Contents:

• Welcome
• What's New
• GrandMaster Update

Welcome!

March 2007 - 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.

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:

February 28, 2007 - Canada's New Government Invests In The Integration Of Skilled Immigrants Into The Workplace - The HRSDC Minister today announced that Canada's New Government will invest $2,789,469 to support employment integration for skilled immigrants. "By investing in this project, Canada's new government is delivering on our Advantage Canada commitment to increase the participation of immigrants in the workforce and ensure they have the opportunities and choices necessary to help them build a better and stronger future," said Minister Solberg. "Ultimately, the project will not only open doors for newcomers, it will also address our labour shortage." (Full Story)

February 14, 2007 - Canada Revenue Agency offers new electronic tool to help businesses - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is pleased to offer a new product that will benefit both small businesses and individuals – a CD-ROM that showcases electronic services for businesses and self-employed individuals that are available on the CRA website. The CD-ROM contains a wealth of information from starting a business, to keeping books and records, to filing options and the due dates for various returns and payments. (Full Story)

February 14, 2007 - The Canada Revenue Agency offers business tax help on Saturdays - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will provide service on its business enquiries telephone lines on two Saturdays, February 17, and 24, 2007, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (local time). This extended service will assist employers who need help preparing T4 slips for employees. The business enquiry telephone service operates year round with agent-assisted service available from Monday to Friday between 8:15 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Full Story)

February 1, 2007 - Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit - The Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit (AJCTC) is a non-refundable tax credit equal to 10% of the eligible salaries and wages payable to eligible apprentices in respect of employment after May 1, 2006. The maximum credit is $2,000 per year for each eligible apprentice. An "eligible apprentice" is someone who is working in a prescribed trade in the first two years of their apprenticeship contract. (Full Story)

February 1, 2007 - Tradesperson's Tools Deduction - The new tradesperson's tools deduction provides employed tradespersons with an annual deduction of up to $500 to help cover the cost of new tools necessary to their trade. The deduction applies to the total cost of eligible tools if certain conditions are met. (Full Story)

January, 2007 - Payroll Deductions Online Calculator (PDOC) - The CRA is now offering a Payroll Deductions Online Calculator (PDOC). It has the same features as the CD version of the tables, but is easier than downloading or installing the program. The online calculator is compatible with most operating systems. By using the PDOC, you help the CRA reduce printing and mailing costs, and thus save public funds. (Full Story)

Alberta:

February 2, 2007 - Safety Comes First - A strong commitment to health and safety has earned two Alberta employers the distinction of being 2007 WCB WorkSafe™ Award winners. The companies were recognized at the Alberta Chambers of Commerce Business Awards of Distinction Gala in Edmonton on Feb. 21. “The award winners clearly demonstrate their dedication to making safety a priority” says Guy Kerr, WCB president and CEO. (Full Story)

February 12, 2007 - Alberta Works implements debit card program province wide - Starting in summer, 2007, Albertans who receive income support through Alberta Works and who do not have bank accounts will have the option to receive their benefits with a debit card. A successful six-month pilot project showed debit cards to be faster and less expensive to administer than conventional cheques and that Albertans on social assistance overwhelmingly preferred the cards. The program is the first of its kind in Canada. (Full Story)

British Columbia:

February 27, 2007 - Enhanced Taxpayer Fairness And Service Code - Taxpayers in British Columbia will find more information on the audit commitment to timely service and improved customer satisfaction standards in the third edition of the Taxpayer Fairness and Service Code, launched today by Rick Thorpe, Minister of Small Business and Revenue and Minister responsible for Regulatory Reform. “Our ongoing partnership with small business and individual British Columbians has improved the clarity, timeliness and quality of the audit process, as well as other aspects of the Taxpayer Fairness and Service Code,” said Thorpe. (Full Story)

February 9, 2007 - B.C. Creates 32,000 New Jobs In January - British Columbia led the country in job creation in January, creating nearly 32,000 new jobs – the second highest monthly increase in 30 years, Finance Minister Carole Taylor announced today. “This positive job creation is really important to all B.C. families and I’m particularly pleased that Statistics Canada has highlighted the employment gains made by B.C.’s Aboriginal community,” said Taylor. Since January 2005, the employment rate for off-reserve Aboriginal people in British Columbia has increased by 5.5 percentage points to 58.5 per cent. (Full Story)

