Application for Permanent Employment Certification

Application for Permanent Employment Certification

PERM user guide

Application for Permanent Employment Certification

OMB: 1205-0451

Document [pdf]
Download: pdf | pdf
Designed and documented for the:
U.S. Department of Labor
Employment & Training Administration
Office of National Programs
Division of Foreign Labor Certification

Permanent Online System

User Guide
Version 1.00

For system support, email: [email protected]

CONTENTS
1
GETTING STARTED WITH THE PERM ONLINE SYSTEM ....................................4
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................4
Document Conventions ........................................................................................................4
Acronyms .............................................................................................................................4
User Types ...........................................................................................................................5
Benefits of the PERM Online System .................................................................................5
System Requirements...........................................................................................................5
Security Considerations .......................................................................................................6
Logging In & Out ...................................................................................................................... 6
Detecting Computer Security Incidents ..................................................................................... 6

2
ACCESSING THE SYSTEM .....................................................................................7
Registering as a System User...............................................................................................7
Accessing the System as a Registered User.......................................................................12
Forgot Your Username/Password? ....................................................................................15
Logging Out of the System ................................................................................................15
3
MANAGING YOUR PROFILE ..............................................................................17
Viewing and Editing Your User Information ....................................................................17
Viewing and Editing Your Login Information ..................................................................18
4
MANAGING EMPLOYER INFORMATION ............................................................19
5
MANAGING USER ACCOUNTS............................................................................21
Adding a User ....................................................................................................................21
Viewing, Editing, and Deleting User Accounts .................................................................22
6
SUBMITTING PERM CASES ..............................................................................25
Completing the ETA Form 9089 ........................................................................................25
Completing Step

of the ETA Form 9089 ....................................................................... 25

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089........................................................................ 26

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089 ....................................................................... 27

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089 ....................................................................... 29

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089........................................................................ 30

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089 ........................................................................ 31

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089 ........................................................................ 32

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089........................................................................ 33

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089 ........................................................................ 35

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089......................................................................... 36

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089 ........................................................................ 37

Completing Step
of the Form ETA 9089 ........................................................................ 38
Confirming and Printing Your PERM Application ................................................................. 40

7
SEARCHING AND MANAGING PERM CASES ....................................................42
Searching and Listing PERM Cases ..................................................................................42
Viewing and Printing Cases ...............................................................................................43
Reusing a PERM Case .......................................................................................................44
Searching Incomplete Cases ..............................................................................................45
Withdrawing a PERM Case ...............................................................................................46
8
PROVIDING FEEDBACK ......................................................................................47
Submitting a Comment ......................................................................................................47
9
OTHER USEFUL SYSTEM FEATURES .................................................................48
Regulations ........................................................................................................................48
Certifications ......................................................................................................................48
Wage Information ..............................................................................................................48
Documents .........................................................................................................................49
Contact ...............................................................................................................................49
Cover Pages .......................................................................................................................49
PERM Online System Home Page ....................................................................................49
Online Help ........................................................................................................................49
Privacy Information ...........................................................................................................49
How Do I Obtain Technical Assistance? ...........................................................................50
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) ...............................................................................50
10

PERM EXTERNAL UPLOAD QUICK GUIDE…………………………………….51

1

GETTING STARTED WITH THE PERM ONLINE SYSTEM

Introduction
The Permanent Online System Web site (PERM) was developed for the Department of Labor (DOL),
Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Office of National Programs (ONP), Division of
Foreign Labor Certification (DFLC). It allows employers and their representatives (attorneys/agents) to
create and prepare Applications for Permanent Employment Certifications and submit them to DOL for
processing. The system improves efficiency for both employers and DOL staff by securely saving
application information, and providing reliable access to this information for case processing. The Webbased system also provides a search function, reuse capabilities for submitting forms for multiple job
opportunities, and hyperlinks to a number of important resources.
This User Guide, designed for employers and attorneys/agents, describes the fundamentals of the Webbased system, including registering, logging in, preparing PERM application, and managing your user
account.

Document Conventions
The following conventions are used in this User Guide:
ITEM

CONVENTION

EXAMPLE

Buttons and tabs

Graphic representation

Hyperlink

Color text and underlined

A-00324-00001, Ace Technologies

Page and field names

Bold type

Welcome New Employer page, Start Date
field

Data that you enter by
typing on your keyboard

Courier New font

Password

System messages

“In quotation marks” and
bold type

“The user account was updated
successfully.”

,

,

Acronyms
The following acronyms are used in this User Guide:
ACRONYM

DEFINITION

DFLC

Division of Foreign Labor Certification

DOL

Department of Labor

ETA

Employment and Training Administration

PERM

Permanent Labor Certification Online System

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User Types
There are two types of users who are allowed to prepare PERM applications using the online system:


Employers, and



Employer’s Attorneys or Agents

The PERM Online System for foreign labor certification offers a registration feature for employers only.
Employers can create sub-accounts for their employees or attorney/agent(s), so that these users can
submit PERM applications on behalf of the registered employer. This feature ensures security of the
PERM system and helps prevent fraudulent use of the program by permitting only the employer applicant
to register. This feature also ensures that less time and effort is required when you wish to enter multiple
Forms 9089, because the employer information entered at registration is stored in a profile used to prepopulate key fields of the application. This feature is also very helpful in instances where you need to
view or print previously prepared Forms 9089 that have been submitted or are still incomplete. If you
register as an Employer, you can manage multiple employees and attorney/agents using the PERM Online
system.

