What's Changing in the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund?

Monthly Work History Reports will still be required on the same schedule. For example, February reports will still be due by March 31. But the reporting process itself is getting some updates, including a new report layout, additional data fields, stronger validations, and better handling of payroll adjustments.

One of the biggest changes is that the new system will run more than 100 validations when a report is submitted. That means employers will be able to see many issues in real time instead of finding out later in the process. Handy? Very.

The validations will fall into three categories:

• Informational validations don’t require a correction. They simply point out data that may be helpful for the employer to review.

• Warning validations mean the data can still be accepted, but the employer must review it and either correct it or attest that it’s accurate.

• Fatal validations must be corrected before the record can be processed. These records will need to be fixed and resubmitted.

If an issue is flagged, employers can correct items directly in the Employer Portal or cancel the process, update the CSV or XLSX file, and upload the corrected file again.

Employers will have a few options for submitting Work History Reports. Larger employers may benefit from uploading a CSV or XLSX file because it allows multiple member records to be submitted at once. Smaller employers may prefer direct data entry in the Employer Portal. Automated SFTP submission will also be available by request, though OP&F notes that setup takes 6 to 8 weeks, so planning ahead is key.

The new system will also include a Member Data Report, or MDR, which will be used to capture member-level information beyond standard Work History reporting. Employers will use the MDR to add or update demographic details, employment information, enrollment-related data, and other member record changes over time.

Pay codes will remain part of the reporting process, but OP&F is clarifying definitions and updating reporting rules to support more consistent reporting and validation. Employers should review the updated pay code guidance as they prepare for the transition.

Security is changing, too. The new Employer Portal will require individual user credentials, multi-factor authentication through PingID, approved work email domains, role-based access for HR and payroll functions, and automatic logout after inactivity. Shared logins won’t be used, and personal email addresses from common domains like Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, Comcast, Hotmail, Outlook, and similar providers can’t be used for credentials.

To help employers prepare, OP&F is hosting an Employer Transition Webinar Series through Microsoft Teams. These sessions will give employers a high-level look at what’s changing and what they’ll need to do before go-live. Sessions will also be recorded and posted to the Employer Knowledge Hub.

The current webinar schedule includes:

Employers should start reviewing the available OP&F materials, register individually for the webinars, and begin planning internally for how these changes may affect payroll, HR, reporting, and system access. A little prep now can help make the transition much smoother later. Future you will appreciate it.

How is VIP Handling the Changes?

The upcoming VIP version will include support for the updated OP&F electronic file format. Organizations using VIP for payroll and pension reporting will be able to generate the revised files in accordance with the new OP&F specifications. If you're a customer, stay tuned for release details and implementation guidance.