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| An Educational Service of CanPay Software Inc. |
January
2004
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Contents: Featured Article: Should you make friends at work? (Part 2 of 2) Tip of the Month: New Human Resources Management Website
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NOTE: This archive references other sites on the World Wide Web. From time to time, an article's link may be moved or deleted from the host site. If you encounter an out-of-date link, please e-mail the thepayrollnews@canpay.com. | ||||||||||
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January 2004- Welcome to the latest edition of The Payroll News. As always, please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends and associates who are interested in keeping up with the latest changes in the Payroll industry. Or better yet, subscribe them for free using the Tell Others About Us link.
What's New in Canadian Payroll Listed here are recent changes in legislation on Federal and Provincial levels that may impact your payroll calculations. Please view the following list for changes that affect your region. FEDERAL: December 17, 2003 - Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefit rates effective January 2004 - The Department of Social Development today announced that Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) benefit rates will be increased as of January 1, 2004. Canadians already receiving CPP benefits as of December 2003 will receive an increase of 3.2 percent. CPP benefits are adjusted once a year, in January, based on changes over a 12-month period in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Statistics Canada cost-of-living measure. (Full Story - 590 Words) December 3, 2003 - CCRA interest rates for the first calendar quarter - The CCRA today announced the prescribed interest rates that will apply to amounts owed to the CCRA, and to amounts the CCRA owes to individuals and corporations. These rates are calculated quarterly in accordance with applicable legislation and will be in effect from January 1, 2004 to March 31, 2004. The interest rate charged on overdue taxes, Canada Pension Plan contributions, and Employment Insurance Premiums will be 7%. The interest rate paid on overpayments will be 5%. The interest rate used to calculate taxable benefits for employees and shareholders from interest-free and low-interest loans will be 3%. (Full Story - 260 Words) December 23, 2003 - 2004 Automobile Deduction Limits and Expense Benefit Rates for Business - Ralph Goodale, Minister of Finance, confirmed today that the automobile expense deduction limits and the prescribed rates for the automobile operating expense benefit will remain at the current levels for 2004. For example, the ceiling on the capital cost of passenger vehicles for capital cost allowance (CCA) purposes will remain at $30,000 (plus applicable federal and provincial sales taxes) for purchases after 2003. (Full Story - 476 Words) December 1, 2003 - Supplementary Social Security Agreement between Canada and Germany helps Canadian Jews qualify for German pensions - HRDC Minister Jane Stewart announced today that the Supplementary Agreement on Social Security between Canada and Germany has entered into force. The Supplementary Agreement amends the original agreement signed in 1985 which applies to Canada's Old Age Security program, the Canada Pension Plan, and Germany's pension program. (Full Story - 600 Words) December 11, 2003 - Department of Finance Posts Results of Employment Insurance (EI) Rate-Setting Consultations - During pre-budget consultations, a number of stakeholders asked the Government to develop a more transparent and sustainable process for setting EI contribution rates. In response, the Government conducted consultations on a new permanent rate-setting regime for 2005 and beyond. A summary of submissions has been posted on the Department of Finance Web site. (Full Story - 115 Words) December 18, 2003 - Interim Measure Extended on Deductibility of Provincial Payroll and Capital Taxes - The Minister of Finance announced today that the interim measure that limits the deductibility of increases in provincial payroll and capital taxes will continue to apply in 2004. Under the interim measure, any existing provincial payroll and capital taxes will remain deductible for federal income tax purposes, but any increases in these taxes by way of provincial actions to increase the rate, change the definition of the base or introduce new taxes would not be deductible. (Full Story - 186 Words) Alberta: December 17, 2003 - New Act strengthens link between income support and training - Legislation building on Alberta's success at helping people move from income support to the work force will be phased in starting in January 2004. The Income and Employment Supports Act establishes how the government will help families meet their basic needs and help employable people find and keep jobs. (Full Story - 587 Words) December 16, 2003 - New awards recognize safety innovations - Outstanding individuals and organizations will be recognized for their efforts at improving workplace safety in Alberta. Applications are now available for the first annual Awards for Innovation in Workplace Health and Safety, which recognize the most original health and safety initiatives in Alberta workplaces over the past year. (Full Story - 319 Words) Manitoba: December 4, 2003 - Manitoba to raise minimum wage - Labour and Immigration Minister Nancy Allan