Benefits of the PERM Online System
The benefits of using the PERM Online System include:
 Faster application processing time
 Ease of use
 Posting, viewing, and updating profile information
 Tracking and viewing the status of prepared applications
 Printing copies of ETA Form 9089 that you have submitted
 Electronic verification of PERM status
 Ability to save a copy of the Form 9089 to your hard drive, network drive, or disk
 Reusing case information (including employer data) from one application to another

System Requirements
Use of the PERM Online System requires the following:
 Internet access (AOL users – there is a known bug with the AOL browser and Web Accelerator
that prevents users from properly accessing some web applications. Please use a different
browser and/or Internet Service Provider if you experience time-out issues while accessing the
PERM Online System through AOL.)
 Web browser (Internet Explorer 5.x or higher, Netscape 4.7 or higher)
 Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher

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Security Considerations
In the ongoing effort to provide a useful, effective web site for employers to apply for Permanent foreign
labor certification, the Department of Labor also must take certain precautions to ensure the security of
the system and the data it maintains. We provide here some useful tips and suggestions when
encountering security situations with the PERM Online System.

Logging In & Out


If you are unsuccessful at logging into your account, the system will allow you another login attempt,
until you have made three unsuccessful attempts. After that time, your account will be disabled, and
you will have to send an email to [email protected] asking to re-activate your account.



When you login to the PERM Online System you cannot use another Web browser to log into the
same account at the same time. You can only have one session with your account displayed at any
given time.



You will be prompted to change your password every 90 days.



It is important that you log out of the system when you are not using it. If you leave the system idle
for 45 minutes, you will be automatically logged out of the system. In that case, you must log back in
when you are ready to continue.

Detecting Computer Security Incidents
Computer incident detection allows us to compile a record of every system incident when detecting or
investigating the misuse of the system and its data. For the purposes of this section, an incident is defined
as any real or suspected adverse event in relation to the security of the system.
An incident may include activities such as viruses, strange processes running, an outsider logged into the
system, or someone attempting to hack the system, etc. Examples of incidents include (1) attempts to gain
unauthorized access to the system or its data, (2) compromising the integrity of the information, (3)
unwanted disruption or denial of service, (4) unauthorized use of the system for the processing or storage
of data, (5) viruses, and (6) damage or change(s) to the system's hardware or software without permission,
knowledge, or instruction.
If you notice a security incident, please immediately report it to [email protected]. We ask that you
provide the following information when you encounter an incident with the system:
 Incident Date and Time
 Reporter's Name, Telephone Number, and Email Address
 Incident Description/Problem Summary
Properly compiling and reporting this information allows us to know what happened, when it happened,
and to track, record, and resolve the security issue.

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2

ACCESSING THE SYSTEM

There are two ways to access the PERM Online System:



As a first time Registrant, or
As a Registered user.

To gain authorized access to the PERM Online System as a registered user, you must have created a
unique login ID, which you do the first time you access the system. All registered users have access to the
rich features of the PERM Online System (see the “Benefits of the PERM Online System” section on p.
6).

Registering as a System User
1. From your desktop, start Internet Explorer or Netscape.
2. Type in the following Address for Internet Explorer or Location for Netscape:
http://www.plc.doleta.gov/ and press Enter on your keyboard. An alert message is displayed. Read
the message and click OK.

The PERM Online System Login page is displayed.

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3. Click

in the middle of the page.

The Registration page is displayed.

4. Click

PERM Online System User Guide

. The Registration Terms and Conditions page is displayed.

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Note: As a Registered Employer, you are required to enter your employer information
for easier PERM application data entry, to view the status of your PERM cases online,
to update your employer information online, and reuse PERM case data.

5. Carefully read the terms and conditions provided on the Terms and Conditions page. You can scroll
through the text using the down arrow located in the scrollbar to the right of the text.
6. Click

to accept the terms and conditions, or

to quit the procedure without

, the Welcome New Employer page is displayed. On this page,
registering. When you click
you can enter your user profile information, business identification information, and your agent’s
contact information, if you have one.

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PERM Online System User Guide

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1. Fill in the User Profile, Employer Business Information, and Employer’s Contact Information
sections on the Welcome New Employer page. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).
Note: Your Username and Password each must be 8-15 characters long. The
Username cannot contain special characters such as %, &, #, etc. The Password, on
the other hand, must contain at least one special character and at least one numeral (09).
Tip: Use the “Same as Employer Information” checkbox to pre-fill the Employer
Contact Information section with data from the Employer Business Information
section, if the employer contact works at the same location as the employer’s
headquarters.
2. The Email address of the user and employer contact are required as email is the primary mode of
communication in the registration process.
3. Click

. A page is displayed confirming that you registered with the PERM Online System.

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4. Click

.

Your business information is screened for verification when you submit your registration
information. If the business information is verified, the employer contact is sent an email containing
the username and a temporary password. Use the temporary password to login to the PERM Online
System (see Accessing the System as a Registered User below); you will be asked to change your
password before continuing. A second email is also sent to the employer contact containing a unique
4-digit PIN needed to submit Perm cases to the Online System.
If your business information is not initially verified, the employer contact is sent an email asking
them to send proof of business entity (e.g. articles of incorporation, business license, state
registration, etc.) and proof of physical location (e.g. utility bill, tax record, etc.) to the appropriate
processing center, based on the area of intended employment for the occupation for which you are
submitting applications. These two processing centers are in Chicago and Atlanta. Please be patient
– this email may take up to five business days to be sent.
An analyst in the processing center will attempt to verify the business’ existence using the
documentation provided by the employer. If the business information is again not verified, the
employer contact is sent an email explaining that the registration information was not verified and the
user cannot use the PERM Online System. If the business information is verified by the analyst, the
employer contact is sent the two emails, one containing the username and temporary password for the
system; the other containing the employer’s unique PIN for submitting cases.

5. Follow the instructions in the next section of this User Guide (Accessing the System as a Registered
User) to log in and use the PERM Online System if your registration information passes the existence
verification process.

Accessing the System as a Registered User
1. From your desktop, start Internet Explorer, Netscape, or other browser.
2. Type in the following Address for Internet Explorer or Location for Netscape:
http://www.plc.doleta.gov/ and press Enter on your keyboard. An alert message is displayed. Read
the message and click OK. The PERM Online System Home page is displayed.
Note: Please make sure that you, as the employer contact, complete the initial login
into the Permanent Labor Certification System using the credentials supplied you in
the Email that you will receive from the Department. Once you have completed your
initial login of the system and have successfully changed your password, you may
then create sub-accounts for your employees, attorneys, or agents to file Permanent
applications on your company’s behalf.

