Apr 2018
16
Auto Enrolment: A Roadmap for Pensions Reform
The government has announced major changes to the pensions system in Ireland,
including State, private and public service pensions, which aims to address Ireland’s significant retirement savings gap.
The Taoiseach confirmed that the Government's key goals are to "create a fairer and simpler contributory pension system where a person's pension outcome reflects their social insurance contributions, and in parallel, create a new and necessary culture of personal retirement saving in Ireland".
From 2020, a new State pension system will come into place based on a ‘total contributions approach’ (TCA) where a person’s lifetime contribution will more closely match the benefit they receive. Under TCA, a person's contributory pension will be proportionate to the contributions they make, with fair regard for periods of child rearing, full time caring, and periods in receipt of social protection payments.
Although the State pension will be reformed and will remain at the core of the pensions system in Ireland, a new retirement savings system is still needed to supplement the State pension.
Minister Regina Doherty said: “It is increasingly evident that most Irish workers are not saving enough, or indeed at all, for their retirement years. Many people will be faced with a serious reduction in their living standards when they retire – a fall in income they clearly do not want.”
This new 'Automatic Enrolment' retirement savings system will be introduced from 2022 to support and encourage personal savings provision. It is intended that employee savings in this scheme will be supported by employer and State contributions.
Under this system, workers will be ‘auto enrolled’ into a workplace pension scheme with the option to opt-out, should they choose to do so. However, looking at the international experience of similar systems, for example in the UK, once enrolled workers tend to remain in the scheme.
Automatic enrolment is a natural extension of the payroll process, making more sense for employers to process the majority of these duties within their payroll software. At Thesaurus Payroll Software, we have experienced the rollout of auto enrolment in the UK first hand, where we introduced auto enrolment features which enabled users to automate and simplify the entire process.
Thesaurus Payroll Software costs €149 + VAT per tax year for a single employer licence, and also includes free phone and email support. Before the introduction of auto enrolment, payroll administrators will be faced with even more changes to the payroll process with the introduction of PAYE Modernisation in January 2019. Thesaurus Payroll Software will be able to seamlessly cater for both PAYE Modernisation and Auto Enrolment without any additional costs to the software.
Thesaurus Payroll Software | BrightPay Payroll Software
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Mar 2018
5
Less than 3 months to go: Are you prepared for GDPR?
The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be implemented in Ireland in May 2018 with the aim of protecting all EU citizens from privacy and data breaches in an increasingly data driven world.
Unfortunately, many employers do not realise that 25th May 2018 is a deadline as opposed to a start date. It is important that all employers are ready and GDPR compliant by this date, with potential fines for breaches as high as €20 million or 4% of global turnover.
All employers process large amounts of personal data, especially when it comes to their customers and their employees. Consequently, the GDPR will impact most if not all areas of the business and the impact it will have cannot be overstated.
Organisations need to act now to prepare for the potential changes to their systems and procedures. The introduction of GDPR is just three months away, and by now all businesses should be taking action.
As part of our own preparation, we need your help. After 25th May 2018, we will not be able to email you about webinar events, special offers, legislation changes, payroll related news and other group products without you subscribing to our mailing list. You will be able to unsubscribe at anytime.
Don’t miss out - sign up to our newsletter today!
Free Webinar: GDPR for your Payroll Bureau
BrightPay by Thesaurus Software is hosting a free webinar on 8th March to help payroll bureaus prepare for GDPR. In this webinar, we will peel back the legislation to outline clearly:
- What is GDPR and why is it being implemented?
- Why employers need to take it seriously
- How it will impact payroll bureaus
- How to prepare for GDPR
- How we are working to help you
Places are limited - book your place now!
Feb 2018
22
Getting Ready for PAYE Modernisation
January 2019 will see the introduction of PAYE Modernisation - the most significant reform of the Irish PAYE system since its introduction in 1960. This new system will mean that employees’ pay and deductions will need to be reported to Revenue in real time.
PAYE Modernisation will be operational for all employee payments being made from 1st January 2019 and will make it easier for Revenue, employers and employees to ensure that the right tax is deducted and paid at the right time.
As a result, employers and payroll bureaus will need to review their current business processes and practices in order for the new requirements to be met.
Free PAYE Modernisation Webinars
To help with the rollout of PAYE Modernisation, BrightPay by Thesaurus Software have teamed up with Revenue to bring you free online training webinars. These webinars are designed for employers and payroll bureaus to discuss what PAYE Modernisation will mean for your business and to help you prepare for the transition to the new system.
Our next PAYE Modernisation webinars take place in March and are free to attend. Guest speakers include Sinead Sweeney (Revenue) and Sandra Clarke (Irish Tax Institute).
