ROE Secure Automated Transfer (ROE SAT) 4.0 - User guide

Interruption of Earnings and the 30 day gap rule

• The ROE SAT system has included a new validation rule aimed in particular at employees who have experienced 30 days of no work and no insurable earnings – known as the 30 day gap rule.
• By issuing an ROE after there has been a break of at least 30 days, it will allow for a more accurate calculation of the employees EI claim for benefits. When we calculate an employee's EI claim for benefits, there may be circumstances that will allow for an extension to the period for which we determine the insurable hours and/or earnings. By splitting the ROE, we have more ROE data completed in block 15C – which may reduce calls to employers for additional detailed information.

What if my employee does not work for 30 days?

• If your employee has not worked for a period of 30 days or more, an ROE should be issued;
• The Last Day for Which Paid (block 11) for that ROE should indicate the last time the employee actually worked (more than 30 days ago);
• The ROE should represent the last consecutive pay periods prior to the last day for which paid (indicated in block 11).

How do I complete the ROE?

The ROE should include the insurable earnings up to and including the last day for which the employee was paid. It should not represent the period of 30 days where there was no insurable work or earnings. There is additional information regarding special situations to the seven-day rule and for employees involving part-time and casual workers in the How to Complete the Record of Employment Form guide – When to issue an ROE.

Period of Employment

The ROE SAT system has also added a new validation rule which verifies the dates indicated as the First Day Worked, the Last Day for Which Paid and the Final Pay Period Ending date. It is important the dates indicated represent the accurate period of employment; this ensures that if the employee applies for EI benefits, Service Canada can properly assess the length of time she or he worked, and determine the period for which she or he qualifies for EI benefits.

These dates will also help determine the number of pay periods that require completion. If the dates of the period of employment are incorrect, it could affect the number of pay periods provided in block 15C – Detailed Pay Period information and in turn, may cause an error during submission.

For more information on the period of employment, please consult the How to Complete the Record of Employment Form guide - Period of Employment.

Reason for Issuing this ROE

There are codes for most situations within the new list of available reasons for separation.

Important: When these codes are selected, a comment in block 18 is not required unless the Reason for Issuing this ROE (block 16) is Code ‘K00 – Other’, or ‘K15 – Canadian Forces - Queen's Regulations/Orders.

We have expanded the codes for reasons for issuing an ROE in the ROE SAT system – which allows the user to clearly specify the reason for which the ROE is being issued, reduce the Comments in block 18 as well as reduce the number of calls from Service Canada to clarify the reason for issuing the ROE. By selecting the most specific code, the number of calls you will receive from Service Canada will be reduced.

Code Z00 should also be used if the employee is leaving the workplace temporarily to claim Family Caregiver Benefits.

Block 17 - Separation Payments

New options have been included in the ROE SAT system to expand the selections regarding reporting money paid or payable on separation. This expansion helps to ensure Service Canada has clear and sufficient information to properly assess the EI claim. The additional selections also ensure the employer is able to provide us specific types of monies paid, on or after separation. This allows Service Canada to properly allocate those earnings and to avoid follow-up calls to employers requesting clarification. It is important to always ensure the insurable money paid or payable on separation is included in the earnings reported in “15C Pay Period one”, and “15B Total Insurable Earnings”.

Block 17A – Vacation Pay

You must report any vacation pay you have paid or will be paying due to the separation from employment in block 17A. The table below shows the vacation pay codes available. You may select only one of the following types and may be required to enter dates and/or amounts depending on the type selected.

For vacation pay code 1, Included with each pay, it is not necessary to indicate an amount in block 17A as vacation pay amounts included with each pay are normally included in the gross insurable earnings within each pay period in block 15C.

For vacation pay code 2, Paid because no longer working, ensure the vacation pay amount is included in block 15C pay period 1.

Vacation pay code 3, paid for a vacation leave period, is used to indicate any vacation pay paid by the employer for a specific period of leave after the date in block 11, when the employee plans to take vacation leave during the interruption of earnings and the employer granted the leave.

If the vacation pay is paid as a result of an anniversary date, the amount should be included in the pay period in which the anniversary date falls. If the anniversary date is after the last day for which paid include the amount in block 15C pay period 1.

