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              -  Home 
              -  Rail Employer Reporting Instructions (RERI) 
              -  Part VIII - Employer Reporting System (ERS) Internet User Instructions 
              -  Chapter 03: How to Initiate Service and Compensation Reports 
              -                   Chapter 3c: Form BA-3, Annual Report of Creditable Compensation              

## Topics

-  Part I - Prerequisite Knowledge for Rail Employer Reporting  
-  Part II - Establishment of Employee Records 
-  Part III - Principles of Service and Compensation 
-  Part IV - Particular Types of Compensation Payments 
-  Part V - Reports of Creditable Service and Compensation 
-  Part VI - Reports Related to Service and Compensation 
-  Part VII - Additional Communications about Service and Compensation Reports 
-  Part VIII - Employer Reporting System (ERS) Internet User Instructions    -  Chapter 01: Introduction 
  -  Chapter 02: General Instructions for Accessing the Employer Reporting System (ERSNet)	  
  -  Chapter 03: How to Initiate Service and Compensation Reports      -  Chapter 3a: Form BA-4, Report of Creditable Compensation Adjustments 
    -  Chapter 3b: Form BA-6a, Form BA-6 Address Report  
    -  Chapter 3c: Form BA-3, Annual Report of Creditable Compensation 
    -  Chapter 3d: Form BA-11, Report of Gross Earnings 
    -  Chapter 3e: Form BA-9, Report of Separation Allowance or Severance Pay 
  -  Chapter 04: How to Reply to Request from RRB 
  -  Chapter 05: Informational Notices to Employers  
  -  Chapter 06: Administrative Forms 
  -  Chapter 07: Email Notices to Employers and Employer Comments to RRB 
  -  Chapter 08: Summary Report of Compensation Reported Using the Internet 
  -  Chapter 09: Security Guidelines 
-  Appendices 

 

RERI-Part VIII_CH 3c
 

**How to Initiate Form BA-3 Report**

To initiate an annual report of creditable compensation a user should click the BA-3 icon from the forms menu area in the navigation section. This brings up the Form BA-3 “Select Report Year” screen. If the employer information is accurate from the drop down menu select the appropriate earnings year you wish to report service and compensation for and press the “submit” button to access the ERS filing option screen.

**Form BA-3 ERS Filing Options**

The following filing options are available to users (Note: you can only select one option per year for your organization):
                        - Pre-Fill Option  – allows user to enter service and compensation data for all employees reported in the prior year. The system automatically pre-fills the social security number, name and payroll identification number for all employees from the prior year. The system will allow you to add or delete additional employees as needed with this option.
                        - Blank Form  – allows user to enter service and compensation data for an employee as an entry on the Form BA-3 annual report.
                        - Zero Report Form  – allows user to file a zero report of service and compensation for their organization.
                        - Upload File Option  – allows users to upload a service and compensation file to the Employer Reporting System for their organization.

Remember each entry on the Form BA-3 is counted as part of a single report. Once all data is entered or uploaded the user will be returned to a screen with the company's reported employee count and grand total amount. Subtotal amounts are not required nor are they acceptable for uploaded files. Grand total amounts are required for all reports. Once a filing option has been selected the user will be required to enter data or upload service & compensation data on the report for each employee of their company.

**How to Enter Service & Compensation Based on Filing Options**

Select ONLY one of the following action(s) to file an annual report with the RRB:
                        - Pre-Filled Option : Click the “SSN” link from the list on the grand totals screen. Once you access the record review and verify the pre-filled data contents (full SSN, name, payroll-id) for accuracy. Enter all appropriate service & compensation data and click “Save & Return” button.
                        - Blank Form Option : Click the “Enter New Record” button from the grand totals screen to access a blank form. Once you access a blank form enter all appropriate data including the employees SSN, name, payroll id and service & compensation and click “Save & Return” button.
                        - Zero Report Option : If a user selects this option no service and compensation data is entered. The system will automatically pre-fill a text data file with the employer's appropriate information forward it to the Railroad Retirement Board for on-line certification.
                        - Upload Option : Click the “Browse” button from the employer upload screen and select the appropriate file to attach. Once selected click the “Upload File” button to edit and upload. Users that successfully upload a file will be transferred to the grand total screen where their total employee count and service & compensation amount will be displayed.

Note: a user can only access each individual employee account from the SSN link. However, you can sort the individual employee accounts via the SSN, Last Name or Payroll ID, but after sorting you must use the SSN link to access the record and enter the appropriate service and compensation for each employee.

