COMPENSATION DIRECTIVE: 2003-005

1

PURPOSE

1.1

The purpose of this directive is to provide an introduction and overview of the requirements for a Master File Expansion (MFE) in the Regional Pay System (RPS). This information is directed to the compensation community as well as the clients that have human resources (HR) systems which interface with the RPS.

1.2

In this text, use of the masculine is generic and applies to both men and women.

2

BACKGROUND

2.1

New requirements resulting from pension reform, taxation legislation and collective agreements have consumed all available space on the Regional Pay System Master File (MF). In keeping with the ever changing complexities of the compensation environment, Public Works and Government Services Canada ( PWGSC) must expand the capacity of the existing MF in order to satisfy new policies, legislative and initiative requirements. The MFE will benefit all departments and agencies by providing the necessary capacity to meet the growing requirements for compensation service delivery until Pay Modernization evolves.

2.2

Treasury Board approval for the implementation of this initiative was received on August 7, 2002.

3

OVERVIEW

An overview of the changes that PWGSC will be making to the MF are described below. The implementation strategy for this initiative will be a two-phased release approach scheduled for June 2003 and March 2004. The production dates will be confirmed through a broadcast message and will be posted on the RPS prior to each release. A compensation directive will be issued in January 2004 to provide further details on the changes listed in sections 3.1 to 3.6 as part of the second release.

3.1

Allowance and Deduction (A/D) Portion of the Master Employee Record (MER) or On-line Deduction Entitlement Select (DDT) Inquiry Screen

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The A/D portion of the MER will be amended to accept a maximum of 52 deductions and/or entitlements instead of the current 18, thereby providing the client with more flexibility on pay input.

3.2

Deduction and Entitlement (DEDENT) Codes

Over the last few years, unique requirements of the various employers and their collective agreements have necessitated new deductions and entitlements resulting in a lesser number of codes available for future use. The current structure of the DEDENT codes' first digit will remain numeric for easy reference of the deductions and entitlements (value of 0 to 4 for entitlements and value of 5 to 9 for deductions). Newly assigned DEDENT codes will reflect an alphanumeric value in the second and third characters. This will provide sufficient additional code values for future compensation needs.

3.3

Leave Without Pay (LWOP) Reason Codes

The LWOP policy requirements have exhausted most of the LWOP reason codes resulting in fewer codes available for new collective agreements. It has become necessary to expand the LWOP code structure to accept two characters. The existing codes will remain unchanged and the new reason codes will be created, when required, using the new format.

3.4

Tax Eligibility and Pay Rate Codes

Elements pertaining to tax eligibility and pay rate codes will be redefined to accept a one character alphanumeric value. The new values will be identified and created only as future requirements/legislations are approved for implementation. There will be no change to the existing codes.

3.5

Geographic Location Code (GEOLOC)

Statistics Canada produces a seven-character GEOLOC and PWGSC currently converts this code to six characters for update to the RPS' GEOLOC Control File. The conversion process has become complex and it is now necessary to expand the RPS' GEOLOC element and align it to the original seven-character code. The MER and the GEOLOC Control File will automatically be updated with the new seven characters. A data conversion file will be made available to those departments wishing to update their internal system.

3.6

Additional Elements

Approximately 100 additional elements will be created in the MF to provide for future compensation service delivery requirements.

4

PROCEDURE - RELEASE 1

The following sections contain the changes that will be included in the June 2003 release of this initiative.

4.1

On-line Screen Changes

The RPS' on-line screens will be amended (identified in Section 4.2) to reflect the actual business name and to remove fields and references that are no longer applicable. The corresponding edits and logic will also be amended to reflect these changes. Compensation advisors will see new field names when using the affected on-line screen. Actual field usage will not change as a result of this release. Please note that some English on-line screens needed amendments whereas the equivalent French screens did not and vice versa.

4.2

Table of On-line Screen Changes

4.3

Renamed Elements

The renaming of specific master elements (refer to the Personnel-Pay Input Manual - PPIM sections 3.5.3 and 7.3.4) is required to reflect the actual business name. The functionality of these elements will not change as a result of this release.

4.4

It is important to note that the changes identified in the first release do not affect compensation advisors in terms of RPS' input procedures. These changes are for reference purposes only.

4.5

Clients should take the necessary steps to modify their departmental systems and processes to ensure that corresponding changes identified herein are made to their systems.

4.6

A period of reduced development activity for the Regional Pay System is necessary to minimize inherent risks and to ensure the smooth implementation of the MFE changes. This period will extend from May 2003 to March 2004. PWGSC will continue to implement all mandatory and legislative requirements as well as initiatives already in progress in accordance with established time frames and deadlines.

4.7

The Contributor System is not impacted by any of the changes in the first release. There will be an impact as a result of the second release and the details will be included in the compensation directive scheduled for distribution in January 2004.

4.8

Should new requirements, e.g. a new tax eligibility, pay rate, DEDENT or LWOP codes, be identified in the future, a compensation directive will be issued conveying the new requirements.

4.9

Please be advised that the PPIM and the Pay Office Procedures Manual (POP) will be updated on June 6, 2003, to incorporate the relative information contained in this directive.

5

INQUIRIES

5.1

Any inquiries on the information contained in this document should be addressed to your Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) Compensation Services Office.