Employment Insurance (EI) frequently asked questions
ROE Web is an application for Canadian employers to create and print ROEs using Internet technology and submit them to Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) electronically. The applications include:
The 53 week ROE Web application is currently available to Canadian businesses that have at least one Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number and who meet the system requirements. If you are a business outside Canada your registered subsidiary operating in Canada can use the ROE Web application.
Accountants and bookkeepers who wish to sign up clients can also use ROE Web.
If your business has an agreement with a Payroll Service Provider (PSP) to issue Records of Employment (ROE), HRSDC has developed a solution for your PSP to electronically issue ROEs. Contact your Payroll Service Provider to find out if the service is available.
If your business uses specialized payroll software to issue ROEs, contact your Software Vendor to check whether ROE Web is among the features included in their software.
To date, we are not able to provide the ROE Web service for self-employed fishers.
The application has been developed by HRSDC. Any employer who wishes to produce ROEs with the new technology will first need to be authenticated and enrolled in the program by HRSDC. They will also need a Government of Canada epass, which once obtained can be used with ROE Web and any other Government of Canada on-line service for which they are registered.
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If you would like to receive further information on the 53 week ROE Web, or wish to register to use the system, please contact your Service Canada Centre.
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High speed Internet access — due to the fact that the dial-up system is too slow to allow a transmission to be completed successfully;
Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 5 or later;
Meet the minimum technical requirements for using and epass as indicated on the Epass Canada site;
Users must accept the Applet warning message when using the ROE Web application.
Yes. As mentioned above, employers have the options of bulk transfer or keyboard input. For those electing to use the keyboard, defaults for constant information will reduce the amount of information that has to be entered.
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The ROE Web application will accept ASCII text files extracted from your payroll system in a defined format. Using the ROE Web application, you will be able to choose a specific file from your file system and send it to HRSDC.
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Here are the next steps that you can expect to find when using the two main tools of ROE Web:
ROE Web Data Entry: Once the ROE is completed on-line, you can either choose to save it as a draft or submit it directly to HRSDC. Valid ROEs are acknowledged, assigned a "W" serial number and saved into the HRSDC database for 11 years. Saved ROEs can be retrieved for printing at a later time, such as when an employee loses his/her ROE and asks for a copy.
ROE Web Bulk Transfer: Employers with high volumes of ROEs may choose to extract data from their payroll systems and submit them to HRSDC in batches, using file transfer protocol, for bulk processing. The employer is able to view on the screen ROEs: issued, passed, failed and rejected. A confirmation message is issued for the file that has been transferred successfully.
Reminder: You must print a copy of the ROE to give to your employee even if he/she has no intention of filing a claim for EI benefits.
Some definitions:
Currently, you can send up to 500 ROEs at one time. Future versions of the application will enable you to send a greater number of records.
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The ROE data is stored in an Oracle database located at HRSDC. Registered, authorized and certified employers can access data through the Internet.
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Employers can write programs to extract data from their payroll systems as an interface to the ROE Web application. HRSDC will provide the specifications for the record format required for this interface.
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No. There are far too many payroll packages, hardware platforms and operating environments for HRSDC to contemplate writing the interface.
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The user requirements for the 53 week ROE can be viewed through HRSDC Internet site.
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The keyboard data entry program allows employers to modify data that has been imported from a payroll application.
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ROE Web has an import feature to extract pertinent information from the ROE Web database into an XML file. The employer can then import the data into their payroll software and it can be used to issue amended ROEs in bulk – 53 week format only. The layout for the import XML file format is based on the requirements as described in Appendix C .
The format of the Web printed ROE is exactly the same as the format of the current three-part pre-printed form except that Block 15C includes space for 53 pay periods and the serial number assigned to the ROE Web will start with "W".
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The ROE Web application creates a PDF file that will contain the data presented in the ROE form format. Employers will be able to print and view the ROE in that format, as well as the information found on the back of the ROE forms.
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ROEs with serial numbers are retained in the HRSDC database for a period of 11 years. These ROEs can be viewed or printed any time within the 11-year period. ROEs without a serial number are identified as draft ROEs and are retained for a period of 15 days in the HRSDC database. Within this period employers have the choice to submit and store the ROE or View and Print the draft ROE. After the 15-day period the draft ROE will be deleted from the HRSDC database.
Under the provisions of the Employment Insurance Act, the employer has to keep one copy of all ROEs issued as a part of his records and book of account for a period of 6 years. ROE Web allows employers to keep these Records of Employment electronically.
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A ROE can be printed as often as required; the serial number remains the same.
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If employers wish to amend a ROE, they have the option of selecting «ROE» from the main menu and then the Amend option or amending their ROE in bulk in conjunction with the Import feature and the 53 week bulk file layouts. The Amend option from the ROE menu calls up the original ROE on the screen and allows employers to make modifications and re-submit the amended ROE. A new serial number will be assigned to the amended ROE. Amending an ROE in bulk allows the user to modify the original ROE information in a bulk file by including the original serial number of the ROE being amended. A new serial number will be assigned to the amended ROE