Fund Plan Administrator BACRemit/BACRecip
Tutorial and Frequently Asked Questions
Video Tutorial
Click here for a video tutorial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Note: All Members (Participants) should contact their Home Local Union or Fund office for any issues regarding reciprocity.
- Where can I get a copy of the Pension Reciprocity Agreement?
- Where can I get a copy of the Health & Welfare Reciprocity Agreement?
- Where can I get a copy of Appendix 1 of the Health and Welfare Reciprocity Agreement?
- Where do I call or email to get technical support?
- Do I need to use a particular browser to ensure this application runs properly?
- What Upload Participant File Format can I use for uploading my participants who are travelers?
- What Upload File Formats can I use for Reciprocity Transfers?
- Since we are no longer sending paper copies of the member authorization, how will the Trust Administrator know when traveling members are in their jurisdiction and what to do the traveling members monies?
- Can I add new participants into the BACRecip system?
- How can I correct the address information on a participant in the BACRecip system?
- Do I need to register all my members in this system?
- What kind of security is built into BACRecip to protect members' information?
- What does a Member do if they decide to travel to another Local to work?
- How often does a Member need to change information?
- What if I lose my Login information or have other support issues?
Where can I get a copy of the Pension Reciprocity Agreement?
Click here to download a copy of the Pension Reciprocity Agreement.
Click here to download a copy of the Canada Pension Reciprocity Agreement.
Where can I get a copy of the Health and Welfare Reciprocity Agreement?
Click here to download a copy of the Health and Welfare Reciprocity Agreement.
Click here to download a copy of the Canada Health and Welfare Reciprocity Agreement.
Where can I get a copy of Appendix 1 of the Health and Welfare Reciprocity Agreement?
Click here to download a copy of Appendix 1 of the Health and Welfare Reciprocity Agreement.
Where do I call or email to get technical support?
Please contact us at 202-783-3788 or reciprocity@bacweb.org with a description of the problem experienced and your contact information between 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EST.
Do I need to use a particular browser to ensure this application runs properly?
Yes. This application runs best on IE 7+, Firefox 11+, Opera 12+, or Chrome 16+. Older versions of these browsers may still display correctly or you may experience problems with them. However, we encourage you to use an updated browser version for a more secure and better experience.
What Upload Participant File Format can I use for uploading my participants who are travelers?
The file layout for uploading a file of participants with their designations is as follows:
| Column/Field | Max Length | Required? | Description/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSN/SIN | 11 | Y | dashes optional |
| First Name | 30 | Y | |
| Last Name | 30 | Y | |
| HW Fund Code | 3 | Reciprocity Fund Code for a H&W plan you administer | |
| DB Fund Code | 3 | Reciprocity Fund Code for a Defined Benefit plan you administer | |
| DC Fund Code | 3 | Reciprocity Fund Code for a Defined Contribution plan you administer | |
| Effective Date | 10 | Optional effective date of participation mm/dd/yyyy, will default to toady's date if blank |
What Upload File Formats can I use for Reciprocity Transfers?
File Format for one Fund
File format (see guidelines)
First Name| Middle Initials| Last Name| Company Name| SSN/SIN| Month Hours Worked| Year| Total Hours| Hourly Rate Contribution| Total Transfers
Example
Abraham|L|Lincoln|US Manufacturing|121-12-7416|Feb|2002|40|5.50|220.00 Julia|G R|Roberts|US Manufacturing|215-18-0025|Mar|2001|12|1.75|21.00 Tim||Conway|Acme Company|416-56-9748|Jul|2002|48|15.00|-720.25
File Format for Multiple Funds
File format (see guidelines)
Participating UnionID|Participating FundID|Home UnionID|Home FundID|First name|Middle Initials|Lastname|Company Name|SSN/SIN|Month Hours Worked|Year|Total Hours|Hourly Rate Contribution|Total Transfers
Example
319|2282|283|476|Abraham|L|Lincoln|US Manufacturing|121-12-7416|Feb|2002|40|5.50|220.00 316|507|319|2283| Julia|G R|Roberts|US Manufacturing|215-18-0025|Mar|2001|12|1.75|21.00 2160|226|319|2284|Tim||Conway|Acme Company|416-56-9748|Jul|2002|48|15.00|-720.25
File Format for Multiple Funds with Check/ACH numbers
File format (see guidelines)
Participating UnionID|Participating FundID|Home UnionID|Home FundID|First name|Middle Initials|Lastname|Company Name|SSN/SIN|Month Hours Worked|Year|Total Hours|Hourly Rate Contribution|Total Transfers|Check/ACH Number
Example
319|2282|283|476|Abraham|L|Lincoln|US Manufacturing|121-12-7416|Feb|2002|40|5.50|220.00|20040 316|507|319|2283|Julia|G R|Roberts|US Manufacturing|215-18-0025|Mar|2001|12|1.75|21.00|20041 2160|226|319|2284|Tim||Conway|Acme Company|416-56-9748|Jul|2002|48|15.00|-720.25|20042
| Column/Field | Data Type/Format | Example | Required? | Description/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participating UnionID | 4 digits or less | 319 | optional | |
| Participating FundID | 4 digits or less | 2282 | required | |
| Home UnionID | 4 digits or less | 2160 | optional | |
| Home FundID | 4 digits or less | 501 | required | |
| First Name of an Employee | up to 25 characters | John | required | |