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3. Type your username in the Username field. Your username must be 8-15 characters long, and
special characters (*, %, @), &, etc.) are not allowed.

4. Type your password in the Password field. Your password must be 8-15 characters long, and
contain one special character (*, %, @), &, etc.) and at least one numeral (0-9).
Note: If this is your first time accessing the system, type in the temporary password
supplied in the email you received after registering to the system. If the temporary
password is entered correctly, the system will ask you to change your password and
select a Secret Question and Secret Answer by which the administrator can verify
that you are the appropriate user if you ever forget your password (see Forgot Your
Username/Password? below).

5. Click

.

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Note: If you are unsuccessful at logging into your account, the system will allow you
another login attempt, until you have made three unsuccessful attempts. After that
time, your account will be disabled, and you will have to send an email to
[email protected] asking to re-activate your account.
Once you have successfully logged in, the system displays the PERM Online System User Home page.
This page contains important information such as news and system alerts. It is important that you read
these messages since they may notify you of actions you are required to take, or warn you about
upcoming system changes or maintenance issues.
Note: When you login to the PERM Online System you cannot use another Web
browser to log into the same account at the same time. You can only have one session
with your account displayed at any given time.
Depending on your registration level (Employer or Attorney/Agent), the PERM Online System User
Home page displays options giving you access to certain features and functions of the PERM Online
System.

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Forgot Your Username/Password?
If you forget your username or password, you can request this information via email.
1. With the PERM Online System Home page displayed in your Web browser,
click

. The Forgot your Username/Password? page is displayed.

2. Enter your username and email address, select the Secret Question you chose when you registered,
and provide the Secret Answer. Click
. An email response will be sent to you
automatically containing your username and password. When you receive the login information, we
recommend that you memorize it and delete the email.
Tip: To add an additional level of security, you will be prompted to change your
password every 90 days.

Logging Out of the System
To ensure system security, it is important that you log out of the system when you are not using it. When
you have finished using the system, you must completely log out. If you leave the system idle for 45
minutes, you will be automatically logged out of the system. In that case, you must log back in when you
are ready to continue.
Tip: If you are entering a case and have not advanced to a new page in several
minutes, you should select ‘Save as Draft’ to save the current data before the system
times out. Entering data and making selections on a single page does not register in
the system as saved actions; if you do not navigate between pages within 45 minutes,
the system will time out, and information not saved will be lost.

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To log out, click
at the top of any screen in the PERM Online System. The system returns
you the PERM Online System Home page and displays a message that you have successfully logged
out.

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3

MANAGING YOUR PROFILE

When you register on the PERM Online System, you enter specific profile information such as your full
name, address, email, fax contact information, and so on. As a registered user, or a user with a subaccount, you have the ability to view and/or modify your user and login information.

Viewing and Editing Your User Information
1. If you are not logged in, follow the instructions provided in Chapter 2 Accessing the System, p. 13, of
this User Guide, then proceed to step 2. If you are logged in, proceed to step 2.
tab.

2. Select the
3. Click

. The User Information page is displayed.

4. To modify your user information, place the cursor in the field that you want to change and overwrite
the information currently displayed in the field. Make sure to space over any additional characters.
Note: If you are an attorney or agent representing a client employer, the information
on the User Information screen in My Profile is the data that is populated in the
electronic Form 9089 when you enter cases for the employer.
5. Click

to save any changes you made,

to erase any unsaved changes and start over, or

to exit the User Information page without saving your changes.

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6. On the next page, select
to your user information.

to return to the User Home page, or

to make more changes

Viewing and Editing Your Login Information
1. If you are not logged in, follow the instructions provided in Chapter 2 Accessing the System, p. 13, of
this User Guide, then proceed to step 2. If you are logged in, proceed to step 2.
tab.

2. Select the

. The Login Information page is displayed. The Username field is auto3. Click
populated with your username.

4. To change your password, click in the Password field and type a new password. Your password must
be 8-15 characters and contain one special character (*, %, @, &, etc.) and at least one numeral (0-9).
5. Click in the Confirm Password field, and type the same password again. Be sure to type the
password exactly as you typed it in the previous field. Otherwise, you will receive an error message
that your password does not match the Confirm Password entry.
Note: To maintain system security, you will be prompted to change your password
every 90 days
6. Click

to save any changes you made,

to erase any unsaved changes and start over, or

to exit the Login Information page without saving your changes.
7. On the next page, review the updated information and select
page, or

to return to the User Home

to make more changes to your login information.

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4

MANAGING EMPLOYER INFORMATION

Registered users (employers and any sub-accounts that have been given the proper permissions – see
Chapter 5) can add new employer information, and view or edit the employer’s business and contact
information. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*). This employer information is populated in
the electronic Form 9089 when either the employer or their designee (i.e. an attorney in a sub-account)
prepares a PERM case for the employer.
1. From any page on the PERM system, select the
is displayed.

PERM Online System User Guide

tab. The Employer Data page

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Note: The fields on the Employer Data page will be displayed and automatically
populated with the profile data you entered.
2. Place the cursor in the field you want to change and overwrite the information currently in the field.
Make sure to space over any additional characters.
3. Click

to save any changes you made or

to erase any unsaved changes and start over.

