State Retirement: Maine State Retirement (MEPERS)

More Info: Learn more about Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MEPERS)

- Employee Set Up
- Additional or Alternate Positions
- Employee Stipends

- Exporting the Maine Retirement File
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Additional Resources
- Maine State Retirement - Employee Set up Screen (field descriptions))
- Code Groups
- File Layout
- References

Employee Set Up

For each employee participating in MEPERS, navigate to

HR Admin -> Manage Employees -> State Retirement and fill out the required fields (denoted with a red asterisk) for the employee.

Depending on the plan, some of the non-required fields may need to be filled in as well.

For more information on each of the fields on this screen, jump to Maine State Retirement - Employee Set Up (field descriptions)

Additional or Alternate Positions

If an Employee is being paid, or will be paid, for additional positions (e.g., Coaching, Volunteer Coordinator, etc.), you will need to add the additional positions to the employee by selecting Add New and filling out the required fields as described above.

Check the box for Alternate Position if this needs to be reported on a separate line in the export file.
- If this box is not checked, all earnings will be included on a single line in the export file.
As part of the set up, ensure there is a matching Earning Code, for the selected Position Classification Code, that is also assigned to the MPERSEarn code group.
- For example:
  - If you have an alternate position set up for a Athletic Coach with a selected Position Classification Code = Y0104 (Athletic Coach)
  - You should have a matching Earning Code = Y0104 set up for your company
    - And, this earning code needs to be included in the MPERSEarn code group.

Important:

When in the Payroll module, in pay entry you must select the Earning Code that matches the selected Position Classification Code for the employee, for wages to be paid to this position and reported correctly.

For example, in pay entry, you would need to select the Y0104 Earning Code when paying an employee for the Athletic Coach alternate position.

The employee in this example shows two entries: “Primary Teaching Position” and “Athletic Coach.” The “Athletic Coach” position is an alternate position and was set up as such.

Employee Stipends

Employee Stipends should be set up following the same rules for Alternate Position described above.

This includes:

If the stipend needs to be reported as separate lines in the export file, you will need to identify this by selecting the Alternate Position checkbox when defining the position.
- Check the box for Alternate Position if this needs to be reported on a separate line in the export file.
  - If this box is not checked, all earnings will be included in a single line in the export file.
- Make sure there is a matching Earning Code, for the selected Position Classification Code, that is assigned to the MPERSEarn code group.

Exporting the Maine Retirement File

Once payroll processes, the Maine Retirement file will need to be exported and uploaded to your provider.

To create the export file, navigate to HRAdmin → Reporting → Export Data and select the pencil icon to open the Retirement Export.

Selecting the pencil icon will bring you to the Export Report screen where you can specify the Date Selection, and any of the other parameters as needed.

Select Run Report to generate the export file.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question/Issue	Possible Solution/Explanation
How are the rows created in the export file?	A row will be created for each position NOT marked AlternatePosition with the TOTAL SUM of eligible earnings (paid to detcodes in the MPERSEarn code group). A row will be created for each position marked AlternatePosition with the amount paid to that code IF: That code is in the MPERSEarn code group. And there is a matching Earning Code. And the employee was paid to that code. And proportionately split out the retirement deduction. And, if code isn’t selected to be paid - no rows are created in the file. For Example: If you have an employee with 2 jobs (position classification is also the DET code) - anyone that has 1 job, it’s looking at anything in the MPERS code group
Why don’t I see a row(s) for the Alternate Position?	The Alternate Position checkbox may not be checked - double check the set up for this employee. Or the applicable earning code may not have been selected for the employee.

Question/Issue

Possible Solution/Explanation

How are the rows created in the export file?

A row will be created for each position NOT marked AlternatePosition with the TOTAL SUM of eligible earnings (paid to detcodes in the MPERSEarn code group).

A row will be created for each position marked AlternatePosition with the amount paid to that code IF:

That code is in the MPERSEarn code group.
And there is a matching Earning Code.
And the employee was paid to that code.

And proportionately split out the retirement deduction.
And, if code isn’t selected to be paid - no rows are created in the file.

For Example:

If you have an employee with 2 jobs (position classification is also the DET code) - anyone that has 1 job, it’s looking at anything in the MPERS code group

Why don’t I see a row(s) for the Alternate Position?

The Alternate Position checkbox may not be checked - double check the set up for this employee.

Or the applicable earning code may not have been selected for the employee.

Additional Resources

Maine State Retirement - Employee Set up Screen (field descriptions)

The grid below defines all the fields on the screen that can be used in the set up for the export file. Field names in bold denote a required field.