today announced Manitoba’s minimum wage will increase by 25 cents to $7.00 per hour, effective April 1, 2004. "Our approach has been to adjust the rate gradually and in smaller increments," said Allan. "This implementation method is more fair and manageable for an employer while still allowing us to increase the purchasing power of low income earners." The last increases, based on the 2001 Minimum Wage Board report, were in April of 2002 and 2003. (Full Story - 253 Words) December 11, 2003 - Workers Compensation Board Invests in Manitoba's Future - The $3.2 million the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) has invested in Smartpark contributes to the economic development of Manitoba and benefits the workers and employers the WCB serves. "Our investment in Smartpark fits well with the WCB's mandate to invest in favourable opportunities that support the economic development in Manitoba," said Wally Fox-Decent, WCB Chairperson. The WCB's $3.2 million investment will finance the construction of a new building at 137 Innovation Drive. (Full Story - 406 Words) December 2003 - 8 Steps to Employers' Assessment Rates in 2004 - Although all employers share in the costs needed to pay the claims of injured workers and the cost of running the WCB system, firms will pay more or less depending on their own claims experience and the claims experience of their industry. The goal of the Rate Setting Model (RSM) is to assign rates that are based fairly upon claims experience, encourage employers to prevent accidents from happening in the first place and promote efficient and appropriate return to work programs. An employer's claims experience will determine where they fit in accordance with the rate range applicable to their industry. (Full Story - 1494 Words) New Brunswick: December 19, 2003 - Minimum wage to increase by 20 cents Jan. 1, 2004 - The new year will bring in a 20-cent-an-hour increase to the provincial minimum wage. The change will take effect Jan. 1, 2004 bringing the minimum wage to $6.20. This increase represents a 10 per cent raise overall. (Full Story - 488 Words) December 9, 2003 - Compassionate care focus of new amendment to Employment Standards Act - Ensuring the availability of compassionate leave for employees in the province with critically or terminally ill family members was the focus of an amendment to the Employment Standards Act introduced today. All employees under the act are eligible for unpaid compassionate care leave, regardless of their entitlement to the new EI benefit or to their length of service with their employer. (Full Story - 478 Words) December 1, 2003 - Changes made to pensions regulations - The provincial government has made new regulation changes under the Pension Benefits Act which will help some pension plans in the province address their funding concerns, Training and Employment Development Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney announced today. Changes include a revision in the threshold for unlocking small pensions, permitting a pension to be interrupted if a pensioner wishes to return to work and accrue additional benefits, increasing the minimum pre-retirement death benefit from 60 per cent to 100 per cent of the commuted value of the pension; and eligibility for a deferred pension at the earlier of five years of employment and two years of continuous plan membership. (Full Story - 445 Words) December 5, 2003 - More New Brunswickers working in November - There were 4,700 more New Brunswickers working in November than in the previous month, and the province led the country with a unemployment rate decrease of 0.6 per cent as compared to October,Training and Employment Development Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney reported today. (Full Story - 333 Words) December 9, 2003 - Legislation centers on right to refuse unsafe work - Legislation to clarify the extent of an employee's right to refuse unsafe work, and to protect private homeowners from liability under An Act to Amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act, was introduced today by Training and Employment Development Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney. (Full Story - 396 Words) Northwest Territories: December 9, 2003 - Compensation for injured workers increases - The WCB today announced an increase in its Year’s Maximum Insurable Remuneration (YMIR) to $66,500 for 2004. The YMIR is the maximum amount of salary or wages for which a worker is fully covered by the WCB. The WCB’s level of coverage means that 80 percent of Northern workers will be fully compensated for lost wages in the event of a workplace injury. The YMIR determines benefits payable to an injured worker, but is also used to determine employer payroll assessments. (Full Story - 200 Words) Nova Scotia: December 1, 2003 - Government of Canada provides funding to support new employment initiative - The HRDC today announced funding of $97,261 for an employment assistance project by the Weymouth Falls Community Council. The Weymouth Falls Community Council will provide approximately 50 unemployed people in the Weymouth/Digby area with employment counselling services and support them in obtaining further academic upgrading, meaningful employment or entrepreneurial opportunities. (Full Story - 232 Words) December 22, 2003 - Compassionate Care Legislation Coming Into Effect - Nova Scotians will have more time to spend with and care for loved ones who are gravely ill with new legislation that comes into effect on Jan. 4, 2004. Changes to the Labour