4. On the next page, review the updated information and select
page.

PERM Online System User Guide

to return to the Employer Data

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5

MANAGING USER ACCOUNTS

Employers can create and manage user accounts for their attorneys or employees. This feature is useful if
a company or law firm employs several people to work on visa issues and needs several accounts to
access employers’ PERM records online. The employer may give access to the attorneys, agents or
employees to manage users’ accounts.
In this paradigm, only the employer can create sub-accounts under their employer account. The users
with the sub-accounts can enter, edit, reuse, and withdraw PERM applications, but they cannot create new
user accounts, nor can they edit the employer’s business information.
The employer master account can view and edit all of the sub-accounts he/she has created, but the subaccounts cannot “see” the other sub-accounts the employer has created. When entering cases, the subaccount will notice that the employer’s information on the electronic ETA Form 9089 is pre-filled and
cannot be edited by the user in the sub-account. When the employer is entering cases, they will have the
option of choosing from a list of attorneys/agents that they have already used to populate the
Attorney/Agent section of the ETA Form 9089.

Adding a User
1. From any page on the PERM system, any person granted the right to manage user accounts can select
the

tab. The User Access List page is displayed.
Note: If you have not activated the user account feature, click
in the middle of the page.

2. Select

. The User Information edit page is displayed.

3. In the User Information section, type the new user’s information in the displayed fields. Mandatory
fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
4. In the Login Information section, type the new user’s username.
5. In the Security Access section, select the box next to the access level(s) you want the user to be
given.
Note: Sub-accounts do not have the permissions to Manage User Accounts or Edit
Employer Data.

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to save any changes you made,

6. Click

to erase any unsaved changes and start over, or

to exit the User Information page without saving your changes.

Viewing, Editing, and Deleting User Accounts
1. To display a user’s account information for review, select
next to a user name in the User
Access List table. The User Information view-only page is displayed.
2. Select
Access List.

if you want to edit the displayed information. Select

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to return to the User

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3. To edit a user’s account information, select
The User Information edit page is displayed.

next to a user name in the User Access List table.

4. Edit the fields you want to change and overwrite (or check/uncheck) the information currently in the
field. Make sure to space over or delete any additional characters.
5. Click

to save any changes you made,

to erase any unsaved changes and start over, or

to exit the User Accounts page without saving your changes.
6. To delete a user account (other than your own), check the box next to the user’s name in the User
. The user information is removed from public access but will remain
Access List and select
in the DOL database. You may also delete multiple user accounts by checking the box next to each
user listed, and selecting the Delete button.

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6

SUBMITTING PERM CASES

The PERM Online System allows employers and agents to easily prepare a PERM application and submit
it to DOL for processing. The online data entry allows faster processing of PERM applications and the
ability to view the status of the case within minutes.

Completing the ETA Form 9089
1. From any page on the PERM system, select the
displayed by default.

tab. The Search Cases page is

You can use this screen to search any cases you have started or submitted in the PERM Online System
(see Chapter 9 – Searching and Managing PERM Cases).
2. Click

. Step

of the case is displayed.

.

Note: At the top of each Create Case page, the system displays the step of the online
ETA Form 9089 you are currently using. As the step is completed, it changes color
from gray to yellow. The Step you are currently on is displayed in blue. You can also
navigate back and forward between completed Steps by clicking on the Step number.

Completing Step

of the ETA Form 9089

1. In the first section of the electronic ETA Form 9089, mark whether you are requesting to use the
filing date from a previously submitted Application for Alien Employment Certification (ETA 750).

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Note: Employing or continuing to employ an alien unauthorized to work in the United
States is illegal and may subject the employer to criminal prosecution, civil money
penalties, or both.

Tip: Many of the fields in the electronic Form 9089 may appear gray and you cannot
type in them (for instance, fields 1-A and 1-B). These fields will become “enabled”
after you answer the associated question in a certain way.

2. In section B of the 9089, select whether this application is in support of a Schedule A or Sheepherder
occupation. If you answer Yes, you will navigate to Step 2 of the Form to fill out your employer
address information. At the end of that step, you will not be allowed to continue entering information
into the ETA Form 9089, as you must apply directly to the appropriate Department of Homeland
Security office.

3. To continue to Step 2 of the Form ETA 9089, click

. Step

is displayed.

Tip: Use

to save your work on the form up to that point. You will
be able to return immediately to the form where you left off, or return to it at a later
time. To view instructions on how to find and return to Incomplete Cases, see
Chapter 7 - Searching and Managing PERM Cases.

Tip: Use

to blank out the Yes/No radio button
selections on a page. If you just need to choose the other option (i.e. Yes instead of
No), simply select it.

Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089

1. In Step 2, you will view the employer’s business information, and enter the Number of Employees.
Note: Employer information in fields (1-4) and (6-8) should be pre-populated from
the Employer Data entered during registration.

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2. Enter the Number of employees in the area of intended employment in field (5).
3. Select whether the employer is a closely-held corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship in which
the alien has an ownership interest in, or if there is a familial relationship between the owners,
stockholders, partners, corporate officers, incorporators, and the alien in field (9).
to continue to Step 3 of Form ETA 9089. Click
4. Click
to Step 1 of Form ETA 9089.

Completing Step

to return

of the Form ETA 9089

1. In Step 3, you will enter the employer’s contact information and agent/attorney information, if
applicable.
Note: Employer Contact information should be pre-populated from the Employer
Data section of the employer’s account.
Tip: You can populate this section with the same data from the Employer’s
Information by clicking on the checkbox labeled “Same as Employer Information.”

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2. Enter the Agent or Attorney Information in Section E.

Note: When you enter the agent/attorney’s last name, the rest of the fields will
become un-grayed.
Tip: Use the Search for Agent/Attorney link to search for an agent/attorney that you
have entered in a previous case. If you select an agent/attorney from the search results,
the Firm Name, Firm EIN, Address, Telephone, City, State, and Zip Code are prefilled. In most cases, searching and selecting an agent/attorney is preferable to
submitting a new entry for the same agent/attorney.
3. Enter the Email Address of the agent or attorney, if applicable.

to continue to Step 4 of Form ETA 9089. Click
4. Click
to Step 2 of Form ETA 9089.

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to return

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Completing Step

of the Form ETA 9089

1. In Step 4, you will enter the Prevailing Wage Information and the Wage Offered Information for the
job opportunity listed on this PERM application. You must complete section F using information you
received from the State Workforce Agency (SWA).

