Contents:

• Welcome
• What's New
• GrandMaster Update

March 2010 - 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:

March 16, 2010 - The Canada Revenue Agency announces the launch of Information Webinars for small businesses - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is pleased to announce the launch of Small Business Information Webinars as part of ongoing efforts to assist Canadians in understanding their tax responsibilities and how the CRA is available to help them .(Full Story)

March 12, 2010 - Government of Canada invests in skills development and work experience programming - Canadians with low literacy will benefit from federal funding for projects that will help them develop the skills needed to participate in the job market. Mr. Lee Richardson, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. (Full Story)

March 9, 2010 - CRA Announces Interest rates for the second calendar quarter - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) today announced the prescribed annual interest rates that will apply to amounts owed to the CRA and to amounts the CRA owes to individuals and corporations. These rates are calculated quarterly according to applicable legislation. The rates indicated below will be in effect from April 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010. (Full Story)

March 4, 2010 - Budget 2010: Leading the Way on Jobs and Growth - Minister of Finance, Jim Flaherty today tabled a budget plan that builds on Canada's economic recovery with action to create jobs and growth, sustains our nation's economic advantages and includes a disciplined plan to return to balanced budgets. "In this budget, we are completing our Economic Action Plan to create jobs now. We are taking additional measures to protect existing jobs and create new jobs." Said Flaherty. (Full Story)

February 26, 2010 - New Tax Proposals to Accommodate Employee Life and Health Trusts - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty today announced his intention to propose amendments to the Income Tax Act to accommodate employee life and health trusts. "These proposed amendments will ensure that a fair and neutral tax regime applies to employee life and health trusts. The Government of Canada remains committed to a fair and competitive tax system."(Full Story)

February 22, 2010 - New employment insurance web videos improve service to Canadians - The Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development today announced the launch of the new Employment Insurance (EI) self-help Web videos now available on the Service Canada Web site. "The Government of Canada is making it faster and easier for Canadians to get their benefits," said Minister Finley. "Through these Web videos, Service Canada staff guide clients through the online Employment Insurance application process." (Full Story)

February 10, 2010 - Government of Canada taking action to increase labour mobility for paramedics - The Government of Canada is working with its provincial and territorial partners to ensure that paramedics are free to practice their occupation wherever opportunities may exist. Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the government is taking concrete action to make full labour mobility a reality. It benefits workers and employers alike; workers have a wider range of opportunities and employers have a larger and richer pool of qualified candidates. (Full Story)

February 10, 2010 - Federal Government helps foreign-trained professionals find work in environmental sector - The Government of Canada is supporting a project to help better integrate foreign-trained workers into the Canadian workforce through an initiative with the environmental sector. The Environmental Careers Organization of Canada (ECO Canada) will receive $1,294,865 in Foreign Credential Recognition Program funding for its Environmental Sector Immigration Strategy. (Full Story)

February 2, 2010 - Canada's Economic Action Plan creates jobs for students from coast to coast to coast - The Government of Canada today invited employers to submit their applications for funding through Canada Summer Jobs 2010. "Canada Summer Jobs plays a key role in meeting the needs of students through work experience, while supporting organizations that provide important services to our communities," said Minister Finley. " This is part of our overall strategy to create the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world." (Full Story)

February 1, 2010 - Employment Insurance extension to self-employed Canadians comes into effect - In one of the most significant enhancements to the EI program in a decade, as of January 31, self-employed Canadians are able to register for the Employment Insurance (EI) program, which will extend to them maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, collectively called special benefits. (Full Story)

Alberta:

March 26, 2010 - Alberta Works benefits changed for income support clients - Effective April 1, some Alberta Works income support benefits will be adjusted in order to improve fairness for clients and simplify administration. There are three categories of income support recipients - Expected to Work (ETW), Not Expected to Work (NETW) and Learners. The adjustments will affect some core Learner benefits and some supplementary benefits available to all three categories. (Full Story)

March 22, 2010 - Input invited on regulations for employment agencies - Albertans are invited to provide input on existing rules for employment agencies in the province to make sure they fit well with the province's current and future economy. "In the past decade, the province has changed dramatically," said Heather Klimchuk, Minister of Service Alberta and responsible for consumer services. "More workers have come here from other provinces and other countries. So this is a good time to review the rules for employment agencies and make sure they're appropriate, particularly as Alberta's economy recovers in the years ahead." (Full Story)

March 8, 2010 - Ad campaign boosts drive to reduce workplace injuries - The Alberta government has launched a new public awareness campaign to educate Albertans about workplace health and safety. The television and radio advertisements focus on how to avoid injuries that can be caused by everyday objects such as a bucket, a ladder or a nail. "The main point of this campaign is to remind Albertans that every workplace injury or illness is preventable," said Employment and Immigration Minister Thomas Lukaszuk. (Full Story)