February 5, 2007 - WorkSafeBC 2006 penalty report - In 2006, WorkSafeBC imposed more than $1.5 million in penalties against 74 employers for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OH&S Regulation) and the Workers Compensation Act. A summary of the top eleven penalties, detailing the employer, the nature of the violation, and amount of each penalty is attached. Individual penalties ranged from $1,750 up to $195,000. In total, 154 penalties were recommended (in process) or imposed against employers in 2006. (Full Story)

Manitoba:

February 5, 2007 - WCB, WSHD Unveil First Ever Report on Illnesses and Injuries in the Manitoba Construction Sector - The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) and the Government of Manitoba's Workplace Safety and Health Division (WSHD) unveiled the first ever Injuries and Illnesses in the Manitoba Construction Sector report today, drawing attention to the need for increased injury prevention activity in this sector. The report provides a comprehensive review of injuries and illnesses in Manitoba’s construction sector for the period 2000 through 2005. (Full Story)

January 29, 2007 - WCB funds new prevention projects and announces priorities for 2007 - In its ongoing efforts to make Manitoba workplaces safer, the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) announced the latest funding recipients of its Community Initiatives and Research Program (CIRP) today. These eight groups will conduct projects that focus on preventing workplace injuries/illnesses, returning injured workers to health and work or promoting the special needs of workers suffering from occupational diseases. (Full Story)

New Brunswick:

February 20, 2007- Province provides more than $320,000 for training programs - The Province of New Brunswick has recently provided more than $320,000 for over 200 New Brunswickers to receive training in a variety of sectors. As a result of the province's Training and Skills Development (TSD) program, these New Brunswickers have upgraded their skills in specialized areas such as excavator and dozer training, GE gas turbine familiarization training and scaffolding training. The total funding for these training programs is $320,600 since mid-November 2006. (Full Story)

February 15, 2007- Amendments to Occupational Health and Safety Act - Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Ed Doherty today fulfilled a Throne Speech commitment by introducing legislation regarding joint health and safety committees in New Brunswick workplaces. Under current legislation, persons who serve on joint health and safety committees are not required to take any formal training. Doherty said one of the amendments in the bill will change this by requiring all persons who serve on such a committee to be formally trained. (Full Story)

February 9, 2007 - Unemployment rate drops to 8.1 per cent - The unemployment rate in New Brunswick dropped to 8.1 per cent compared to 8.5 per cent the previous month, Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Ed Doherty announced today. Figures released by Statistics Canada show that there were 357,300 New Brunswickers employed in January, up by 3,000 from last month. The monthly unemployment rate stood at 8.1 per cent in January, a decrease from December's unemployment rate of 8.5 per cent. (Full Story)

January 30, 2007 - Province provides funding to NB Film Co-op - The Government of New Brunswick is providing funding of $196,000 to the New Brunswick Filmmakers' Co-operative (NB Film Co-op) to improve its capacity to meet the evolving needs of the labour force. Taking part in today's announcement were Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Ed Doherty, and NB Film Co-op Executive Director Tony Merzetti. (Full Story)

Newfoundland and Labrador:

February 12, 2007 - January Labour Market Participation and Employment Levels at Historical High - According to the latest Labour Force Survey results, labour market conditions continue to improve in Newfoundland and Labrador. On a year-over-year basis, employment has increased and during the past six months continues to trend upward while the number of persons unemployed continues to decline. The figures indicate employment in January 2007 increased by 2.4 per cent in comparison to January 2006. (Full Story)

Nova Scotia:

February 16, 2007 - Minimum Wage to Rise May 1 - Nova Scotia's minimum wage will rise to $7.60 per hour beginning May 1, Mark Parent, Minister of Environment and Labour, said today, Feb. 16. The minimum wage for inexperienced workers -- those with less than three months employed in the type of work they are hired to do -- will rise to $7.15 per hour from $6.70. (Full Story)

February 15, 2007 - WCB issues Consumer Price Index (CPI) Payments - Statistics Canada has confirmed that the CPI for Nova Scotia for 2006 was 2.1%. Therefore, for 2007, the Nova Scotia Workers Compensation Board will adjust qualifying benefits by 1.05%. This is in keeping with the legislated formula the Board uses to calculate CPI adjustments -- 50% of the CPI for Nova Scotia in the previous year. (Full Story)

Nunavut:

February 15, 2007 - On-line Casual Employment System Launched - The Government of Nunavut has launched an on-line registration system for casual employment to help match applicants with available casual job opportunities within the government. “We are very pleased to launch this new system,” said Minister of Human Resources Louis Tapardjuk. The system will make it faster to match applicants with available job opportunities. (Full Story - PDF)

Ontario:

