PAYROLL OFFICE LETTER

U. S. Office of Personnel Management

 Number: P-98-09 Date: August 26, 1998 

Subject: SEPTEMBER 1998 HEADCOUNT

 

This letter is the call for your September 1998 semiannual Headcount Report. The

Headcount Report is reported semiannually (in March and September) by all payroll offices

that withhold monies from salaries for participants in the Civil Service Retirement System,

Federal Employees Retirement System, Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and/or

the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Programs. The Headcount Report is a

"snapshot" of enrollment in these programs as of a given point in time. The information you

report to us plays a pivotal role in our system of internal accounting control, the negotiation

of Health and Life Insurance premium rates, and in the determination of the employer

contributions for Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employees. 

The Headcount is submitted on the OPM Form 1523 (Supplemental Semiannual Headcount

Report); reporting of enrollment by individual health benefits plan is accomplished via the SF

2812-A. This reporting will be for the LAST pay period PAID DURING THE FIRST 15 DAYS

of September 1998. If you pay twice during the first 15 days of September, the Headcount

will cover the second pay period paid in that period. For monthly pay cycles, the reporting

period will be for August 1, 1998 through 

August 31, 1998. 

In the interest of time, we ask that you FAX your Forms 1523 and 2812-A to us. If you still

report via the hard copy SF 2812, please fax your SF 2812 in addition to the OPM Form

1523 with your SF 2812A. Please fax from CLEAR originals THAT DO NOT CONTAIN

SMALL PRINT to ensure that we receive legible copies. 

Our FAX numbers are:

F 202-606-0701

F 202-606-0195
We would like to receive your report on the applicable payroll paid date. If this cannot be

accomplished, we must receive it no later than September 21, 1998. Please, under no

circumstances, delay submitting your normal RITS or hard-copy SF 2812 because your

Headcount Report is not ready to be submitted. 

It is very important, for the reasons cited above, that the information you report on your

Headcount is ACCURATE and TIMELY. Payroll Office Letter 95-4 contains detailed

Headcount reporting requirements. It is available electronically through the OPM Internet

Web Site (http://www.opm.gov) or a copy can be obtained by calling the Financial Policy

Staff.

We would also like you to place emphasis on your reporting of AGGREGATE BASE

SALARY (ABS) data. We require ABS for each CSRS and FERS category included on your

OPM Form 1523. The ABS is the total gross salary, subject to retirement withholding, for the

reported pay period, for each category of CSRS and FERS retirement. For example, on Line

C.2.a, the amount reported will be the total salary (subject to retirement withholding) paid this

pay period to individuals with CPDF retirement code K. Your ABS reporting provides us with

an important accounting control over RITS/hard-copy SF 2812 reporting. We compute

withholdings and contributions amounts for each Retirement category on your OPM Form

1523 based on the ABS, and compare that to the corresponding amounts you reported to us

via RITS or on your hard-copy SF 2812. We will contact you for an explanation, if this

analysis reveals a significant variance. 

In the preparation of your Headcount reports please include the following changes which

were incorporated after the issuance of Payroll Office Letter 95-4: 

The SF2812-A with your Headcount should contain totals for the dollars and enrollees

reported on it. The total dollars and enrollments on the SF2812-A must agree with the

dollar and enrollment totals reported on line B3 of your OPM Form 1523; and the total

dollars must agree with the total dollars reported on RITS (or the hard copy SF 2812). 

The name of the preparer, in addition to the signature of the authorized official, is

required.

In the Retirement section, the amounts reported on Line C3 (Total Retirement) in the

"Deductions Made" and "No Deductions Made" columns should not include the

number of enrollees for Salary Offset, Military Deposits, and for Civilian Service Credit

reported on lines C1i, C1j, C1k, C2i and C2k.

In addition please refer to the reporting changes announced in Payroll Office Letter P-97-

17 dated December 16, 1997.
If you have any questions concerning the preparation of your Headcount report, please call

us at (202) 606-0606, or send an email, finance@opm.gov. 

Robert A. Yuran, Chief

Financial Management Division

Retirement and Insurance Service

Attachments (2)

Note - Please call us or send us an email to request the Attachments:

SF 2812-A Report of Withholdings and Contributions for Health Benefits 

By Enrollment Code

OPM Form 1523 Supplemental Semiannual Headcount Report