February 19, 2010 - Limit on costs of payday loans protects Alberta consumers - Payday loan companies in Alberta will only be able to charge a maximum of $23 for every $100 consumers borrow beginning March 1. The Alberta government introduced payday loan regulations last year, but the maximum rate required federal government approval before coming into effect. Under the Payday Loans Regulation, the maximum cost of borrowing includes interest as well as any fees lenders charge as a condition of the loan. (Full Story)

February 5, 2010 - Alberta's minimum wage to remain the same through 2010 - Ensuring Albertans in entry-level positions keep working, and that our province's small businesses remain viable and competitive through global economic recovery, Alberta's minimum wage of $8.80 per hour will remain as is through 2010. "This decision reflects what government feels will both protect jobs during these uncertain economic times and support the economy," said Thomas Lukaszuk, Minister of Employment and Immigration. (Full Story)

December 2009 - Temporary Foreign Worker Guide for Employers - The Employment Alberta website offers a guide that will help ensure employers are meeting the requirements related to the federal Temporary Foreign Worker Program, employment standards, workplace health and safety, contracting an employment agency, worker's compensation, Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta, and the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program. (Full Story - PDF)

British Columbia:

March 24, 2010 - Industry symposium focuses on roofing safety - The two-day Putting the Roof on Injuries Symposium starting today at Okanagan College examines falls and other safety challenges that make roofing a high risk industry for workers. The workplace injury rate for roofing far exceeds the average provincial injury rate for all industries in B.C. In 2008, the overall injury rate for all industries was 2.96 per 100 person years of employment. (Full Story)

March 11, 2010 - WorkSafeBC 2009 Penalty Report - In 2009, WorkSafeBC imposed a record total penalty amount of more than $4.4 million against employers for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and the Workers Compensation Act. In 2009, 211 penalties were imposed against 190 employers, totalling $4,465,313.40. Individual penalties ranged from $1,000 up to $250,000. The previous record amount was a total of $4,256,516 for 221 penalties imposed in 2007. (Full Story)

March 10, 2010 - Government of Canada helps Kamloops youth prepare for jobs - Local youth who face barriers to employment will get job-preparation training through the Government of Canada's support for an employment project. Ms. Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, made the announcement today. "In today's environment, it is more important than ever that youth develop the skills they need to participate and succeed in the job market," said Ms. McLeod. (Full Story)

Manitoba:

March 25, 2010 - Manitoba Launches Three New Initiatives To Strengthen Province's Workforce With Apprenticeships - The province is moving to strengthen Manitoba's workforce with apprenticeships by launching three new initiatives that include investing $2 million to create over 600 apprenticeship seats and proclaiming legislation on April 1 that will strengthen the province's economy by promoting skill development and expanding tax credits that make it easier for businesses to hire students, Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade Minister Peter Bjornson announced today. (Full Story)

March 11, 2010 - WCB in a pilot project to reduce work-related injuries in the agriculture industry - The Manitoba WCB has awarded Manitoba's Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) a grant to develop a pilot project that will provide occupational health and safety services to farmers and farm workers. The grant has been awarded via the WCB's Research and Workplace Innovation Program (RWIP), which makes available $1 million each year to fund high quality scientific research and programs that develop, implement or evaluate innovative, practical, shop-floor solutions for improving workplace health and safety. (Full Story)

New Brunswick:

March 17, 2010 - WorkSafeNB Promotes Farm Safety Guide - Spring is in the air and with farmers gearing up for another growing season, WorkSafeNB and the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) want them to avoid injuries on the farm by participating in National Farm Safety Week, March 14 - 20, 2010. They handed out a Farm Safety Guide to nearly 100 growers from the region and explained how the booklet's checklists are used to identify hazards on farms. Farmers can use the guide to create a health & safety plan to prioritize hazards so they can be addressed quickly. (Full Story - PDF)

March 12, 2010 - 1,400 more New Brunswickers working compared to last month - A total of 365,900 New Brunswickers were employed in February - 1,400 more than in January and 300 more than in the same month last year. These were the highlights as Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Donald Arseneault reported on New Brunswick's results in the labour force survey for February from Statistics Canada. The labour force in New Brunswick stood at 402,600 in February - 900 more than last month and 600 more than the same month last year. (Full Story)

February 5, 2010 - Labour force up by 500 in January - The labour force in the province stood at 401,700 in January, 500 more than in the previous month. The Statistics Canada figures show that employment numbers for New Brunswick stood at 364,500 in January, down 900 from December and down 3,400 compared to the same period last year. The unemployment rate in New Brunswick increased to 9.3 per cent in January compared to 8.9 per cent in the previous month. (Full Story)

Newfoundland and Labrador:

March 23, 2010 - Employment Transitions Program Extended to Labrador - Through the expansion of the Employment Transitions program, single parents in the Labrador region may now receive dedicated employment transition support. Employment Transitions allows single parents to participate in a nine-week program consisting of sessions that focus on career planning, job readiness, job maintenance, and life skills. (Full Story)

March 12, 2010 - Governments Discuss Opportunities to Improve Labour Market Services on the North Coast of Labrador - Both levels of Government met this week to discuss Newfoundland and Labrador's labour market programs and the services available to residents of Inuit communities on the North Coast. It was an excellent opportunity to engage government-to-government in open dialogue about the labour market challenges that exist on the North Coast of Labrador. (Full Story)

March 8, 2010 - Government of Canada helps Chapel Arm youth prepare for jobs - Local youth who face barriers to employment will get job-preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada's support for an employment project. Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, said "By supporting this project, we are helping Chapel Arm youth develop the skills, knowledge and work experience they need to reach their full potential." (Full Story)

February 11, 2010 - Employers to Benefit from New HR Toolkit - Employers throughout the province now have easy access to human resource management support in the form of a free, comprehensive toolkit. The Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, officially launched www.nlhrmanager.ca today at the Canadian Home Builders Association - Eastern Newfoundland's Home Forum. (Full Story)

Nova Scotia:

March 6, 2010 - Government of Canada helps youth with disabilities in Nova Scotia prepare for jobs - Local youth who face barriers to employment will get job-preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada's support for an employment project. Mr. Greg Kerr, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Member of Parliament for West Nova. "By supporting this project, we are helping self-identified youth with disabilities in Digby develop the skills, knowledge and work experience they need to reach their full potential." (Full Story)

March 5, 2010 - Department Seeks Input on Pension Reform - The Department of Labour and Workforce Development released a discussion paper today, March 5, to gather more input from employers, employees, unions and industry about private-sector pension-plan management. The Nova Scotia Pension Review Panel filed its final report last year and the department has accepted about 90 per cent of the recommendations. (Full Story)

February 15, 2010 - Minimum Wage to Rise on April 1 - Nova Scotians will see the minimum wage increase to $9.20 on April 1. This is a 6.9 per cent increase from the current rate of $8.60. The minimum wage for inexperienced workers, with less than three months' experience in the work for which they were hired, will rise to $8.70 an hour from $8.10 an hour. According to the schedule approved in 2008, the next increase will occur on Oct. 1., resulting in a 4.8 per cent increase to $9.65 per hour. (Full Story)

February 11, 2010 - New General Entitlement - Occupational Disease Program Policy Approved - The Board of Directors have approved the new program policy, Policy 1.2.14 General Entitlement - Occupational Disease Recognition. This program policy identifies and communicates the principles and questions the WCB considers in determining whether a disease is arising out of and in the course of employment. This policy does not change, expand, or limit the existing criteria used to determine recognition of an occupational disease; rather, it improves transparency and accountability regarding the WCB's decision-making process. (Full Story)

Ontario:

March 22, 2010 - Helping Live-In Caregivers - A ban on recruitment fees is among a series of new protections for foreign live-in caregivers in Ontario that comes into effect today. Under the Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act, the province is providing expanded protections for some of Ontario's most vulnerable workers. (Full Story)

March 15, 2010 - Government of Canada helps youth in Ottawa prepare for jobs - Local youth who face barriers to employment will receive job-preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada's support for an employment project. Royal Galipeau, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Orléans, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. (Full Story)

March 5, 2010 - Ontario Increases Minimum Wage - Ontario is raising the minimum wage to $10.25 on March 31, 2010. This is the seventh increase since 2004. The province of Ontario started implementing annual increases early in 2003, raising the general minimum wage from $6.85 in 2004 to $9.50 in 2009. Phasing in these increases balances the needs of hard working families with the needs of small businesses that create jobs. (Full Story)

February 9, 2010 - New Bursaries Will Help Newcomers Get Training And Experience - A new education bursary is being introduced to help newcomers get the local training they need to find a job in their field. The Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program will help cover the cost of short-term college and university bridge training programs that are not covered under the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). The 19-month pilot project is expected to help more than 1,800 newcomers enter bridge training programs in high-demand fields. (Full Story)

February 1, 2010 - Ontario Launches Summer Jobs Programs - More than 100,000 students will find jobs and gain important work experience this summer with assistance from the Ontario government. Through Employment Ontario's Summer Jobs website, students can; Find job listings, Get help to improve their marketing skills and resumé writing, Learn how to start their own Summer Company, and Apply for summer jobs with the Ontario Government. (Full Story)

Prince Edward Island:

March 26th, 2010 - Important Information For Workers Who Obtain Prescriptions - Prescription claims for Workers Compensation Board clients are adjudicated electronically through the Medavie Blue Cross system. The Workers Compensation Board of Prince Edward Island has been advised the majority of Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacies in Atlantic Canada will no longer participate in the Medavie Blue Cross claim reimbursement process as of March 16, 2010. (Full Story)