February 27, 2007 - McGuinty Government Offers Full-time Job Opportunity for Every Ontario Nursing Graduate - The McGuinty government is investing $89 million to guarantee that up to 4,000 new nursing graduates in Ontario will have the opportunity for a full-time job this year, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today. Beginning this spring, the 4,000 nursing students expected to graduate will have the opportunity for a full-time job in the health care field – which includes the hospital, long-term care, home care, mental health, public health and primary health care sectors. (Full Story)

February 6, 2007 -Mcguinty Government Building Opportunity For Newcomers - Canada's first provincial government internship program for internationally trained professionals is helping skilled newcomers get work in their fields, said Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. Premier McGuinty made his comments at the annual meeting of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, an organization that works to find employment for immigrants in the GTA. (Full Story)

January 31, 2007 - Ontario's Minimum Wage Rises - The Ontario government is raising the minimum wage tomorrow, February 1, 2007, for the fourth time since taking office, said Labour Minister Steve Peters. "We are providing Ontario's lowest-paid and most vulnerable workers with the fourth increase in the minimum wage in four years," said Peters. The McGuinty government will increase Ontario's minimum wage by 17 per cent - from $6.85 an hour to $8.00 an hour, February 1, 2007. (Full Story)

Saskatchewan:

February 28, 2007 - Minimum Wage Rises - Saskatchewan’s minimum wage rose by 40 cents an hour March 1, 2007. The increase moves the provincial minimum wage from $7.55 an hour to $7.95 an hour and is the third and final stage of a three-stage increase announced in June 2005. "As our economy grows and prospers, it is important that all Saskatchewan residents benefit," Labour Minister David Forbes said. "This increase to the minimum wage helps minimum wage earners build better futures by providing them a greater share in the growing economy they have helped to build." (Full Story)

February 12, 2007 - Student Employment Grant Applications Now Accepted - Applications from employers who want to take part in the Student Employment Experience and Green Team student employment programs for 2007-08 are now being accepted. Since the introduction of the Student Employment Experience last year, 725 students have gained quality employment in Saskatchewan. Since 1995, the provincial government has helped create over 7,000 career-quality jobs for students. (Full Story)

February 9, 2007 - Job Numbers Continue Record Hot Pace - Saskatchewan continues to set job records and has started 2007 with the best January ever for people working in the province. Statistics Canada figures released today show that a record 493,400 people were employed last month in the province (seasonally unadjusted figure). That’s up 22,600 over the figure for January 2006 and tops by 20,000 the old record for January set two years ago. (Full Story)

February 9, 2007- Consultations On Proposed Workplace Health And Safety Improvements Begin - Consultations on proposed changes to Occupational Health & Safety regulations will begin immediately. "Healthy and safe workplaces are of vital importance to ensuring Saskatchewan people benefit from our prosperous economy," Labour Minister David Forbes said. "Saskatchewan has long enjoyed a reputation as a leader in workplace health and safety issues and we want to continue to build on the successes." (Full Story)

February 8, 2007 - Increased Job Opportunities For First Nations And Métis People - The Government of Saskatchewan signed a partnership agreement today to increase job opportunities for First Nations and Métis people in the province. "The Aboriginal Employment Development Program will assist Boards of Education to develop welcoming workplaces that will help increase employment opportunities, employment success and the retention of First Nations and Métis employees," Learning Minister Deb Higgins said. (Full Story)

The current release of GrandMaster Suite (5.32) incorporates a number of changes to make it even easier to use the program and perform your payroll tasks. Program changes since our last Payroll News issue include:

• The cheque date has been added to the Payroll Remittance Report - We have enhanced the Payroll Remittance Report to include the pay sequence Cheque Date
  when you print the report with the Print Sequence Detail option selected. This is useful if you need to know the pay sequences to include or were included in a remittance to the Receiver General.
• The Payroll Register Report now shows employee payroll status - With this release we have modified the Payroll Register Report to include the employee’s payroll status along with the First Day Worked, Recall Date or Last Day Worked depending on the status. If the employee is currently active the date shown will be the First Day Worked. If the employee has a Recall Date that falls within the current pay sequence, the Recall Date will be shown. All other status options would show the employee’s Last Day Worked. This change becomes helpful when you have employees who are non-active and have accumulator balance amounts from a prior year. With the change you may clearly identify these employees so that any necessary adjustments may be made.
• PPIP totals are missing on the T4/T4A Data Report - The T4/T4A Data Report did not show PPIP amounts to box 55 and 56. While PPIP or QPIP in Québec is currently only payable to Québec the CRA is requiring that you show the amount of the PPIP/QPIP premiums and insurable earnings in boxes 55 and 56 respectively. Therefore, these amounts should have been included in the T4/T4A Data Report.
• EI amounts are excluded from the Payroll Register on an Advance Cheque Run - When you performed an Advance Cheque Run for an employee where there was no current EI calculated the EI would be dropped from the Payroll Register even if there was an existing YTD amount. This has been corrected with this release.
• EI does not calculate when the employee Tax and WCB province differ - When calculating a pay where the employee tax province and WCB province differ EI was not calculated. This has been corrected.
• The EI benefit amount is not adjusted correctly on a Reversal Pay Calculation - When reversing an employee’s initial pay of the current year the EI benefit amount was not reversed from the EI benefit YTD amount. This has been corrected with this release.
• The RL-1 XML file layout has changed requiring a change to the XML magnetic media - The RL-1 XML file layout has been changed by Revenu Québec for the 2006 tax year. These changes have been included in this release. Additionally, Revenu Québec has approved our RL-1 test files and provided CanPay Software Inc. with a Software Certification Number for 2006. This number has been hard-coded into the RL-1 Magnetic Media process.
• The EI amounts were incorrect after running the History or EI History Re-write utilities - If you had run the utility programs UTHISREW and UTUICREW on your payroll the employee EI amounts were not consistent when you compared a Transaction Report to report all employee EI amounts with the Payroll Register, Payroll Range Report and the Payroll Remittance Report. This problem seemed to be isolated to processing in the two utility programs and has been corrected with this release and each of the three reports will be consistent with the employee EI transactions and with each other.

• • •

Visit CanPay's News page and view the latest Release Notes for a complete listing of program changes.

GrandMaster Suite Licensing - To speed up the licensing process for GrandMaster Suite, CanPay would like your feedback on a proposed move to eliminate the use of 3.5" floppies for licensing purposes -- moving instead to an e-mail only distribution method. With many new computers being shipped without floppy disk support at all, the e-mail method would ensure that you receive your update faster and also help to avoid unneccesary delays that may result from the regular mail process. Please send us your comments and let us know if you wish to begin recieving your updates via e-mail only -- send your requests/comments to admin@canpay.com.

People Skills
Best Managers Have Social Intelligence (Part 1 of 2)
Barbara Bowes

If you took some time to look at the successful leaders around you and really assess what makes them so successful, you'll find that it's a lot more than simply logical thinking or cognitive intellectual skills. In fact, if you look closely, you'll see that these successful leaders are especially talented at using their people skills.

They seem to be able to understand others, what motivates them, and how to manage them. They are able to develop positive interpersonal relationships, create synergistic teams and build high-performance organizations. These successful leaders have a high level of a key leadership competency called social intelligence.

The concept of social intelligence has been gaining considerable attention these days, particularly since researchers over the past 10 years have begun reporting their findings on multiple intelligences. In fact, Dr. Karl Albrecht, an author and well-known management consultant suggests that we have six categories of intelligence -- abstract, practical, esthetic, kinesthetic, emotional and social -- all of which combine into a tool kit of capabilities that we use as we go about our life and work.

Social intelligence is defined as strategic social awareness, a key skill that enables us to understand our social space and to relate and develop relationships with people. But social intelligence is far more than just getting along with people; it's more about how you develop these relationships. An individual with high social intelligence will be able to develop relationships with people that result in high productivity, energy, loyalty and commitment.

Albrecht suggests there are five key dimensions of social intelligence. These include:

• Reading the situation -- The ability to observe and quickly understand a specific situation so that you can choose the most appropriate behaviour to respond.
  Presence -- Your sense of "being" as demonstrated by body language, self-confidence and your sense of self-worth.
• Authenticity -- Personal behaviour that gives a sense of honesty.
• Clarity -- The use of clear communication and effective use of language.
• Empathy -- The ability to connect with other people.
• Social intelligence is now recognized as one of the most critically important skills that we need to be an effective employee and a successful leader. In fact we all know of a leader who is incredibly intelligent but has not had an overly successful career because he or she lacked good people skills or social intelligence. Thankfully, however, with personal commitment, time and coaching, social intelligence can be learned. Here are some simple strategies you can apply.

Please return next month for the conclusion of this article.

Source: Workplace Success often tied to Social Intelligence, Copley News Service, March 2006, Social Intelligence: A Varient of Emotional Intelligence?, www.team-inc.net,

Barbara J. Bowes, FCHRP, CMC, is president of BowesHR a leading, Manitoba human resource consulting firm. She can be reached at barb@bowesgroup.com or www.boweshr.com