Standards Code provide up to eight weeks of unpaid leave to employees who wish to provide palliative care to a parent, child or spouse. (Full Story - 328 Words) Prince Edward Island: December 24, 2003 - Amendments to Employment Standards Act Create Provisions for Compassionate Care Leave - Elmer MacFadyen, Minister responsible for Labour, today announced that An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, received approval creating a new provision for Compassionate Care Leave. The amendment will provide up to eight weeks' unpaid compassionate leave for employees to care for or support terminally ill members of their immediate family. (Full Story - 248 Words) Saskatchewan: December 8, 2003 - Persons with disabilities provided with employment opportunities through vocational evaluations - Support was announced today for a project that will increase job opportunities for persons with disabilities. The Saskatchewan Abilities Council will receive funding under the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities administered by Human Resources Development Canada to provide individuals in the Swift Current area with a vocational evaluation. (Full Story - 372 Words) Yukon: December 12, 2003 - Formula in Legislation Affects Workers' Benefits and Employers' Assessments in 2004 - The Workers' Compensation Act requires the Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board to use a different formula to determine maximums affecting workers' benefits and employers' assessment payments in 2004. The formula means the maximum wage rate, and maximum assessable earnings, will decline from $66,200 in 2003 to $65,800 in 2004. The decline means those workers receiving benefits at or near the maximum in 2003 will see a reduction - about $25 per month in 2004. This will affect roughly 50 claimants, out of roughly 750 who receive payments. (Full Story - 408 Words) GrandMaster Update The year-end release of GrandMaster Suite (3.90.00) incorporates a number of changes to make it even easier to use the program and perform your payroll tasks. Recent program changes since our last Payroll News issue include:
Stay tuned to CanPay's Product News page to receive the latest changes and release information for all GrandMaster products! Should you make friends at work? (Part 2 of 2) While there are many kinds of friendships in the workplace, Jan Yager, a leading expert in workplace friendships, suggests a casual friendship is the most effective for all concerned. She defines a casual friend as someone who will go that extra mile as long as you don't ask too often or too much from them. She also suggests a casual friendship is safer because it does not include the sharing of personal intimacies and is, therefore less open to gossip. The answer to the earlier question then, is yes, you should form good friendships at work. There are benefits to you, your colleagues and your employer, but you'll have to create your own guidelines for doing so. Perhaps the following criteria will be of some help. Apply a one-year timeframe - Develop your work relationships slowly. Get to know your coworkers. Listen for their values, interests and sense of integrity. Watch them through all four seasons. Are they consistent in their thoughts and behaviour. Identify the benefit of your friendship and determine the kind of relationship you want. Keep personal affairs private - While you might share some global aspects of your personal affairs, hold back on details. Can you trust your friend? What is the risk of gossip? Remember, once information has been shared, it can't be taken back. Always be professional - Try to select people who are broad thinkers, who don't get bogged down with petty details. Look for people who see the world as a glass half-full rather than half-empty. Negativity will only drag you down. Stay away from complainers who gain pleasure from whining rather than finding solutions to problems. Always be conscious of your credibility and stay professional. Be a good listener - Listen to a friend's woes, but ask how they will be handling the challenge rather than providing them with all of the solutions. There is nothing more disheartening than hearing a lot of "yes, but" answers. Avoid engaging in gossip or contributing to negative comments about managers or other colleagues. Avoid friendship cliques - Maintain a broad range of workplace friends. This allows you to experience different views as well as learn about other aspects of your workplace. Cliques often result in career derailment, especially if they're known to have a negative influence. Make a name for yourself by taking the initiative to reach out to new employees, particularly those who are new to your community and haven't had an opportunity to develop other friendships. Maintain an external network - While it's nice to have friends at work, it's also a good idea to develop and maintain friendships outside of work. These friends will be there for you when the workplace friendships collapse, a new boss arrives or the workplace undergoes downsizing and you find yourself out on the street. Finally, no matter what kind of friendships you have at work, I'm sure you'll face the occasional challenge that requires care and nurturing in order to survive. But knowing that most companies don't try to regulate personal friendships in the workplace, it'll will be up to you to take the lead in contributing to a positive working environment. Courtesy
of Barbara J. Bowes and the Winnipeg Free Press.
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