Frequently Asked Questions
About the Transition from EMERS to OASIS Employer Reporting System

General Questions

1. What is the timeline for employer beta testing?
2. Are the variable length fields identified in the PSRS/PEERS Interface File Definition - Employer Reporting Subsystem document "fixed length" or "variable length" fields in each record?
3. Can the position codes in EMERS/OASIS be changed to match what we are already using in MOSIS (DESE) reporting? It would be beneficial if the same three character codes could be used across-the-board when reporting.
4. What will happen in OASIS when a duplicate enrollment record is uploaded or created?

File Header Section Questions

1. Should supplemental payrolls (payrolls run to correct errors on a previously reported Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Semi-Monthly, or Monthly payroll run) be reported with a reporting type of “Other”? Or, should they be reported with the same reporting type as the original payroll run?
2. The Employer ID field has a length of 4. In the upload file, should the Employer ID be ‘123 ‘, ‘ 123’ or ‘1123’?

Enrollment Detail Section Question

1. Is “Hire Date” the original hire date or the re-hire date if an employee has left the district and returned?

Payroll Detail Section Questions

1. Can we send the Annual Base Salary every time instead of setting it to zero when there isn’t a change? It is easier for us to send it every time and let the system evaluate if a change occurred for an employee.
2. What exactly does “Sick Leave” mean?  Does it mean someone is out on sick leave without pay? What is the difference between “Sick Leave” and “Leave of Absence”?
3. What does it mean when the notes say “If Y, entire Retirement Salary field will be considered DESE Career Ladder”?

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General Questions

1. What is the timeline for employer beta testing?
   We are finalizing our testing plan. As soon as more information is available, we will let you know.
   
   
2. Are the variable length fields identified in the PSRS/PEERS Interface File Definition - Employer Reporting Subsystem document "fixed length" or "variable length" fields in each record?
   The fields are variable length. Therefore, you do not need to fill the remaining positions with blanks. As long as you place a tilde (~) immediately preceding and following your entry, it will indicate the beginning and end of that field position.
   
   

   Example If the field is set up for a maximum of 30 characters but it is a date-time stamp that requires only 14 positions and is set up to left justify, you do not need to fill the remaining 16 positions with blanks. Just enter the “yyyymmddhhmmss” in the field and place a tilde immediately before and after it.

   
   
3. Can the position codes in EMERS/OASIS be changed to match what we are already using in MOSIS (DESE) reporting? It would be beneficial if the same three character codes could be used across-the-board when reporting.
   OASIS is designed to use the same position codes as EMERS. This will allow PSRS/PEERS to use data converted from our current system going forward in OASIS. The position codes used for DESE reporting do not cover all positions or members in our system.
   
   
4. What will happen in OASIS when a duplicate enrollment record is uploaded or created?
   In OASIS, uploading or creating a duplicate enrollment record will generate an error message stating that the member is currently enrolled. The duplicate enrollment record can then be voided prior to submission.
   

File Header Section Questions

1. Should supplemental payrolls (payrolls run to correct errors on a previously reported Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Semi-Monthly, or Monthly payroll run) be reported with a reporting type of “Other”? Or, should they be reported with the same reporting type as the original payroll run?
   If you are re-running a payroll to correct an error, it should be run with the same reporting type (Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Semi-Monthly, Monthly, or Other) as the original payroll run you are correcting – and with the same payroll start and end dates.
   
   To correct payroll errors in OASIS, you need to report the correcting payroll as an adjusting entry to the amount you originally reported.
   
   

   Example You originally reported a contributing PSRS employee with a retirement salary of $1,000 and employer/employee contributions of $145.The retirement salary should have been $800 with employer/employee contributions of $116. To correct this error, you need to report a negative $200 for retirement salary and a negative $29 for employer/employee contributions.

   
   
   
2. The Employer ID field has a length of 4. In the upload file, should the Employer ID be ‘123 ‘, ‘ 123’ or ‘1123’?
   Your District Unique Identifier (Employer ID) is ‘123’. Since it is not a fixed length field, you do not need to pad the field with a space. The system would not recognize ‘1123’ as a valid Employer ID.
   

Enrollment Detail Section Question

1. Is “Hire Date” the original hire date or the re-hire date if an employee has left the district and returned?
   The “Hire Date” you report on the enrollment record should reflect the re-hire date if the employee left your employment and then returned.
   
   

   Example An employee is originally hired by your district August 15, 2005, then terminated on May 15, 2010. She is subsequently re-hired on August 15, 2013. In this case, you need to enroll the employee with a hire date of August 15, 2013.

   
   

Payroll Detail Section Questions

1. Can we send the Annual Base Salary every time instead of setting it to zero when there isn’t a change? It is easier for us to send it every time and let the system evaluate if a change occurred for an employee.
   You may send the Annual Base Salary each time you report. If the amount changes from one payroll reporting period to another, OASIS will generate an error message indicating the Annual Base Salary does not match the Annual Base Salary on file. It will then ask you to indicate whether the annual base being reported is ‘New’ or ‘Corrected.’
   
   
2. What exactly does “Sick Leave” mean?  Does it mean someone is out on sick leave without pay? What is the difference between “Sick Leave” and “Leave of Absence”?
   The status of “Sick Leave” should be used when the employee is out on sick leave without pay. Indicating this status is beneficial to PSRS/PEERS if a member later decides to remit contributions for the leave time by paying contributions on their salary for the period of time they were off work. Use the status “Leave of Absence” for other periods of time (with the exception of Military Leave) when the employee is out of pay status.
   
   
3. What does it mean when the notes say “If Y, entire Retirement Salary field will be considered DESE Career Ladder”?
   This field should only be used if you are reporting Missouri DESE Career Ladder earnings (currently not funded by the state of Missouri). In the current EMERS system, we require Career Ladder earnings to be reported in a separate payroll batch. In OASIS, a payroll detail record containing a ‘Y’ in Field Position 22 will indicate to PSRS/PEERS that the amount in Field Position 9 (Retirement Salary) is actually Career Ladder earnings.
   
   DESE Career Ladder earnings are considered retirement salary for contribution purposes, but are not used in PSRS/PEERS’ calculation of credit. Therefore, the indicator is necessary so the OASIS system knows to disregard the earnings when performing the credit calculation, should the DESE-funded Career Ladder program ever return.