- 27th March @ 11.00 am
Employer Webinar: Are you ready for PAYE Modernisation?
Find out more | Register here - 28th March @ 11.00 am
Payroll Bureaus: Getting ready for PAYE Modernisation (CPD Accredited)
Find out more | Register here
If you are unable to attend the webinar at the specified time, simply register and we will send you the recording afterwards.
Sign up to BrightPay’s newsletter
GDPR is changing how we communicate with you. After May 2018, we will not be able to email you about webinar events, special offers, legislation changes, other group products and payroll related news without you subscribing to our newsletter. You will be able to unsubscribe at anytime. Don’t miss out - sign up to our newsletter today!
Feb 2018
13
Free Webinar: Irish Employment Law Overview
As busy employers it can be difficult to keep up-to-date with the constant changes in employment law.
Bright Contracts by Thesaurus Software is hosting a free employment law webinar on Thursday 22nd February. Our employment law experts will discuss what is new in employment law, recent Workplace Relations Commission cases and have a look at the most frequently asked questions that come through our support line.
Agenda:
- Employment Law - What’s new?
- Recent WRC cases
- FAQs from our support line
- Bright Contracts: A simple solution
Places are limited - book your place now!!
If you are unable to attend the webinar at the specified time, simply register and we will send you the recording afterwards.
Newsletter - Are you missing out?
GDPR is changing how we communicate with you. After May 2018, we will not be able to email you about webinar events, special offers or other news without you subscribing to our newsletter. Don’t miss out - sign up to our newsletter today!
Feb 2018
5
Thesaurus Customer Update - February 2018
PAYE Modernisation is coming…. Are you ready?
The Irish PAYE system is currently undergoing a massive overhaul, with new changes being implemented from 1st January 2019. This is called PAYE Modernisation. The existing system was introduced nearly 60 years ago and so this update is long overdue. What do you need to do to prepare for this new system?
Employer Webinar (27th March) | Bureau Webinar (28th March)
Increase to Minimum Wage from January 2018
The National Minimum Wage for an experienced adult worker has now increased to €9.55 per hour from January 1st 2018. This is the third year in a row that the National Minimum Wage has been increased but this is by far the largest with an increase of 30c.
Is it discrimination to top up Maternity Benefit but not Paternity Benefit?
September 2016 saw the introduction of Paternity Leave, that for the first time ever allowed fathers/partners to take two weeks paid leave on the birth of a child/placement of a child for adoption. The question then arose that if by topping up Maternity Benefit, would an employer by default have to top up Paternity Benefit?
Read full article | What is Bright Contracts?
Keep your payroll data secure with Thesaurus Connect
With Thesaurus Connect, you can safely and securely backup your payroll data to the cloud. The add-on will keep a chronological history of your backups, which can be restored to your PC at any time. Never lose your payroll data again by storing this information online, while protecting against ransomware and similar threats.
Automatic Enrolment - Mandatory Pension Reform for Ireland
The Irish Government aims to bring in an automatic enrolment system where all employers would enrol their employees into a workplace pension scheme. All employers are likely to have certain mandatory duties to complete, including choosing a suitable pension scheme, informing employees about their rights and making an employer contribution to each employee’s pension pot.
Free Webinar: GDPR for Payroll Bureaus
The countdown is on!! The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on 25th May 2018, however this date is a deadline as opposed to a starting point. With hefty non-compliance fines, it is important to make sure you are prepared. Register now for our free, CPD accredited webinar which takes place on 8th March.
Thesaurus Newsletter - Are you missing out?
GDPR is changing how we communicate with you. After May 2018, we will not be able to email you about webinar events, special offers or other news without you subscribing to our newsletter. Don’t miss out - sign up to the Thesaurus newsletter today!
Jan 2018
22
How will PAYE Modernisation affect your payroll bureau? Only 10 Places Left!!!
Revenue are joining Thesaurus Software for a series of free, CPD accredited webinars detailing what you need to know about PAYE Modernisation.
How will PAYE Modernisation affect your payroll bureau?
There are just 10 places left for our next webinar which takes place this Thursday! With almost 1,000 accountants and payroll bureaus already registered, this is your last chance to register.
Agenda
- An introduction to PAYE Modernisation including recent changes
- What direct effect will this have on employers?
- What direct effect will this have on employees?
- What are the possible downsides for employers?
- Revenue’s delivery schedule
- The role out of PAYE Modernisation in the UK
- Processing manually or using payroll software?
- The letter of engagement
- How will PAYE Modernisation affect your payroll service
- Communicating these changes to your clients.
