Employer inquiries about the Multiple Worksite Report

U.S. Department of Labor
Employment and Training Administration
Washington, D.C. 20210
Classification: UI
Correspondence symbol: TEUM
Issue date: April 29, 1991
Rescissions: None
Expiration date: April 30, 1992
Directive: UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 21-91
To: ALL STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGENCIES
From: DONALD J. KULICK, Administrator for Regional Management
Subject: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Multiple Worksite Report

1. Purpose. To alert States that unemployment insurance (UI) tax operations should anticipate employer inquiries about the new Multiple Worksite Report (MWR) required from certain employers to be completed on a quarterly basis under the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Business Establishment List (BEL) Improvement Project.

2. Background. The BEL Improvement Project is designed to assemble more accurate and timely identification of the Nation's businesses by creating an establishment based file that will provide monthly employment and quarterly wage data at each worksite, replacing State Statistical Supplements which have been used to disaggregate employment and wage data from contribution reports.

3. Procedure. The BEL program redefines and significantly expands several aspects of existing ES-202 program data collection. Beginning with the first quarter of calendar year 1991, virtually all Multi-establishment employers are required to report employment statistics at each of their worksites on a quarterly basis, on a special MWR. The information gathered and stored on each multi-establishment employer will be greatly expanded to include secondary names of worksites (division, subsidiary) and a description of the establishment (store number, plant name, etc.), number of employees, and total payroll for the quarter.

   Although State agency Labor Market Information (LMI) sections have the primary administrative responsibility for mailing, data collection, and processing the MWR, it is likely the tax section, usually identified by employers with employment and wage reporting, will be contacted by employers with questions about the MWR. This likelihood applies especially to States that permit sub-account contributions report filing for multi-location employers. State LMI units should be able to provide tax units with basic reporting instructions and samples of the report for familiarization purposes.

4. Action Required. State administrators are requested to: (a) provide their tax operations managers with sufficient MWR information to permit supervisors and field staff to respond to general employer inquiries about the new reporting requirements; and (b) ensure that all staff likely to receive MWR inquiries can provide inquirers with a knowledgeable LMI contact for more detailed information.

5. Inquiries. Direct inquiries to the appropriate Regional Office.