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
PAYE Modernisation - Why it’s the SMART choice.
The current PAYE system is changing. The new system will be known as ‘PAYE Modernisation’. This change will be the biggest to hit PAYE since it was introduced almost 60 years ago. PAYE Modernisation will affect every business across the country. Instead of submitting an annual P35, employers will now have to calculate and report their employee’s pay and deductions as they are being paid.
PAYE Modernisation will no doubt be a huge change for employers but ultimately, employers will see a benefit from the change. Here are some of the key benefits employers can expect to see from PAYE Modernisation -
- Seamless integration into payroll.
- Minimize employer cost to comply.
- Abolition of P30s, P45s, P60s and end of year returns.
- Right tax paid on current due dates.
- Time savings.
We already have the relevant experience to ensure that PAYE Modernisation will be a seamless process for employers. In our BrightPay UK payroll software, we implemented what’s called RTI or Real Time Information which is a similar concept to PAYE Modernisation. Book a demo today to see what PAYE Modernisation will look like on your payroll software.
Related articles:
PAYE Modernisation - Are you ready?
Revenue moves to PAYE Modernisation/ Real Time Reporting
New Automatic Enrolment pension system to be in place by 2021
The objective of PAYE Modernisation
Thesaurus Payroll Software | BrightPay Payroll Software
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
Related Articles:
Jan 2018
12
Is it discrimination to top up maternity pay but not paternity pay?
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. Paternity Leave is paid at the same rate as Maternity Pay, currently €235 per week*, leaving it up to employers to decide whether or not they wish to top-up pay during the two weeks leave. The question then arose that if by topping up maternity leave, would an employer by default have to top up paternity pay?
A recent Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) case involving a transport company, provides useful guidance on the answer to this question.
In this case, a male employee brought a case under the Employment Equality Act claiming discrimination on the grounds of gender due to the fact that the employer topped up maternity pay but did not top up paternity pay.
However, the WRC Adjudicator held in favour of the Company, stating that maternity leave is different to paternity leave and that “the special protection afforded to women in connection with pregnancy and maternity is embedded in European and Irish law”. The Adjudicator concluded that the employer was entitled to make special provisions for women at the time of maternity leave and was protected in that regard by the Employment Equality Acts.
Conclusion
This case gives the green light to employers who wish to offer a maternity top up but not offer the same for paternity leave. Whatever it is you decide on, employers are advised to have clear paternity and maternity leave policies in place that is accessible to all employees.
*The rate of maternity/paternity pay will increase to €240 per week from the end of March 2018.
To keep up with the latest payroll news, check out our new Bright website. There, you'll be able to register for any of our upcoming payroll webinars and download our payroll guides.
Jan 2018
8
GDPR unravelled! Find out what you need to know to comply
Get ready as more legislation hit Irish and European businesses. The objective of the recent EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is to bring data protection standards up-to-date and to ensure that individuals in the EU are appropriately protected from privacy and data breaches. It comes into effect on 25th May 2018, however this date is a deadline as opposed to a starting point.
Business owners who start looking at GDPR on or after the 25th May will be at serious risk of non-compliance. You will need to act now to understand and prepare for GDPR well in advance of the May deadline. Over the next few months, it would be advisable to set aside some time to focus on being fully compliant by the 25th May 2018.
BrightPay is committed to helping our customers and others understand the impact of GDPR. We have designed free webinars for accountants and employers to take you through the key steps to be GDPR compliant.
Register now for our free webinars which take place over the coming months.
Agenda
- 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
Employer Webinar: 30th January - Register here
Bureau Webinar (CPD Accredited): 8th March - Register here
Other Free Events
How will PAYE Modernisation affect your business?
The existing PAYE (Pay As You Earn) system was introduced nearly sixty years ago ensuring that correct deductions are made relating to pay and tax. From 1st January 2019, this system for PAYE will undergo a long overdue update called PAYE Modernisation. Under the new legislation, whenever Irish employers pay their employees, a file must be electronically submitted to Revenue containing details of these payments.
- How will PAYE Modernisation affect your business?
- Guest Speaker: Sandra Clarke (BCC Accountants)
- Guest Speaker: Sinead Sweeney (Revenue)
Employer Webinar: 24th January - Register here
Bureau Webinar (CPD Accredited): 25th January - Register here
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
Jan 2018
2
Increase to Minimum Wage from January 2018
The National Minimum Wage for an experienced adult worker is increasing to €9.55 per hour from January 1st 2018. This is the third year in a row that the NMW has been increased but this is by far the largest with an increase of .30c
The National Minimum Wage Act, 2000 provides for a minimum hourly rate of pay for all workers.
All workers, including full time, part time, casual and temporary will be deemed to be covered by the act with only 2 exceptions; close relatives of the employer and certain industry specific apprentices.
Workers can be broken down into 5 different categories; experienced adult workers in employment more than 2 years and over the age of 18, a worker under the age of 18, workers in their first and second year of employment who are over the age of 18 and trainees’ who are undergoing a course that satisfies certain conditions set out in the Act.