Don’t miss out - book your place now!!
Payroll Bureaus: Getting Ready for PAYE Modernisation
The next webinar in the series takes place in March where there will be a key focus on what payroll bureaus need to do to prepare for PAYE Modernisation.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
We have lots more webinars scheduled over the coming months. Don’t miss out - make sure to sign up to our newsletter today! You will have the option to unsubscribe at any time.
Thesaurus Payroll Manager | BrightPay Payroll Software
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Jan 2018
4
PAYE Modernisation is coming… are you ready?
The Irish PAYE system is currently undergoing a massive overhaul, with new changes being implemented from 1st January 2019. This is called PAYE Modernisation. The existing system was introduced nearly 60 years ago and so this update is long overdue.
With PAYE Modernisation, employers, or bureaus on their behalf, will need to submit an electronic file to Revenue each time an employee has been paid. This real time reporting will enable Revenue to ensure that employees are receiving their correct tax credits and cut off points at all times.
Fortunately for employers and payroll bureaus, this real-time reporting will replace most of the “P” forms (P30, P35, P45, P46 and P60) enabling them to reduce their workload. Most payroll systems will automate many of the new processes, whereby electronic files will be automatically created and sent to Revenue at the click of a button.
How will PAYE Modernisation affect your payroll bureau?
Revenue is joining Thesaurus Software for a series of free, CPD accredited webinars. The webinars are customised to both employers and payroll bureaus for them to find out how they will be affected by PAYE Modernisation.
- Employer Webinar: Wednesday 24th January - register here
- Bureau Webinar: Thursday 25th January - register here
Our previous PAYE Modernisation webinars were highly sought after with over 2,000 employers and payroll bureaus in attendance. Places are limited - make sure to book your place now to avoid disappointment.
If you are unable to attend the webinars at the specified time, simply register and we will send you the recording afterwards.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
We have lots more webinars scheduled over the coming months. Don’t miss out - make sure to sign up to our newsletter today! You will have the option to unsubscribe at any time.
Thesaurus Payroll Manager | BrightPay Payroll Software
Dec 2017
7
December 2017 - Customer Update
Free Webinar: Year End Process - Thesaurus Payroll Manager
Our highly experienced support professionals have put together this free webinar covering the year end procedures within Thesaurus Payroll Manager.
Sign up to the Thesaurus newsletter
Do you want to hear more about future CPD events, free ebooks, industry updates and special offers? Subscribe to the Thesaurus newsletter today. You will have the option to unsubscribe at anytime.
Purchase employee Gift Cards with Thesaurus Payroll Manager
Thesaurus Payroll Manager now offers a facility where users can securely purchase one for all gift cards for their employees. In 2015, the Irish government announced that employers could give a gift card of up to €500 tax free to employees. Gift cards arrive addressed to the employer in an unmarked envelope for extra security.
Free Webinar - How will PAYE Modernisation affect your business?
PAYE Modernisation is probably the biggest overhaul of the PAYE system since PAYE itself was introduced back in 1960. It will have wide ranging effects on all employers across Ireland. Places are limited.
Employers: 24th January | Bureaus: 25th January
Changes to Illness Benefit from 1st January 2018
With effect from 1st January 2018, employers will no longer be responsible for taxing Illness Benefit. From this date Revenue will tax Illness Benefit by adjusting employee's tax credits and/or rate bands.
Auto Enrolment to be introduced by 2021
Today, we are all living longer healthier lives. However, as a nation, we are not saving enough for our retirement. The Irish government aims to bring in an auto enrolment system where all employers would be required to enrol their employees into a workplace pension scheme and contribute towards the employee pension pot.
Free Webinar - What does GDPR mean for your business?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on 25 May 2018. Employers process large amounts of personal data, not least in relation to their customers and their own employees. Consequently, the GDPR will impact most if not all areas of businesses and the impact it will have cannot be overstated.
Employers: 30th January | Bureaus: 8th March
More for bureaus
Payroll for bureaus: From loss leader to profit centre
New technologies can positively impact the way bureaus offer payroll services. There are several exciting developments that are happening right now in the cloud. Be ready to offer a new level of payroll and HR services by embracing new-world online technologies.
What's new for Thesaurus Payroll Manager 2018?
Thesaurus Payroll Manager 2018 is now available to purchase online. We’re delighted to introduce our new bureau features that will help you get the very best payroll experience yet, including direct emailing of reports, a payroll journal export and much more.