2. In field (1), enter the Prevailing Wage Tracking Number (if applicable).
3. In field (2), select the SOC/O*NET (OES) Code for this job opportunity.
4. In field (3), enter the Occupation Title for this job opportunity.
5. In field (4), enter the Skill Level related to Occupation Title and Occupation Code. (Note: There
are now four skill levels instead of two.)
6. In field (5), enter the Prevailing Wage and select the Period.
7. In field (6), select the Prevailing Wage Source.
8. In field (7), select the Prevailing Wage Determination Date.


You can manually type a date range in the Date fields
(in mm/dd/yyyy format), or you can click the associated
calendar icons to display the calendar and select a date
on the calendar to auto-populate the Date fields.



in the upper right-hand corner of the Calendar
Click
window to close the window.



(Note: All prevailing wage determination dates based
on OES must be March 8th, 2005 or later. If your
determination date based on OES is March 7th, 2005 or earlier, you must obtain a new
prevailing wage determination that falls within one of the four new skill levels.)

9. In field (8), select the Prevailing Wage Expiration Date. You can use the calendar function as you
did in step 8 above, or manually type in a date (in the format mm/dd/yyyy).
10. Enter the Offered Wage and Period in section G.

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to continue to Step 5 of Form ETA 9089. Click
11. Click
to Step 3 of Form ETA 9089.

Completing Step

to return

of the Form ETA 9089

1. In Step 5, you will enter the Job Opportunity Information for this position and the Location of
Primary Worksite.

2. In fields (1) and (2), enter the Address of the Primary Worksite.
3. Enter the Job Title in field (3).
4. Enter the Minimum Level of Education Required for the job in field (4). If you select Other field
(4-A) becomes enabled.
5. In fields (5), (5-A), and (5-B) enter the Training, number of months, and field of training required for
the job.
6. Enter the Experience information in fields (6) and (6-a).
7. Enter the Alternate Field of Study information in fields (7) and (7-A).

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8. Enter the Alternate Combination of Education and Experience information in fields (8 to 8-C).
9. Click
to continue to Step 6 of Form ETA 9089. Click
to Step 4 of Form ETA 9089.

Completing Step

to return

of the Form ETA 9089

1. In Step 6, you will continue entering Job Opportunity Information for this position.

2. In field (9), select whether a foreign educational equivalent is acceptable.
3. Enter any alternate occupation information in fields (10 to 10-B).
4. Enter the Job Duties in field (11). Please limit your text to 4,000 characters.
5. Answer whether the job opportunity’s requirements are normal for the occupation in field (12).
6. Answer whether a foreign language is required to perform the job duties in field (13).
7. Describe the specific skills or other requirements in the text box of field (14). Please limit your text
to 4,000 characters.

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8. Answer Yes or No to fields (15-18). If you answer Yes to field (18), answer question (18-A).
to continue to Step 7 of Form ETA 9089. Click
9. Click
to Step 5 of Form ETA 9089.

Completing Step

to return

of the Form ETA 9089

1. In Steps 7 and 8 of the Form 9089, you will describe the efforts made to recruit U.S. workers prior to
applying for PERM certification.

Note: Many of the questions in section I are enabled or disabled depending on how
you answer questions (1) and (2). If you can’t seem to type in a particular field, it is
because you do not need to answer that question based on how you answered (1) and
(2).
2. In part (a), field (1), answer Yes or No whether the application is for a professional occupation, other
than a college or university teacher.
3. If the application is for a college or university teacher, answer field (2) appropriately. If you answer
Yes to (2), you are required to answer (2-A) and (2-B).

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3. Part (b) becomes enabled if you answer Yes to field (2-A). Enter the Date the alien was selected for
the position. Use the calendar feature to pick a date, or enter the date manually, using the format
mm/dd/yyyy.
4. In field (4) enter the Name and Date of the professional journal in which the advertisement for the
position was placed.
5. Specify additional recruitment information in field (5). Please limit your text to 4,000 characters.
6. Unless your answer to field (2-A) was Yes, you will complete part (c).

7. Enter the Start and End Dates of the SWA Job Order in fields (6) and (7).
8. Mark whether there is a Sunday edition of the newspaper in the area of intended employment in field
(8).
9. If you answered Yes to question (8), enter the Name of the newspaper in field (9).
10. In field (10), enter the Date of the first advertisement identified in field (9).
11. Enter the Name of the newspaper or journal in which a second ad was placed in field (11). Also,
mark whether it was a newspaper or journal.
12. Enter the Date of the second ad in field (12).
to continue to Step 8 of Form ETA 9089. Click
13. Click
to Step 6 of Form ETA 9089.

Completing Step

to return

of the Form ETA 9089

1. If you answered Yes to either field (1) or field (2-B) in part (a) of section I, in part (d) you will enter
the dates that you advertised for the job opportunity.

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2. Use the calendar feature to select dates, or enter the dates manually in fields (13-22). Use the format
mm/dd/yyyy. You must complete at least 3 of the items in section (d).
3. Everyone must complete section (e).

4. In field (23), mark whether the employer has received payment of any kind for the submission of the
application.
5. If Yes is answered in (23), describe the details of the payment in field (23-A).
6. In fields (24 and 25), answer the questions pertaining to whether a notice has been posted with either
the bargaining representative for the workers or at the place of employment. Mark N/A for (24) if
there is no bargaining representative. Mark N/A for field (25) if you answered Yes or No to (24).
7. Use field (26) to note whether the employer has had a layoff in the past six months related to the
occupation, or in a related occupation.
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8. If Yes is answered in field (26), you must answer field (26-A).
to continue to Step 9 of Form ETA 9089. Click
9. Click
to Step 7 of Form ETA 9089.

