Topics Map > Human Resource System (HRS) > Benefits Administration
Entering an Annual Benefits Base Rate (ABBR) in HRS
Overview
PeopleSoft delivers a way to define an amount to be used in the calculation of life and disability insurance. This amount is referred to as Annual Benefits Base Rate or ABBR. Separate ABBR’s must be entered for State Group Life (SGL) and Income Continuation Insurance (ICI) since these amounts can be different. An automated process will enter the appropriate ABBR amounts for those newly hired. However, there are times when Benefit Administrators at the Institutions will need to manually review, add, or update ABBR amounts.Process Considerations:
- UW ABBR Update Process (UW_BN_ABBRUP) runs nightly Sunday through Thursday.
- The automated process updates SGL/ICI ABBRs for the following scenarios:
- Employees who are newly hired into a WRS position or rehired into a WRS position (with more than 30 day break)
- If an employee has another appointment added, which makes them eligible for WRS for the first time
- If an employee is hired today with two different appointments, which makes them eligible for WRS for the first time, the process updates both empl_rcds
- Manual entry by UW-Shared Services will be needed for the following scenarios:
- When a new Empl_rcd is added (another employment instance), if the employee is already enrolled in the WRS
- If an employee changes WRS category (e.g. General to Teacher)
- If the employee has a permanent FTE change mid-year
- When an employee turns age 70 and an SGL70 ABBR must be added
- For any Summer Service (V), Summer Session (S), or NON (N) Paygroups
You may click on the links below to navigate directly to a section:
State Group Life (SGL) Rules
- For all new hires, the State Group Life ABBR amount is based on an estimated calendar year WRS earnings rounded up to the next highest $1,000. All active WRS eligible jobs earnings must be added together to derive the estimated annual earnings.
- University Staff: Hourly Rate X 2080 hours
- FA/AS/LI and Lump Sum Appointments: Expected Annual Salary
- Less than Full Time: Prorated based on the FTE
- When an employee transfers from another state agency to the UW, the SGL ABBR must match the current coverage level from the previous employer based on the State Personnel Transfer Record.
- Employees that had a WRS category change during the calendar year will need to combine these earnings together for SGL ABBR update.
- Annually, after the calendar year’s WRS Accumulator has been updated with all calendar year earnings, the SGL ABBR is reviewed and/or updated automatically by the ABBR Annual process. The amount is based on the highest calendar year of WRS earnings rounded to the next higher $1,000.
- The SGL ABBR is created in March by an automatic process which dictates the premium to be deducted for April coverage.
- Employees subject to the 402 (g) limits for reporting WRS earnings, are not subject to these limits for State Group Life Insurance coverage. Therefore, their unreduced calendar year WRS earnings are used in updating the annual SGL ABBR.
Income Continuation Insurance (ICI) Rules
- For all new employees the Income Continuation Insurance ABBR amount is based on an estimated calendar year WRS earnings rounded up to the next highest $1,000. All active WRS eligible jobs earnings must be added together to derive the estimated annual earnings.
- When an employee transfers from another state agency to the UW, the employee must submit an application within 30 days to maintain coverage, but the ABBR is based on UW projected earnings.
- Permanent FTE changes (greater than 3 months duration) will require a manual update to the ICI ABBR amount. The effective date of the ABBR should equal the date the employee's FTE changed.
- When an employee moves between FA/AS/LI and UW Staff positions, a manual update will be required to calculate the ICI ABBR amount.
- The annual ICI process will automatically update employee's ICI ABBR amounts: University Staff employees' previous year's sick leave balance or net accumulation are included in calculating the premium level for the upcoming year.
Review ABBRs
- Navigate to: Benefits > Employee/Dependent Information > Review ABBRs
- Enter the Employee's Empl_ID and click Search
- Review the ABBR type, amount, and the effective date as of the current date
- Enter a different As of Date and click the Refresh Search button to review ABBR's for a different time period.
Entering or Updating ABBRs
- Navigate to: Benefits > Employee/Dependent Information > Update ABBRs
- Enter the Employee's Empl_ID and click Search
- Click the magnifying glass icon to look up the ABBR type
- Select the ABBR type to be added (SGL, ICI, or SGL7)
- Enter the Effective Date for the new ABBR
- Enter the ABBR amount (rounded up to the next highest thousand)
- Click the Save button
- If the ABBR amount is incorrect, click the Correct History button and correct the ABBR amount and click the Save button. Open a ticket to UW-Shared Services and request a payline adjustment if needed for under or over-payment of premiums.
- If the ABBR needs to be updated (e.g. permanent change in FTE), click the plus sign to add a new row, enter the effective date for the change, and enter the new ABBR amount before clicking the Save button.