Oct 2017
19
Customer Update
Free Webinar: What you NEED to know about PAYE Modernisation
PAYE Modernisation is probably the biggest overhaul of the PAYE system since PAYE itself was introduced back in 1960. It will have wide ranging effects on all employers. Register now for our free webinar to find out what you need to know about PAYE Modernisation. Speakers include Paul Byrne (Thesaurus Software) & Sinead Sweeney (Revenue)
CPD Webinar: GDPR for your Payroll Bureau (Bureaus Only)
Data protection and how personal data is managed is changing forever. On 25 May 2018 the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force. The GDPR is a European privacy regulation replacing all existing data protection regulations. Register now for our free, CPD accredited webinar to find out how this new legislation will affect your payroll bureau.
"What do you mean... Do I have a backup?” - A day in the life of Customer Support
One of the most common calls on the support line is from a distressed customer who tells us they have lost their payroll information. Reasons for the loss of this information are varied and could be anything from a laptop being stolen, a virus attacking the computer or fire or water damage to the computers in the office.
Thesaurus Connect - Try for Free
We are giving customers one free Thesaurus Connect 2017 licence. With Thesaurus Connect, employers can login to their own personal employer dashboard where they can access employee payslips, payroll reports and a company wide calendar. It also includes a self-service portal for employees to view payslips and request annual leave.
Redeem your free licence / Book a demo
New Automatic Enrolment Pension System to be in place by 2021?
Brian Hayes MEP has called on Minister for Social Protection, Regina Doherty to start work on the introduction of an automatic enrolment pension system, whereby all Irish private sector employees would be automatically enrolled into a pension scheme.
Thesaurus Customer Survey: The Results are in!
In our recent survey, we were delighted to discover that Thesaurus has a 99.6% customer satisfaction rate. Customers are also highly satisfied with our customer support team, with a satisfaction rate of 99.5%.
Oct 2017
10
Thesaurus Payroll Manager - Customer Survey - The Results are in!
Opinions and feedback from our customers matter to us. We love to hear comments and suggestions from users in order to improve the customer experience. Last month we conducted a customer survey to get an insight into what customers think about Thesaurus Payroll Manager and find out what new features our customers want.
The survey also looked at customer satisfaction rates, software performance and customer support. We were delighted to discover that Thesaurus Payroll Manager has a 99.6% customer satisfaction rate. Customers are also highly satisfied with our customer support team, with a satisfaction rate of 99.5%. Many customers agree that BrightPay saves them time (99.4%) and offers good value for money (99.6%).
Surprisingly, 43% of customers were not aware that Thesaurus Payroll Manager includes integration with One4all. This new feature was added last year and enables employers to seamlessly purchase One4all gift cards for employees.
The survey also looked at awareness of PAYE Modernisation. Nine out of ten accountants, bookkeepers and payroll bureaus said that they were aware of this new PAYE system, which will be effective from 1st January 2019. Meanwhile, one in five employers were unaware of this upcoming change. Thesaurus recently hosted a number of free PAYE Modernisation webinars, with a guest speaker from Revenue. The webinars incorporated everything you need to know about PAYE Modernisation. Watch the PAYE Modernisation training session on demand.
Customer Testimonials
We also received a number of customer testimonials from the survey - all of which will be added to the Thesaurus website in due course. Some of our favourite testimonials received include:
- "We have used Thesaurus for our payroll since 2001. Over the last 17 years our general accounting software has been changed 3 times but we have never found a better payroll system or had a reason for wanting to change..."
- "I found the support I was given by Thesaurus to be of the highest quality, with the empathy shown by Thesaurus employees to be extraordinary."
- "I have used Thesaurus Payroll in a number of companies and I found it much easier to use than any other payroll software I have encountered. It has always provided updates and changes required quickly without fuss. The newest addition, Thesaurus Connect has made life easy for me. Payslips automatically sent out to employees and the facility for them to view and print payslips as required has freed up a lot of management time for other duties."
- "The support staff are brilliant, they answer questions in everyday language and are committed to staying with you until you have a total understanding of the query."
- "Thesaurus Payroll Manager is the most cost effective change we have made to our business. From the standard paying wages to being able to email payslips, work out holiday entitlement and much more, this software package is worth its weight in gold. Saving us time and money. I wouldn't be without it."
Prize Winners
As a thank you for taking part in the survey, we are giving away four €50 One4all vouchers. We are delighted to announce that the winners are:
- John Ganly - Blanchardstown Amalgamated Sports Ltd
- Geraldine Grennan - PJ Grennan Ltd
- Elaine Donnelly - Irish Theatre Institute
- Eugene O'Donovan - SME Finance
The Thesaurus team will be in contact with the winners shortly.
We appreciate all the feedback received from this year’s survey and would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who took part.