Completing Step

to return

of the Form ETA 9089

1. In section J, you will enter the first part of the alien’s information, including current address.

2. Enter the alien’s full Name in fields (1).
3. Enter the alien’s Current Address in fields (2) and (3), including Province and Country, if
applicable.
4. Enter the alien’s current Phone Number in field (4).
5. Select the alien’s Country of Citizenship and Country of Birth in fields (5 & 6).
6. Enter the alien’s Date of Birth in field (7).
7. Select the alien’s Class of Admission in field (8).
8. If they have an A number, enter the alien’s registration number (A#) in field (9).
9. If they have an I-94 (admission number), enter it in field (10).
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10. Click
to continue to Step 10 of Form ETA 9089. Click
to Step 8 of Form ETA 9089.

Completing Step

to return

of the Form ETA 9089

1. In Step 10, you will enter the alien’s education and experience and answer whether he/she satisfies
the job requirements entered in Steps 5 and 6.

2. Select the highest educational level achieved by the alien in field (11). If you select “Other”, you
must complete field (11-A).
3. In field (12), identify the alien’s major field of study for the educational level selected in field (11).
4. In field (13), enter the year (in four digits) that the alien completed the relevant education.
5. Identify the alien’s institution where relevant education was received, including the institution’s
address in fields (14-16).
6. In fields (17-20), answer whether the alien completed the requisite training or experience as related to
section H.
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7. Select whether the alien gained any of the qualifying experience with the employer in field (21).
8. In field (22), mark whether the employer paid for any of the alien’s education or training.
9. In field (23), mark whether the alien is currently employed by the petitioning employer.
to continue to Step 11 of Form ETA 9089. Click
10. Click
to Step 9 of Form ETA 9089.

Completing Step

to return

of the Form ETA 9089

1. In Step 11, you will enter the alien’s work experience. You will add these to the application one at a
time, adding up to 10 experiences.
Note: If the alien is currently employed by the Employer named in field (K.1), please
enter that work experience first and you can leave the Job End Date blank. For all
other past work experiences, you must enter both Job Start and End Dates.

2. Enter the Employer’s Name and Address information for the alien’s primary work experience in
fields (1-3).
3. In field (4), enter the Type of Business of the employer.
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4. Enter the Job Title the alien held while working for this employer in field (5).
5. Enter the Start and End Dates of the position in fields (6 & 7). If the alien is currently working and
this is the first work experience you are entering, leave the End Date blank.
6. Enter the Number of Hours worked per week for this position in field (8).
7. In field (9), describe the Job Duties for the position held by the alien in the previous work
experience.
.
8. To save the alien’s previous work experience information, click
The Alien Work Experience Information list is redisplayed with the edited entry and a new, blank
Alien Experience section is displayed.

9. Complete the next Alien Work Experience (fields 1-9) and again click
to add that experience to the list.
10. To edit or delete an experience, select the experience using the button to the left of the list and click
the appropriate button at the bottom of the table. An Edit Alien Experience window is displayed.
when

11. Edit the work experience information as necessary. Click
you’re finished editing the fields.
12. When you’ve completed all the alien’s work experiences and added them to the list, click
to continue to Step 12 of Form ETA 9089. Click
Step 10 of Form ETA 9089.

Completing Step

to return to

of the Form ETA 9089

1. In Step 12, the employer and alien will make a declaration of authenticity of the PERM application
and enter the name of the preparer if the employer did not complete the application.

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2. By entering their Full Name in section L, the alien is attesting that Sections J and K of the Form 9089
are true and correct. They are also attesting that they intend to accept the position offered in section
H of the application if a labor certification is approved and they are granted a visa or an adjustment of
status.
3. In section M, answer whether the application was completed by the employer. If not, complete fields
(2-4) with the preparer’s information.

4. In section N, enter the employer’s Name and Title.
5. In the last section of the ETA Form 9089, enter the 4-digit PIN number sent by email to the
applicant at registration. This email is distinct from the email sent with the user’s username and
password. This PIN is unique and directly tied to the employer.

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6. If you would like to preview the ETA Form 9089 before submitting it to the Processing Center, click
. To return to the electronic ETA Form 9089, click
Preview page.
7. Click
Screen.

at the bottom of the

to save the electronic ETA Form 9089 and display the Pre-Submit Confirmation

Confirming and Printing Your PERM Application
1. If you choose to “Submit” your case, the ETA Form 9089 Pre-Submit Confirmation screen is
displayed.

2. Here, you can choose to Save the case before finally submitting it. Or click
to save the
electronic Form 9089 to the PERM database and send it through the decision processing system. The
Decision Matrix checks the case for obvious errors and deniable or auditable items.

Note: The ETA Case Number listed (T-xxxxx-yyyyyy) is a temporary case number,
assigned when a case is Incomplete. After you click
, the system assigns a
new case number with only the first letter changed. If the work to be performed is in
the Eastern U.S., it will be assigned the letter “A” to indicate the case will be
processed in Atlanta; if in the Western U.S., it will be assigned the letter “C” as the
case will be processed in Chicago. The other digits remain the same and you can
search for the case using as few as five of those digits.
The Print and Sign page is displayed after you click “Submit.” You should print out the Form 9089 for
your own records.

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Note: You do not need to sign the ETA Form 9089 that you print out at this time.
However, you will be required to obtain all of the appropriate signatures upon receipt
of the certified ETA Form 9089.

3. To print Form 9089, click the large

button in the middle of the page.

Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher installed on your computer
to print the Form 9089.



A separate Adobe Acrobat window will appear from which you can review the completed Form
9089.



Print it on your local printer by clicking the



You can also save the completed forms to your computer’s hard drive by selecting the
on the PDF form.

PERM Online System User Guide

icon on the PDF form.
icon

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7

SEARCHING AND MANAGING PERM CASES

The PERM Online System allows you to locate and retrieve existing PERM applications for viewing,
printing, and reusing. You can locate a specific PERM case by entering the unique ETA Case Number
assigned to it by the system, or you can search cases by entering search criteria on the Search Cases page
and generating a Search Results list. From this page, you may also withdraw one or more PERM
applications.

