Unemployment Insurance

— Montana to enhance UI eServices for employers

In the Spring of 2014, all Montana Employers (and those who do payroll) will be able to access UI information through the new DLI UI eServices for Employers. It will replace both WOW and UI4Employers, providing you with a “one-stop shop” for registering for UI, maintaining your UI account information, filing wage and tax reports, and making UI tax payments.

The state has also released the formats that will be accepted for both ICESA and FSET. The ICESA format has a special record type for Montana called the “O” record type. It is for non-Montana (“out of state”) wages. The FSET version (4.4) has an XML node for out of state wages. A new UI-5 form layout (with very minor changes) will be posted soon, as well as the file formats for both the CSV and spreadsheet options. The CSV and spreadsheet options will only support wages for a single employer. FSET and ICESA support wages for one or more employers.

Testers needed.—The Department is seeking employer representatives and accountants to help test the usability of UI eServices for Employers before it becomes available to the general public in 2014. This is an opportunity to not only get a first look at the new website, but also to provide feedback that may influence its development and benefit all the employers of Montana. The target time frame would be October-November 2013.

Onsite test sessions will begin in October. Each session will last between 60 and 90 minutes, and are one-on-one with a Test Administrator. Testing locations will be around Montana, but are yet to be determined.

Testers will be given a set of scenarios to complete. These will include, but are not limited to registering employers and filing quarterly reports, as well as making UI tax payments. Several open-ended questions may be asked during the testing session to solicit your preferences, reactions, and feedback regarding the ease (or difficulty) of use and navigation within the website. It’s important that testers have experience completing these tasks. However, candidates do not have to be familiar with WOW or UI4Employers to be successful testers.

Other opportunities to preview the new website while offering feedback to the department will be available for those who cannot join us for Onsite Testing. Employers who are interested in participating or would like to recommend someone else, please contact Keith Lavender by e-mail at klavender@mt.gov or by phone at 406-449-2468 to secure a testing appointment.

Enhanced ePass.—Montana ensures secure access to online electronic services like UI eServices for Employers through the use of an online sign-in facility called ePass Montana. ePass has recently received significant enhancements to make it even more user friendly. The capability to easily retrieve both a forgotten logon ID and/or a forgotten password electronically is one of the new features. The new version of ePass was available June 22, 2013. In addition, due to the sensitive nature of the detailed wage information required for unemployment insurance, UI eServices for Employers will apply a second layer of security to help ensure that the information is kept as confidential and secure as possible.

If there are any questions about the FSET or ICESA specifications, please contact Corena Benjamin or April Rose at (406) 449-2468. Frequently Asked Questions about Montana’s New UI eServices for Employers Web Portal have also been released at http://dli.mt.gov/ui-eservices/.(E-mail, Montana Department of Labor & Industry, UI eServices for Employers, Modified: 8/2/13; Montana ICESA Requirements, MT ICESA V1.0, 8/2/2013; MT FSET V1,0., 8/2/2013; Frequently Asked Questions 8/2/13.)