HRDC’s record of employment Web pilot project moving into final phase
The federal government’s record of employment (ROE) Web pilot project is plowing ahead following a successful test phase with a handful of employers, according to Human Resources Development Canada.
In an interview with CHRR’s sister publication, The Canadian Payroll Manager, a newsletter focusing on payroll issues, Don Legare, the ROE Web national project leader and Norm King, ROE Web project officer, said the pilot project has been successful.
The pilot project lets employers create and print records of employment (ROEs) using the Internet and to submit them electronically to the federal government. The project is part of Ottawa’s plan to improve service to employers and Employment Insurance claimants while reducing EI fraud.
How the online project works
The project involves two main tools: ROE Web data entry and ROE Web bulk transfer. The data entry tool allows employers to use Internet browsers, such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, to complete ROEs on a secure HRDC Web site. Once completed, the employer transmits the forms to HRDC for electronic validation. At that time, HRDC acknowledges it has received the forms, assigns a serial number to each ROE verified and then retransmits the forms to the employer for printing.
The Web bulk transfer tool lets employers with a large number of ROEs to extract data from their payroll systems and send the information to HRDC in batches over the Internet for bulk processing. HRDC then notifies employers of data it accepted and any that it rejected.
The pilot project began in the spring of 2001 and has successfully completed its first phase with a small group of employers. Now 10 employers from a wide range of industries, such as the automotive and entertainment industries, academic and financial institutions and the fast-food restaurant industry, are using the live product. Since the project was started, those 10 employers have sent in 47,000 ROEs. Legare and King said the results have been very promising: faster processing, fewer errors and no more paper.
One example of how fast the system works comes from an employer that was able to issue 901 ROEs in 30 minutes. Employers can send a bulk file of up to 911 records in a one megabyte file at a time. A more secure version of ROE Web will up that number to 2,000 records in a two-megabyte file.
Once the secure version is out, HRDC plans to upgrade the 10 pilot employers to the new system. While solid dates weren’t available at press time, HRDC expects to release the new version of ROE Web to a broader group of employers this fall. At that point, it will begin to recruit large- and medium-sized employers to use the application.
Half of ROEs will be submitted online
The implementation plan HRDC is using calls for it to be able to receive 40 to 50 per cent of all ROEs online by the end of the 2003-2004 fiscal year.
HRDC still has a number of areas to work on including security and compatibility with HRMS systems. Once it irons out those wrinkles, it will be rolled out to the wider audience.
It’s currently a time-consuming and labour-intensive process to set employers up on the system. Every employer and each of its users must be visited, personally identified and must sign user agreements. Then HRDC loads the security software on the organization’s system. But once the new security solution is completed, these constraints should be eliminated.
The new security system uses the federal government’s E-Pass technology and simplifies the registration process for employers and payroll professionals wishing to use ROE Web. Once registered with an E-Pass, payroll practitioners can prepare ROEs using the enhanced ROE Web technology.
For more information about The Canadian Payroll manager visit www.carswell.com/payroll or phone (800) 387-5164.
In an interview with CHRR’s sister publication, The Canadian Payroll Manager, a newsletter focusing on payroll issues, Don Legare, the ROE Web national project leader and Norm King, ROE Web project officer, said the pilot project has been successful.
The pilot project lets employers create and print records of employment (ROEs) using the Internet and to submit them electronically to the federal government. The project is part of Ottawa’s plan to improve service to employers and Employment Insurance claimants while reducing EI fraud.
How the online project works
The project involves two main tools: ROE Web data entry and ROE Web bulk transfer. The data entry tool allows employers to use Internet browsers, such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, to complete ROEs on a secure HRDC Web site. Once completed, the employer transmits the forms to HRDC for electronic validation. At that time, HRDC acknowledges it has received the forms, assigns a serial number to each ROE verified and then retransmits the forms to the employer for printing.
The Web bulk transfer tool lets employers with a large number of ROEs to extract data from their payroll systems and send the information to HRDC in batches over the Internet for bulk processing. HRDC then notifies employers of data it accepted and any that it rejected.
The pilot project began in the spring of 2001 and has successfully completed its first phase with a small group of employers. Now 10 employers from a wide range of industries, such as the automotive and entertainment industries, academic and financial institutions and the fast-food restaurant industry, are using the live product. Since the project was started, those 10 employers have sent in 47,000 ROEs. Legare and King said the results have been very promising: faster processing, fewer errors and no more paper.
One example of how fast the system works comes from an employer that was able to issue 901 ROEs in 30 minutes. Employers can send a bulk file of up to 911 records in a one megabyte file at a time. A more secure version of ROE Web will up that number to 2,000 records in a two-megabyte file.
Once the secure version is out, HRDC plans to upgrade the 10 pilot employers to the new system. While solid dates weren’t available at press time, HRDC expects to release the new version of ROE Web to a broader group of employers this fall. At that point, it will begin to recruit large- and medium-sized employers to use the application.
Half of ROEs will be submitted online
The implementation plan HRDC is using calls for it to be able to receive 40 to 50 per cent of all ROEs online by the end of the 2003-2004 fiscal year.
HRDC still has a number of areas to work on including security and compatibility with HRMS systems. Once it irons out those wrinkles, it will be rolled out to the wider audience.
It’s currently a time-consuming and labour-intensive process to set employers up on the system. Every employer and each of its users must be visited, personally identified and must sign user agreements. Then HRDC loads the security software on the organization’s system. But once the new security solution is completed, these constraints should be eliminated.
The new security system uses the federal government’s E-Pass technology and simplifies the registration process for employers and payroll professionals wishing to use ROE Web. Once registered with an E-Pass, payroll practitioners can prepare ROEs using the enhanced ROE Web technology.
For more information about The Canadian Payroll manager visit www.carswell.com/payroll or phone (800) 387-5164.