Searching and Listing PERM Cases
1. From any page on the PERM Online System, select the
page is displayed by default.

tab. The Search Cases

2. If you need to search on something other than the ETA Case Number, click Advanced Search. The
Advanced Search Cases window is displayed.

3. Enter search criteria data in the Search Cases page’s fields. Enter more data to further refine your
search.


You can manually type a date range in the Date Prepared
fields (in mm/dd/yyyy format), or you can click the associated
calendar icons to display the calendar and select a date on the
calendar to auto-populate the Date Prepared fields.


in the upper right-hand corner of the Calendar
Click
window to close the window.



You can search cases by their status in the system. Use the
drop-down menu to select a Status.

4. Click

. The Search Results list is displayed.

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Note: The search results table also displays the total number of records found. The
maximum number of records displayed on the page is 20. To view additional records,
click

. To go back to records on previous pages, click

.

5. To sort the search results, click the column headers, i.e. ETA Case Number, Date Prepared, or
Status.
6. To print the search results on your local printer, click Print Search Result. Then use the printer icon
on your web browser to print the resulting page.

Viewing and Printing Cases
1. Follow the instructions provided in the previous section (§ Searching and Listing PERM Cases) of
this User Guide to search PERM cases, then proceed to step 2.
2. You may view completed Forms ETA 9089 by selecting a case link in the ETA Case Number
column. The Case Information page is displayed.

3.

To view the form, select
permitted to edit a submitted application.

. The PERM View window is displayed. You are not

4. When you are finished reviewing the PERM form, click
PERM View window to close the window.

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in the upper right-hand corner of the

Page 43

Note: You should close the PERM View window after viewing a form. This is
important because the system will open a new window each time you view a PERM
form, and you could run out of system resources if you do not close windows that are
not needed.

5. To print a form, click
on the Case Information page to display the PERM form
in Adobe Acrobat. To print the form, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher installed on
your computer. Use the
printer.

button at the top of the PDF form to print the document to your local

Reusing a PERM Case
The user may elect to create a new Form 9089 that is pre-populated with data copied from an older 9089.
This saves the user time by allowing them to bypass several questions and fields in completing the Form
9089.
1. Follow the instructions provided in § Searching and Listing PERM Cases of this chapter to search
cases, then proceed to step 2.
. The first step of the Create Case is
2. On the Case Information page, click
displayed. See Chapter 6 Submitting PERM Cases, p. 25 for instructions on how to enter a PERM
case.
3. You will notice as you step through the case that many of the fields are already populated with an
answer or text. You can edit and change these fields as you like.

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Searching Incomplete Cases
If you have not completed the Form ETA 9089, you can access the case through the Search Incomplete
Cases screen.
tab. The Search Cases
1. From any page on the PERM Online System, select the
page is displayed by default. Select the subtab
. The Incomplete Cases page is
displayed. If you have incomplete cases saved, the search results table will automatically list them.

2. Select an incomplete case using the link in the ETA Case Number field. The last step of the case
that you were working on when you ‘Saved as Draft’ is displayed.

3. Edit any field on that step, or select one of the step buttons at the top of the page to edit that particular
step, if you have already worked on it. If you are mid-way through entering the case, use the
button to advance to the next unedited page.
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Withdrawing a PERM Case
If you have been given the proper access privileges in your user account (see Chapter 5 Managing User
Accounts) you may withdraw PERM applications from the PERM Online System using the Withdraw
Cases page. You may only withdraw online those applications that have placed in a status of “Pending”,
“Sponsorship” or “Incomplete”; you cannot withdraw cases online that have been “Denied”. When a
DOL analyst has begun the review process, the case is moved out of “Pending” status and may not be
withdrawn without a written withdrawal request from the employer or their agent/attorney.
tab. The Search Cases
1. From any page on the PERM Online System, select the
page is displayed by default. Select the sub tab
. The Withdraw Cases page is
displayed. If you have cases “Pending”, ”Sponsorship”, or “Incomplete”, the search results table will
automatically list them.
2. On the Withdraw Cases results page, select the checkbox in the Withdraw column next to a listed
case. You can select multiple cases to withdraw.

3. Click

. The Withdraw Permanent Case(s) page is displayed.

. The PERM application (Form 9089) is
4. Enter the PIN assigned to the employer and click
withdrawn from the Processing Center queue and from your account. A record of the case remains in
the system as ‘Withdrawn.’

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8

PROVIDING FEEDBACK

The PERM Online System allows the user to provide feedback pertaining to any features, content, or
functionality of the system. The DOL takes such feedback very seriously in its efforts to continually
provide quality service to users of the PERM Online System.

Submitting a Comment
1. From any page on the PERM Online System website, select the
PERM Online System User Home page is displayed.
2. Select the

tab. The

tab. The Online Feedback page is displayed.

3. Enter your comments in the Comment text field. Select

to return to the PERM Online User

Home page. Select
when you have completed your entry. An email is sent to the PERM
Help Desk with your comments in the text of the email.

Thank you for your input.

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9

OTHER USEFUL SYSTEM FEATURES

The PERM Online System includes hyperlinks to other useful sites, such as the Employment and Training
Administration, Department of Labor, and Division of Foreign Labor Certification web sites. There are
links to Department of Labor Regulations, Foreign Labor Certifications and Forms, Wage Information,
and Foreign Labor Contacts, and cover pages containing instructions for the ETA Form 9089:

Feel free to explore these sites by clicking the appropriate hyperlink you want to visit.
There are also hyperlinks to pages specific to the PERM Online System. These links include Home, FAQ,
Online Help, and Privacy:

Regulations
The
hyperlink opens a new browser window and navigates you to the appropriate
Department of Labor website. The page shown includes detailed information regarding the Department
of Labor Regulations Part 656 Subpart A. To research this information, simply scroll over the Subpart
Names and click the topic of your choice.

