Beginning on a date specified by the board but no earlier than October 1, 2021, and with notice issued no later than 90 days prior to that date, employers shall file reports through CalSTRS' secure employer website as follows:
(a) Employers reporting identifying member information to establish a new account or to update existing member information shall submit such information by one of the following methods:
(1) Complying with the CalSTRS' Employment File Layout, as of June 18, 2019, and hereby incorporated by reference.
(2) Entering the information specified in the CalSTRS' Employment File Layout through CalSTRS' secure employer website on a per-employee basis.
(b) Employers reporting contribution information for the Defined Benefit Program monthly or the Cash Balance Benefit Program each pay period shall comply with CalSTRS' Contribution File Layout, as of June 18, 2019, and hereby incorporated by reference.
(c) Employers unable to comply with either subdivision (a) or (b) may submit a written request for a waiver to CalSTRS.
(1) The written request for a waiver shall include the following:
(A) The name and address of the employer making the request.
(B) The reason or reasons that prevent the employer from being able to comply.
(C) A plan for compliance, including the date by which the employer will be able to comply.
(D) Acknowledgement that the employer will be responsive to any inquiries made by CalSTRS regarding their plan for compliance.
(E) The signature of the superintendent, chancellor, president, or chief executive of the employer or a designee.
(2) A waiver that includes all the information required in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) shall be approved by the board for a period of six months, beginning on the date specified by the board pursuant to this section.
(3) The employer may submit a request for renewal of the waiver for an additional six-month period up to three additional times.
(4) Upon approval of a waiver by the board from the requirements in subdivisions (a) and (b), the employer shall file reports as follows:
(A) Employers reporting contribution information to the Defined Benefit Program shall comply with Section 1.3 of CalSTRS' F496 File Specification, as revised on February 24, 2016, and hereby incorporated by reference, subject to the following exclusions:
(i) Information in the “Field Edits” column.
(ii) The specific member contribution rates associated with field positions 53-56 and 91-94.
(B) Employers reporting contribution information to the Cash Balance Benefit Program shall comply with Section 1.3 of CalSTRS' Voluntary Deduction File Specification, as revised on July 1, 2015, and hereby incorporated by reference.
(C) A field that contains a dollar value must be formatted as follows:
(i) The number is reported without decimal places with the last two field positions populated by the number of cents.
(ii) Use leading zeroes to populate the full breadth of the field.
(iii) To report a negative number, report the last field with an uppercase alphabetical character or a symbol, coded as follows: “J” for negative values ending in 1, “K” for negative values ending in 2, and so on, with “R” for negative values ending in 9. Use “}” for negative values ending in 0.
(iv) Alphabetical characters or symbols may also be used to denote positive values, but are not required.
(d) This section prescribes the methods and formats by which information requested by CalSTRS shall be submitted. Unless a specific transaction is otherwise required by another statute or regulation, there is nothing within this section or referenced by this section that requires an employer to take any action.
Credits
Note: Authority cited: California Constitution, Article XVI, Section 17; and Sections 22207, 22213, 22214, 22250, 22305, 22455, 23004 and 26301, Education Code. Reference: Sections 22455, 22457, 22717, 22717.5, 22718, 23004, 23006, 23008 and 26301, Education Code.
History
1. New article 2 (sections 27800-27801) and new section filed 3-5-2020; operative 7-1-2020 (Register 2020, No. 10).
This database is current through 5/10/24 Register 2024, No. 19.