| Middle Initials | up to 3 characters | W S | optional | up to 2 initials plus space |
| Last Name of an Employee | up to 50 characters | Doe | required | |
| Company Name | up to 100 characters | King City Cement, Inc. | required | |
| SSN/SIN | 9-11 digits | 123-45-6789 | required | 9 digits and 2 optional dashes |
| Month Hours Worked | 3 characters | Dec | required | |
| Year | 4 digits | 2008 | required | |
| Total Hours | up to 12 digits total w/ 2 decimal places | 40.75 | required | |
| Hourly Rate Contribution | up to 6 digits total w/ 2 decimal places | 12.00 | required | |
| Total Transfers | up to 12 digits total w/ 2 decimal places (positive or negative) | -1865143578.75 | required | |
| Check/ACH Number | 10 digits or less | 2648 | required |
Since we are no longer sending paper copies of the member authorization, how will the Trust Administrator know when traveling members are in their jurisdiction and what to do with the traveling members monies?
At this time BACRecip has not changed the Reciprocity process but simply provides an electronic medium to perform the tasks. The BACRecip process is as follows:
- For traveling members who are not currently in BACRecip, the member must register online, at any participating Trust Fund office, or at any Local Union office. The requested designation will appear as "Pending" until approved.
- The system will send a confirmation request to the designated Home Fund for their approval of the member as being a bona fide participant in the designated Trust Fund.
- Once approved by the Trust Fund the Blanket Authorization will go from "Pending" status and show as being in effect. This designation can be viewed by all Locals and Funds for verification of a member's Home Fund Designations.
- When a member travels, he can notify the Local Union where he will be working and the associated Funds, advising them that he is a traveler working in their jurisdiction. This notification will advise the Fund that reciprocity transfers will need to be made on contributions received on his behalf
- The Fund Administrator can check the system to see if the member is registered and if a blanket authorization is available. This will advise the Fund of the member's Home Fund designations.
- The Trust Administrator will reciprocate the traveling member's monies in accordance with the agreement. A record of the transfer may be entered interactively or by a file upload using the BACRecip system.
- Reports of all remittance activity with members information are maintained online for the member, Local, and Trust Administrator's review and future reference.
Can I add new participants into the BACRecip system?
No. Participants are added to the ststem via the International Union's records of active members. Within a few days of a member appearing in the IU's system, the information will propagate into the BACRecip online application. You can however designate home funds for active members.
How can I correct the address information on a participant in the BACRecip system?
Address updates are a by-product of the International Unions's internal system records. If you have an address update for a participant in one of your plans, you will need to transmit that correction to the member's Local. The Local is responsible for sending the updated information to the International Union. Once the IU has updated its records, the information for the participant will be automatically updated in BACRecip. This workflow is vital to ensure that each related system containing information on the participant is consistent and accurate.
Do I need to register all my members in this system?
Yes. all traveling members need to register in the BAC Membership Portal and create or confirm their Home Fund designations. Trust Funds and Locals can also submit Home Trust designations on behalf of the member. Initially, Trust Fund Administrators should upload a file of all their traveling members into BACRecip. For information on the 3 file upload formats for such members which BACRecip will accept, please contact us at reciprocity@bacweb.org.
What kind of security is built into BACRecip to protect members' information?
The system uses industry-standard firewall technology, best practices, and encrypted communications to guard the privacy of members' information.
What does a Member do if they decide to travel to another Local to work?
They are required to notify the Local that has jurisdiction over the location and branch of trade in which they will be working. They can "check in" by telephone, in person, or through their online account in the BACPortal. A notification to the Trust Fund office that will be receiving contributions on their behalf may be helpful in starting the transfer(s) in the most timely way.
How often does a Member need to change information?
If a member moves but does not change his Home Trust Fund designation, the member should notify his Home Local Union. If he moves and needs to change his Home Trust (e.g., for Health & Welfare after a re-location), he must revoke his original designation and submit a request for his new Home Trust designation online thorough the BACPortal. A trust fund office or Local office can also do this on his behalf.
What if I lose my Login information or have other support issues?
Call the Reciprocity Clearinghouse Coordinator at 888-880-8222 or reciprocity@bacweb.org. You can also contact the Revenue Accounting Department at BAC: 202-783-3788.