Certifications
The
hyperlink opens a new browser window and navigates you to the Foreign Labor
Certification website. The page shown includes detailed information on available labor certifications
within the United States. Each section describes the certification program and steps to file a request for
labor certification, along with frequently asked questions and program regulations.

Wage Information
The
hyperlink is your source to research available data for a wage source determination.
Included on this site are numerous links to search and download individual state files, occupational codes,
and coding notes along with a substantial amount of other useful documentation.

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Documents
To view the most recent Foreign Labor Certification Forms, click
. You will be able to
select your desired form and read it in either text format, or PDF format for larger documents. Keep in
mind, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher installed on your computer in order to view
PDF files.

Contact
Click
to email a question or suggestion to the PERM Help staff. Clicking this link will
generate an email message window in which you can write your question and send the note. The email
message will go to [email protected] and will be answered in a timely manner.

Cover Pages
To view and print the cover pages and instructions for the Form ETA 9089, click
. An Adobe
Acrobat PDF version of the instructions and cover page is displayed in a new browser window. Keep in
mind, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher installed on your computer in order to view
PDF files. Use the print icon at the top of the window to print the file to your local printer.

PERM Online System Home Page
To display the PERM Online System Home page, click

.

Online Help
Step-by-step instructions on how to use the system have been included to help you perform work tasks
with ease. Print a hard-copy of the instructions to serve as a useful reference guide when you first start to
use the system. It will help answer many of your questions, and you can refer back to it as needed. To
. An Adobe Acrobat PDF version of the PERM Online
view or print the instructions, click
Help Guide is displayed in a new browser window. Keep in mind, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader
4.0 or higher installed on your computer in order to view PDF files. Use the print icon at the top of the
window to print the file to your local printer.

Privacy Information
To review information on Labor Certification privacy issues, click

PERM Online System User Guide

.

Page 49

How Do I Obtain Technical Assistance?
If you experience problems with the system, please send an email to [email protected]. Include a
detailed explanation of the problem you are experiencing, along with the urgency of your request for help.
Also, include a contact name and phone number of the person to call in case additional information is
needed. An experienced technician will either respond to your email or contact you to discuss a solution
over the phone.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
As the PERM Online System matures, the list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) will be updated to
ensure that questions and answers are presented to all system users in a timely manner. We recommend
. An
that you take the time to read over the FAQ’s periodically. To read the FAQ’s online, click
Adobe Acrobat PDF version of the FAQ’s is displayed in a new browser window. Keep in mind, you
must have Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher installed on your computer in order to view PDF files.
Use the print icon at the top of the window to print the file to your local printer.

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PERM - External Upload Quick Guide
This Quick Guide was prepared for external users for PERM CMS as a basis for instruction for using the
external upload functionality. It was prepared to serve as a handy desk reference. The external user will
now be able to upload documents to the system as needed. This function is not specific to any specific
external role, (i.e. employers, agents, attorneys) all have the capability to upload documentation.


Pre-condition: The external user will already be logged into the system, and the ‘My
Applications’ tab will be selected.



The user will now see a new sub-tab under the ‘My Applications’ tab, which is ‘Upload
Documents.



The user will now search for the case number for the application that he/she wants to upload
documents too.



The system will display the search results.

NOTE: Documents can be uploaded up to 30 calendar days after the notice of proposed final agency
action is issued on an application. The ability to upload documents up to 30 calendar days after the notice
of proposed final agency action is issued on an application shall not be construed to: 1) supersede time
frames and deadlines imposed by the Department’s actual notice letters to filers in any medium
(electronic or otherwise); or,

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2) supersede applicable regulations governing the Department’s permanent labor certification
program.
NOTE: Documents can’t be uploaded to an application in the status of ‘Incomplete’ or
‘Certified-Expired’. Also if you’re an agent or lawyer, only the account that created the
application has the ability to upload documents.



The user will then click on the case number enabled hyperlink.



The system displays the Upload Documents page.

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

The user selects the Browse button, and selects the file in which he/she wants to upload. The file
name will display in the ‘Select File’ field, which is a required field. The maximum size limit per
individual document upload is 30MB.



Next, the user proceeds to the ‘Category’ field and makes a selection from the dropdown menu.
The system populates the selection in the ‘Category’ field, which is a required field.
NOTE: The fields “Category” and “Document Type” are related to the application’s processing
queue (i.e., Audit, Appeal, SR, etc.)

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

The user will now select a ‘Document Type’ and choose from options in the dropdown menu.
The system populates the selection in the ‘Document Type’ field, which is a required field.



The user may elect to enter a ‘File Name’ manually in the free form text field. For example, if
the user is uploading multiple iterations of the same document type, the user may elect to give the
document a name designation such as ‘Part 1’ etc.



NOTE: This field is optional.
The user may elect to enter a ‘Note’ specifically pertaining to the document upload. The ‘Note’
maximum character limit is 250.
NOTE: This field is optional.

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

The user selects the Upload button.

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

The system displays the document that was uploaded.



The user will now select the Save button. This is when the document is actually uploaded and
saved. The system creates an item in the case events log for this action. Also, it creates a case
note automatically. Last, the system sends email notification to the external point of contact, and
routes an email notification to the internal mailbox based upon the case status.



The user has the option to upload additional documents if necessary.



If the user selects the Cancel button, prior to saving the action is canceled.



If the user selects the checkbox corresponding to the uploaded file prior to saving and selects the
Delete Selected Attachments button, the file will be deleted.

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


The system displays an attachment icon

which indicates that a document has been uploaded.

In order to view/retrieve the document that was uploaded, click on the attachment icon
‘Attachments’.



The system displays the uploaded documents.



The user clicks on the ‘file name enabled hyperlink’ to view/retrieve the document.



Sample email of the external email notification.

PERM Online System User Guide

under

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

Sample email of the external email notification.

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File Typeapplication/pdf
File TitleMicrosoft Word - onlinehelpguide
Authorbgraham
File Modified2017-01-26
File Created2017-01-26

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