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Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) Respondents
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Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) FAQs Page

Report your data online at: https://idcfars.bls.gov

On this Page:

General Questions:
  1. What are the Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) and the Industry Verification Form (BLS-3023)?
  2. Will my responses to the survey be kept confidential?
  3. I received an email asking me to verify my data online. How did you get my email address and is this a legitimate request from the BLS?
  4. My business is closed. Do I still need to respond?
  5. I am being asked to report information for a client I no longer have.
Questions concerning online reporting. What should I do if:


  1. I can’t find my Survey Notice or Password email?
  2. My Web ID and password aren't working?
  3. I have employees working in the state, but no physical location in the state?
  4. I want to change the physical location address of my business to a different state?
  5. I verified my information online, but I need to change some of my answers to the survey?
  6. I have a Canadian Business Mailing Address?
  7. I’ve been asked to report online. Can I report on paper, or by fax instead?
  8. My industry verification is past-due. Can I have more time to respond?

General Questions:

1. What are the Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) and the Industry Verification Form (BLS-3023)?

The main purpose of the Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) is to verify or correct the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes assigned to establishments. Other important purposes of the ARS are to verify or update establishments' mailing and physical location addresses and geographic codes such as county and township (independent city, parish, or island in some states). The ARS also asks employers to identify new locations in the state. If multiple establishment employers meet Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program reporting criteria, a Multiple Worksite Report (MWR) request is made asking for employment and wages for each worksite quarterly. Thus, the ARS is also used to identify new potential MWR-eligible employers.

The Industry Verification Form, BLS-3023, is approved with O.M.B. No. 1220-0032, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor. It is used to verify and collect geographic and industry information about businesses. The information collected will be used for statistical and Unemployment Insurance program purposes and other purposes in accordance with law.

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2. Will my responses be kept confidential?

With respect to the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information, BLS makes every effort to ensure compliance with applicable Federal law, including, but not limited to, the Privacy Act of 1974, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Trade Secrets Act, and the Freedom of Information Act. Data submitted to the BLS are used for statistical purposes only. BLS and State agencies (when applicable) will hold your data in confidence to the full extent permitted by law.

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3. I received an email asking me to verify my data online. How did you get my email address and is this a legitimate request from the BLS?

This survey is authorized by law, 29 U.S.C. 2. In an effort to reduce costs, an email prompt was sent to you because you have reported for the ARS online in the past, or because your email address is on file for the company with the state's Unemployment Insurance program. Click on this link to learn more about the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW)

To save tax dollars, the Annual Refiling Survey is increasing online methods of contact with respondents.

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4. My business is closed. Do I still need to respond?

Yes, we still need to hear from you. Log on to our secure website to report that your business is closed.

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5. I am being asked to report information for a client I no longer have.

You have received an email or letter because you reported for this company in the past. If you are no longer the current contact for this business, please disregard this request. You may receive additional requests for this information and can disregard these as well.



Questions Concerning Online Reporting. What should I do if:

6. I can't find my Survey Notice or Password email?

If you do not see the Survey notice or PASSWORD emails, please check your email system's SPAM folder as one or both may have been caught up in a SPAM filter. The email headers:

Email Header Example 1 Email Header Example 2
To have your PASSWORD or Survey Notice email resent, please submit an online request: https://data.bls.gov/forms/ars.htm?/respondents/ars/home.htm

Password Requests:Enter your email address, name, Subject: PASSWORD, enter your 12-digit Web ID from your Survey Notice email, and check the radio button for Yes. Leave the question box blank.

Survey Notice Requests:Enter your email address, name, Subject: Survey Notice, enter all zeroes in the WEB ID field, and check the radio button for Yes. Include your PW in the question box so that we can identify your account.

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7. My Web ID and password aren't working.

Your Web ID is a 12-digit number, and your 8-character password is case-sensitive beginning with a capital letter, followed by a lower-case letter, followed by six numbers. If you are copying your Web ID and password from the emails you received and pasting them into the Web ID and password fields on our secure website, please be sure not to include any trailing blanks. If you have entered your Web ID and password into our secure website unsuccessfully more than three times, the website will temporarily lock your account for security purposes. If this happens, close your internet browser to refresh the system, wait approximately 30 minutes for the account to unlock, reopen your browser, and attempt to log in again.

New Web IDs and passwords are generated annually. This means that if you verified your industry information on our secure website three years ago, the Web ID and password you used then is no longer valid. To respond for the current ARS, you will need the Web ID and password generated for this year's survey respondents.

If you still cannot login with your credentials, please contact our Helpdesk

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8. I have employees working in the state, but no physical location in the state?

If you currently have employee(s) living/working in the state but no physical location in the state, or have no employees in the state and no physical location but want to keep your Unemployment Insurance Account number open, please click on the checkbox below the Physical Location Address indicating that you have employees working in the state, but no physical location in the state. You can then complete the survey without entering a physical location address. It is okay for your employment count to be zero while answering this survey.

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9. I want to change the physical location address of my business to a different state?

This form is asking about businesses in the referenced state only. For this reason, you will only be able to enter a physical location address in this state. If you have employees working in the referenced state but no physical location in that state you can indicate that by clicking on the button at the bottom of the Physical Location Address section.

If this firm is no longer in business in the referenced state, please enter the business closing date at the top of the Contact Information page.

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10. I verified my information online, but I need to change some of my answers to the survey?

For a short period of time following your data submission, you can re-access your account and update the information you have provided. If you attempt to access your account after that period of time, you will be directed to the Thank You page and allowed only to print your data submission. Please contact your state agency to update your information if this occurs. Your state contact information can be found here.



11. I have a Canadian Business Mailing Address?

  1. For the *Street Address: please enter only the street address or PO Box information
  2. For the *City: please enter both the City and Province abbreviation
  3. For the *State: please select CN – which is listed at the very bottom of the State dropdown box (to prevent the accidental selection of CN when attempting to select CA or CO)
  4. For the *Zip Code: please enter the first 3 characters of the postal code in the first box and the last three characters in the second box.


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12. I‘ve been asked to verify my information online. Can I report on paper or by fax instead?

Reporting electronically saves money, but we know not everyone will be able to report online. You can print out a blank survey form, complete it, and return it to the address listed on the top, or fax it to your state agency.

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13. My industry verification is past-due. Can I have more time to respond?

There is no process for requesting an extension. Our secure website will remain open for you to respond. You may receive additional requests to respond through various methods throughout the survey. Responding promptly will eliminate those follow-up requests and save tax dollars.

 

Last Modified Date: July 29, 2019