reported period.

For example, the Compensated hours for an employee who works 57 ¼ hours in a coverage period is to be reported as 005725. PERA will interpret this as 57 hours and 15 minutes.

Employers choosing to provide this data should provide compensated hours for an employee on all salary with a Pay Type of 01, 02, 03, 04, or 06.

Data must include leading zeros and no decimal point.

Numeric

The value values are 00000 - 999999.

The field value is retrieved from the Compensated Hours field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Optional

168-168

Increase / Decrease Overtime Pay

Indicates whether the Overtime pay earnings reported in positions 169-179 is a positive or negative amount. This field must be completed when the value in positions 169-179 is any number other than zero (0). You do not need to complete for DCP members or reemployed retirees being reported under the Exempt Plan.

Alpha-numeric

Valid values:

  • + = Increase/positive

  • - = Decrease/negative

Optional

169-178

Overtime Pay

The overtime payment amount.

This is the portion of the PERA-eligible earnings reported for the member in positions 116-125 that your agency considers overtime. Do not complete for DCP members or reemployed retirees under the Exempt Plan.

Numeric

The valid values are 00000 - 999999.

The field value is retrieved from the Overtime Pay field on the MN PERA Contribution Table Information form accessed from the MN PERA Retirement Report page.

Required

179-200

Filler

Leave blank

Not applicable

spaces

Required

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