If this is your first time using Connect to generate ACA forms and electronic file, you will need to set up the ACA options for the Timekeeping application. Connect uses the Timekeeping application to determine if an employee is a full-time equivalent employee for ACA reporting.

Does your organization use Connect Timekeeping for ACA Reporting?

• My organization has used Timekeeping for ACA Reporting. You can skip this step and continue to Step 3: Set up Human Resources.

• My organization uses Timekeeping but we have not set up Timekeeping for ACA Reporting. Complete this section to set up the options on the ACA Compliance tab.

• My organization does not use Timekeeping. You’ll need to determine on your own if your employees are full-time or part-time. ACA Reporting uses different reporting requirements for full-time and part-time employees. To purchase the Timekeeping module, contact your Client Relationship Manager (CRM) at (800) 243-8275.

Watch a video - Step 2. Set up Timekeeping

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Setting up period dates

Use the Timekeeping Organization table to enter the starting date and set up the waiting period that your organization will use for ACA Reporting.

Do this...

1. Open Connect Timekeeping > Organization > Organization.

2. Click to select the ACA Compliance tab.

ACA Compliance tab in Timekeeping Organization

3. Enter the Initial Period. 

Enter the number of months in the initial period. 

The Initial Period is for new hires who are not expected to work full-time have their own start date and end dates for measuring the standard measurement period. When a new hire completes the initial period and waiting period, the new hire joins the organization's standard measurement cycle.   

4. Enter the Waiting Period.

Enter the number of days in the waiting period (1-90 days). If there is no waiting period, enter a 1.

The Waiting Period is the number days after an employee is hired that the employer must offer health care to an employee. The ACA maximum waiting period is 90 days. Connect will use the start date from the employee record in the Human Resources application to calculate the waiting period.

Note: The waiting period is required. The remaining fields are optional. You do not need to enter the initial period, measurement method, or administrative period. 

5. Set up the Measurement Method. 

Choose how Timekeeping will test and report hours for full-time and part-time employees. 

Measurement method

Use Lookback to look at the information from a number of months from the month when ACA is calculated. This option will use the starting date to look backwards at a number of months. 

Use Monthly to look forward in one month increments from the starting date.  

Lookback period

If you're using Lookback as the measurement method, enter the number of months to look backwards. For example, enter 12 to lookback one year.

Starting date

Enter the starting date for open enrollment as the starting date for ACA reporting. 

Stability period

The stability period changes based on the lookback period. 

6. Enter the Administrative Period.

Enter the number of months in the administrative period. 

The Administrative Period is the period immediately following the end of the initial measurement period. During the administrative period, the organization can look back to determine which employees should be considered full-time qualified employees based on their average hours of service during the measurement period. 

7. Click Close to exit Timekeeping.

The ACA options are set up in Timekeeping. Timekeeping will use the options that you selected to determine which employees are full-time equivalent employees.

 

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