Since 1st January 2013, the employer is responsible for collecting PAYE due on Illness Benefit issued to employees, without exception. There is no alternative treatment or option but for the employer to calculate and collect the PAYE regardless of whether or not:
The employer should assume the employee is in receipt of Illness Benefit once the period of illness exceeds six consecutive days and must start to account for Illness Benefit in this first pay period. The employer should assume the employee is in receipt of the full €188 until notified otherwise.
In the majority of cases the employee’s tax credit and SRCOP will cover the PAYE payable on the Illness Benefit within each pay period.
Thesaurus Payroll Manager continues to cater for these measures in the 2016 version of Thesaurus Payroll Manager, featuring an Illness Benefit tool to automate the process of taxing the Illness Benefit for the employer. It is important that employers access and use this feature for any Illness Benefit issued to an employee from 01st January 2016 in the very first applicable pay period in order to:
A wizard is included in the 2016 payroll software to assist you in calculating the taxable Illness Benefit. The software will treat it accordingly for PAYE thereafter.
Need help? Support is available at 01 8352074 or thesauruspayrollsupport@brightsg.com.