**Form BA-3 Grand Total Process Button**

There are several process buttons on the Form BA-3 Grand Total Screen and they are as follows:
                        - Enter New Record : Click this button to enter service and compensation data for a new employee.
                        - Approve All BA-3's : Click this button to certify and file the annual BA-3 with the RRB. Important note: Please do not approve the Form BA-3 until after the Form BA-11 is complete for full Form BA-11 screen functionality.
                        - Return to Menu : Click this button to exit the grand total screen and return back to the initial main menu for the BA-3.
                        - Delete : Click this button to delete the entire BA-3 form from the system. If the report is deleted, no record of this activity will exist.
                        - Summary Report : Click this button to generate a summary report of activity entered and/or approved for the BA-3 form.

**Form BA-3 Grand Total Amounts**

The ERS.Net system will calculate a new total and display the amount under each component's (RUIA 1, RUIA 2, Tier 1, Tier 2, Miscellaneous Compensation, and/or Sick Pay) grand total field for all records that are data entered or uploaded to the system. Each component will display the grand total based on the number of items submitted to the system.

**Checkbox for Canadian Records**

Generally, this box will be blank. It is designated for non-resident citizens who worked for covered U.S. employers but perform occasional service in the United States for compensation. If the information being entered is for an employee who is NOT a United States citizens (i.e. Canadian citizens) and who does not have a valid U.S. SSN, enter the employee's non-SSN (i.e. Canadian Social Insurance Number, SIN) and check this box. If the information being entered is for an employee who does have a valid U.S. SSN but still is not a U.S. citizen enter the valid U.S. SSN and DO NOT check this box.

**Form BA-3 Data Entry Screen Process Buttons**

There are several process buttons on the individual data entry screen of the Form BA-3. They are as follows:
                        - All Months Worked : Click this button to report all 12 service months for the reporting earning year.
                        - Monthly Service Month Pattern : Click the arrow from the drop down list for each month. The required codes for months worked or months not worked are “1” or “0” respectively. Optional codes “8” or “9” should be used if the employee's relationship status for all months NOT worked is known by the employer. Read the section entitled “Optional Service Month Codes” in the attached link  http://www.rrb.gov/AandT/ERI/Part5/chapter3.asp for additional information.
                        - Set All Compensation Amounts : Click this button to report the maximum compensation for RUIA1, RUIA2, Tier 1, Tier 2 and Daily Pay Rate for the reporting earning year.
                        - Compensation Amounts : Enter the applicable compensation amounts in the appropriate boxes up to the annual maximum.
                        - Daily Pay Rate : Enter the applicable daily pay rate in the appropriate box up to the maximum.
                        - Update Address : Click this button to enter an employee's new address to the Railroad Retirement Board. Once clicked additional data entry boxes will be displayed for the following fields: street address, city, and state, zip code and effective date. The address is an optional field.
                        - Save and Return : Click this button to save all data entered on the screen and return back to the grand total/ employee list screen.
                        - Reset Record : Click this button to reset all items on the data entry screen to blank. Note: once the “Save and Return” button has been clicked the reset button will not reset a record.
                        - Delete Record : Click this button to delete an employee from the BA-3 form. If an item is deleted, no record of it will exit on the report. The SSN for this form cannot be recalled or re-instated. Users will have to re-enter the SSN and Name to initiate a record.
                        - Exit/No Action : Click this button to exit the Form BA-3 data entry screen and return back to the grand total/employee list screen.

**Upload Screen Processing Buttons**

There are several process buttons on the Form BA-3 employer upload screen and they are as follows:
                        - Browse : Click this button to select and attach the appropriate BA-3 file to the ERS.Net system.
                        - Upload File : Click this button to edit check and upload the BA-3 file. The Form BA-3 upload results screen will display a message to indicate whether the file is acceptable or unacceptable for processing by the system. Only users with approval access can upload files to the ERS.Net system.
                        - Cancel : Click this button to exit the upload process without filing a BA-3.

There are two additional process buttons on the Form BA-3 Upload Results screen and they are as follows:
                        - Return to Menu : Click this button to exit the Upload Results screen and return back to the Employer Upload Screen.
                        - Print Result : Click this button to print the message for an acceptable or unacceptable BA-3 file.

**Zero Upload Screen**

There are two process buttons on the zero upload screen and they are as follows:
                        - Return to Menu : Click this button to exit the BA-3 Summary Report screen and return back to the initial main menu for the BA-3 form.
                        - Print : Click this button to print the BA-3 Summary Report Screen information for your records.

   

**‹** Chapter 3b: Form BA-6a, Form BA-6 Address Report 
Up
Chapter 3d: Form BA-11, Report of Gross Earnings **›**

   

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								Last updated: 06/02/2017