Field Name	Description
Location Code	Only applicable if the plan has multiple location codes and separate files need to be generated.
Description	Enter a user defined description for this entry. The maximum character length for this field is 50 characters.
Bargaining Unit Code	Entered in user interface and pulled from a Checkwriters Database table for the export.
FTE Annual Contracted	Entered in user interface and pulled from a Checkwriters Database table for the export.
Benefit Plan Class	Select from dropdown.
Full Time One Week	"For detail records reporting ‘hourly’ or ‘daily’ Time Unit Codes, this field must contain the expected full-time hours or days per week for the classification. This value must be between 35-40 hours for PLD employers and between 25-40 hours for Teacher employers. Daily expected full time per week should be reported as 5. This value must correspond to the Time Unit Code reported above." Text quoted from page 19 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual.¹
Payback Status	"When filled in, this field indicates the type of deduction provided in the field “Employee Retirement Contributions -Additional.” When a code exists in this field a value must exist in the “Employee Retirement Contributions - Additional” field. The valid payback code is “P” for Payback. Eligibility for payback contributions through payroll deductions must first be approved by the MainePERS." Text quoted from page 15 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual.¹
Personnel Status Code	For a full list of codes, refer to Table #6 - Personnel Status Codes Table in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. Examples of Personnel Status Codes from the table are 11 - Full time or 12 - Part Time.
Position Classification Code	For a full list of codes, refer to Table #7 - PLD Position Classification Codes and Usage in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. Examples of Position Classification Codes from the table are Y0101 = Classroom Teacher or Y0105 = Special Education Teacher.
Rate Schedule	For a full list of codes, refer to Table#13 - Rate Schedule Number Determination Chart in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. Examples of Rate Schedule Numbers are 000001 or 000053.
Retirement Participation Status	For a full list of codes, refer to Table#16 - Participation Status in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. Examples of Participation Status codes are A (Active) and Y (Employer Paid).
Time Unit Code	code description H Hours D Days C Contract
Week per Year	"For detail records reporting ‘hourly’ or ‘daily’ Time Unit Codes, this field must contain the number of work weeks per year expected of a full-time employee in this classification. Acceptable value for Teacher and PLD reporters is between 36 and 52 weeks. If Time Unit Code above is “C”, field should be blank." Text quoted from page 19 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual.¹
Alternate Position	Check this box is wages for this position are to be reported on a separate line in the export file.

Code Groups

Important: The code groups for Maine State Retirement are NOT set up automatically in Checkwriters; the codes need to be set up and match the screenshot below.

Code Group	Description
MPERSEarn	Earnable Compensation (EC) "For detail records reporting pension contributions, this field must contain the Employee's Earnable Compensation for the reporting period. This amount is that portion of the employee's earnings subject to a deduction for retirement contributions. Any earnings that are not subject to a retirement deduction must not be included in this amount." Text quoted from page 16 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual.¹
MPERSGrant	Total Current Month Grant Funded Compensation "For Teacher Employer use only. This field must contain the net total of Grant Funded Compensation paid to employees in the period reported." Text quoted from page 29 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. ¹
MPERSGrantAdj	Total Prior Month Data Adjustments to Grant Funded Compensation "For Teacher Employer use only. This field must contain only the net total of adjustments that need to be made to Grant Funded Compensation that has already been reported." Text quoted from page 29 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. ¹
MPERSGrantAdjER	Total Prior Month Data Adjustments to Grant Funded Employer Contributions "For Teacher Employer use only. This field must contain only the net total of adjustments that need to be made to Grant Funded Employer Contributions that have already been reported." Text quoted from page 30 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. ¹
MPERSGrantER	Total current Month Grant Funded Employer Contributions "For Teacher Employer use only. This field must contain the net total of Grant Funded Contributions due to be paid from the Employer for the period reported." Text quoted from page 29 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. ¹
MPERSMatch	Employer Paid Total Earnable Compensation (optional field) (page 27) "This field must contain the sum of the Earnable Compensation reported for all employees with a Y recorded in the "Membership Status" field (recorded as employer paid). The values used to derive this field are also included in "Total Earnable Compensation" listed above. (For use by the State of Maine or pre-approved PLDs only.)" Text quoted from page 27 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. ¹
MPERSRetire	Employee Retirement Contributions (EES) (optional field) "For detail records reporting compensation subject to pension contributions, this field must contain the pension contributions withheld from the employee but should not include the amount reported in the “Additional Employee Retirement Contributions” field listed below." Text quoted from page 17 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. ¹
MPERSRetireAdl	Total Additional Retirement Contributions (SCP - Payback) "This field must contain the sum of the values in the "Additional Employee Retirement Contribution" field used to report Payback Contributions made by the employee." Text quoted from page 27 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. ¹
MPERSTimePaid	Time Paid (for the month) "For detail records reporting pension contributions for hourly or daily employees, this field must contain the actual time paid to the employee for the reporting period covered by the filing. This field represents actual hours or days paid for hourly or daily employees respectively and may be left blank or contain zeros for contract employees." Text quoted from page 18 in the Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing manual. ¹

File Layout

For more details on the export file layout or to reference the specific appendices, please refer to this guide: Maine State Retirement - Electronic Payroll Filing

References

1. Electronic Payroll Filing Manual. MainePERS Public Employees Retirement System; [revised 2025 February]. https://www.mainepers.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/ESS-guides/ESS-Electronic-Payroll-Filing-Manual_02.2025.pdf

State Retirement: Maine State Retirement (MEPERS) - Guide

This documentation will cover details related to employee set up, exporting a file, and troubleshooting tips for the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MEPERS) export file within Checkwriters.