Block 17B – Statutory Holidays

• Only report statutory holidays that are paid for a day after the date in block 11.
• If the separation is permanent there are no insurable hours attached. If the separation is not permanent there are insurable hours attached.
• The number of hours you report in block 15A is usually the number of hours the employee normally works. If you are not sure of the number of hours to report for a statutory holiday, contact the Canada Revenue Agency.
• Remember to include the statutory holiday pay amounts in pay period 1 of block 15C and block 15B as this money is insurable.

Block 17C – Other Monies paid or payable on separation

• Report any payments, other than regular salary, that you have paid or will pay to the employee due to the separation, such as severance pay or pay in lieu of notice.
• Remember to include all insurable payments in block 15B and 15C pay period 1.

Select from one of the following types (depending on the type selected, you may be required to enter dates and/or amounts).

For a more detailed description of each type of monies paid or payable on separation, please refer to the guidance provided in the "How to Complete the Record of Employment Form" guide.

Block 18 – Comments

The purpose of expanding the reason codes in block 16, as well as the options under block 17 is to reduce the comments repeated in block 18.

• When comments are provided, the ROE is removed from the automated processing system and a Service Canada agent must manually review the ROE.
• In order to facilitate the automated process and expedite benefits to client, we are trying to deter the use of the Comment field for redundant information.
• Comments may be provided to communicate details about exceptional circumstances to help clarify the information on the ROE.
• Comments that re-iterate information already contained elsewhere on the ROE should be avoided.

Block 19 - Paid Sick, Maternity, Parental, Compassionate Care, Family Caregiver Leave or Group Wage Loss Indemnity Payments

Clarifications and new selections have also been added to the Special Payments section of the ROE. There is now a differentiation made (for reporting purposes) between an insurable and a non-insurable Wage Loss Indemnity payment. It is understood that the person issuing the ROE may or may not know the specific information surrounding these payments (for example, if paid by a third party) and therefore in most instances, the information is optional. However, it provides an opportunity for the person issuing the ROE to indicate as much information as possible, such as if the employee is receiving a wage loss indemnity or not. If you are unsure about the insurability of your wage loss indemnity plan, contact the Canada Revenue Agency.

The information in block 19 is used to help us determine:

• When we can start a claim for EI benefits;
• If we can waive the waiting period;
• If the employee is or will be in receipt of other payments (i.e. Wage Loss Indemnity) after their last day of work.

If the reason for separation is due to illness, maternity or parental leave, compassionate care or Family Caregiver leave and:

• the employee received paid sick leave on or after their last day of work, the waiting period may be waived; or
• the employee most recently received wage loss indemnity (WLI), the start date of the claim may be backdated by two weeks so the last 2 weeks of WLI falls within the waiting period (as WLI is not considered earnings during the waiting period).

Paid sick, maternity, parental, compassionate care, and Family Caregiver leave

• The payment start date is the first day for which you paid sick, maternity, parental, compassionate care, or Family Caregiver pay;
• The last day of the paid leave should equal the date in block 11;
• If the amount varies, enter an average.

Wage loss indemnity (EI insurable)

• The payment start date is the first day for which you paid wage loss indemnity. The start date may be before, equal to or after the last day for which paid in block 11;
• The payment end date of the wage loss indemnity should be equal to or later than the start date;
• If the amount varies, enter an average.

Wage loss indemnity (Not EI insurable)

The payment start date is the first day of wage loss indemnity. This date will be after the last day for which paid entered in block 11.

Select from one of the following types (depending on the type, you may be required to provide an amount; dates are always optional and can be provided if known):

What if I’ve issued an ROE in a previous version of ROE SAT?

If you need to amend an ROE that was previously submitted with a version other than ROE SAT 4.0, given the differences between versions, it is possible that some of information on the original ROE issued may now not pass the new validation rules when it is being amended. To assist in amending the ROE, please refer to the information provided above, as well as the How to Complete the Record of Employment Form guide, to ensure all information entered into the ROE is correct.

If you continue to have difficulty issuing your amended ROE, please contact your service provider for assistance with your software. Should you have a question related to how to complete the ROE, please contact the Employer Contact Centre at 1-800-367-5693 (TTY: 1-855-881-9874).