The new minimum hourly rates are:
- Experienced adult worker – €9.55
- Under age 18 – €6.69
- In the first year after the date of first employment over age 18 - €7.64 per hour
- In the second year after the date of first employment over age 18 - €8.60
- In a course of training or study over age 18, undertaken in normal working hours-1st one third period: €7.17 per hour; 2nd one third period: €7.64; 3rd one third period: €8.60 per hour.
Breaches of the act are deemed to be criminal offences and are punishable with hefty fines and even imprisonment.
Thesaurus Payroll Manager | BrightPay Payroll Software
Related Articles:
Dec 2017
17
2018 Thesaurus Payroll Manager is now available
Click here to download Standard Version
Click here to download Bureau Version
We have prepared a help sheet to guide you through the set up.
2018 Thesaurus Payroll Manager caters for all relevant budget changes and a host of new features.
Many of the new features have been prompted by PAYE Modernisation, which will be effective from 1st January 2019, and by GDPR. Further information on PAYE Modernisation can be found here
The main new features are as follows:
- More priority to the P2C download process, a log of all P2C imports and reminders when P2Cs have not been imported
- Direct emailing of the Payroll Preview, Payroll Summary and P30 reports from within the software
- Emailing of a single PDF document containing all employee payslips for a pay period
- List of Employees ROS file, Revenue will request this towards the latter half of 2018
- Automated password retrieval facility
- Greater file encryption
- The bureau version also includes a "late payrolls" feature
Please note, from 1st January 2018, Revenue will tax Illness Benefit by adjusting an employee's tax credits and cut off points. As a result of this change there will be more frequent P2Cs issued for employees.
Employee Gift Cards
Thesaurus Payroll Manager continues to offer gift card integration with One4All. Orders are delivered in a plain envelope, addressed to the employer, with all gift cards enclosed. The deadline for orders and payments to ensure delivery in time for Christmas is Wednesday 20th December at 12 p.m.
Find out more about gift cards, the tax advantages and payroll integration here
Year End 2017
To access the 2017 end of year guide, click here
Register here for our free webinar 'Year End Process - Thesaurus Payroll Manager' which will be presented on January 23rd 2018.
Christmas 2017
The management and staff of Thesaurus Software Ltd would like to thank you for your valued custom in 2017 and to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Our office will be closed on the 25th and 26th of December, it will re-open on the 27th of December; it will also be closed on the 1st of January.
Dec 2017
11
Zero Hour Contracts - New Legislation
A new Bill, the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017, was published last week. According to the Employment and Social Protection Minister, Regina Doherty, the new Bill will prohibit zero hour contracts in most circumstances, as well as aiming to tackle problems caused by the increased casualisation of work and to strengthen the regulation of precarious work.
Key elements of the new Bill include:
Employers must give employees basic terms of employment within 5 days.
Within five days of a new employee starting employment, the employer must provide them with five core terms of employment. These 5 terms are:
- The full name of the employer and employee
- The address of the employer
- The expected duration of the contract (where it is a temporary or fixed-term contract)
- The rate or method of calculating pay
- What the employer reasonably expects the normal length of the employee’s working day and week will be.
Employers who fail to provide these basic terms, who deliberately mislead or give false information will be open to prosecution. This is a new offence.
In line with current legislation, the remaining terms of employment will still need to be provided within two months of the employee’s start date.
Zero hour contracts to be Prohibited in most circumstances.
Zero hour contracts will be prohibited in all circumstances except in cases of genuine casual work or where they are essential to allow employers to provide cover in an emergency situation or to cover short-term absences.
New minimum payment to be introduced.
Employees called into work but sent home again without work will now be entitled to a payment. Additionally, if an employee has not worked at all in a week or has worked less than 25% of their contract hours, they will also be entitled to a minimum payment. The payment shall be calculated as the pay that the employee would have receive had they worked the lesser of:
- 15 hours
- 25% of their normal contractual hours
- 25% of the work done for the employer that week
That minimum payment must be three times the National Minimum Wage or the rate set out in any applicable Employment Regulation Order.
Banded Hours
The Bill introduces new rights for new employees whose contract of employment does not reflect the reality of the hours they habitually work. For example, the contract states 15 hours per week where in reality the employee usually works 30 hours per week. After a work period of 18 months, an employee will be able to submit a written request to change their contractual hours. The employees request must be granted within two months, only in exceptional cases will the employer be permitted to refuse the request.
Penalisation of Employees
Employees seeking to invoke their employment rights under the Bill will have strong protections against penalisation. Where an employee successfully makes a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission, they could be entitled to up to four weeks’ remuneration.
What’s next
The Bill was presented to the Dail on Thursday 7th December 2017, it is hoped that the Bill will be taken at Second Stage early in the New Year.
To book a free online demo of Bright Contracts click here
To download your free trial of Bright Contracts click here