March 22, 2010 - Government of Canada helps promote skilled trades to Prince Edward Island youth - Local youth will have the opportunity to get assistance in making informed decisions on future career, education and training choices thanks to support from the Government of Canada. "In today's environment, it is more important than ever that young Canadians have the skills and information they need to participate and succeed in the job market." said Minister Shea. (Full Story)

February 23, 2010 - Federal, Provincial, Territorial Ministers Responsible for Labour Meet - Federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for Labour met in Ottawa this week to discuss Canada's economic situation, the evolution of the modern workplace and steps to support Canada businesses and workers. Among the issues discussed were temporary foreign workers, emerging workplace trends, international labour activities, and occupational health and safety, including pandemic planning in the workplace. (Full Story)

February 2010 - Federal, Provincial, Territorial Ministers Responsible for Labour Meet - WCB Policy Insider for February 2010 - The Workers Compensation Board of PEI has released latest Policy Insider -- a quarterly publication dedicated to providing you with information related to policies and other important facts about the Workers Compensation Board. The main focus of the Policy Insider is to help you get information on policy and increase awareness of policy changes that may affect you. (Full Story - PDF)

Saskatchewan:

March 18, 2010 - Young Workers Must Have Certificate Beginning March 31 - Students at Balfour Collegiate had a chance to learn more about the on-line Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course (YWRCC). Approximately 50 students took a virtual tour of the site during an event in the school's Resources Room. The YWRCC was designed to prepare young people for work, teach them their rights in the workplace, and provide occupational health and safety information. (Full Story)

March 16, 2010 - Making Life Easier For Saskatchewan Business - Information Services Corporation (ISC) is developing an online portal to provide a more convenient and cost-effective means to deliver government services to business. Currently, businesses are required to deal with several government ministries in order to conduct business in the province - the new service will provide a single point of access to most business services provided by government. (Full Story)

March 12, 2010 - Saskatchewan's Unemployment Rate Remains Lowest In Canada - For the ninth consecutive month, Saskatchewan has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada. Saskatchewan's February unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent (seasonally adjusted) sits well below the national rate of 8.2 per cent. There were 517,400 people working in Saskatchewan in February, an increase of 3,100 compared to February 2009 and a record high for the month of February. (Full Story)

February 25, 2010 - Saskatchewan Workers Continue To See Increased Earnings - For the fourth consecutive month, average weekly earnings for Saskatchewan workers have reached record levels. According to Statistics Canada's monthly Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours, Saskatchewan's average weekly earnings for December 2009 were $832.56. Among all provinces, Saskatchewan has the third highest average weekly earnings - behind Alberta ($959.40) and Ontario ($869.55). (Full Story)

February 10, 2010 - Public Service Student Employment Program Underway For 2010 - The Saskatchewan Public Service Commission is accepting applications for student employment in the public service. One of the largest employers of students in the province, the public service provides positions in Ministries such as Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport; Highways and Infrastructure and Environment. (Full Story)

February 5, 2010 - Eight Straight Months: Saskatchewan's Unemployment Rate Remains Lowest In Canada - Saskatchewan's January unemployment rate of 4.7 per cent (seasonally adjusted) is once again the lowest in Canada - well below the national rate of 8.3 per cent. Saskatchewan has now held the lowest rate in Canada for eight months. There were 511,000 people working in Saskatchewan in January, a decrease of 1,600 compared to January 2009. Despite the decrease, full-time employment saw an increase of 7,200 over the past year. (Full Story)

February 10, 2010 - Businesses Encouraged To Share Ownership With Employees - Businesses that have taken advantage of a government program that assists employers to share ownership with employees have seen a 30 to 50 per cent jump in employee performance and productivity. Under the Employee Investment Program, the government is encouraging employees to invest in their places of work by registering an employee fund and receive a 20 per cent provincial tax credit and a 15 per cent federal tax credit on the first $5,000 they contribute each year. (Full Story)

Yukon:

February 8, 2010 - Governments of Canada and Yukon helping unemployed workers - Yukon workers who need help in finding employment will benefit from training programs funded through the Canada-Yukon Labour Market Development Agreement. Beginning February 1, the federal government is funding the Government of Yukon's own skills development programs. (Full Story)

The current release of GrandMaster Suite (6.02) incorporates a number of changes to make it even easier to use the program and perform your payroll tasks. Some of the program changes since our last Payroll News issue include:

• Cheque Register report now exports EFT data - This release contains a change to the Cheque Register report allowing you to export Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) transactions. Prior to this release you would not be able to include EFT transactions in the export file.
• New LTD deduction calculation method added - We have added a new deduction calculation method specifically for Long Term Disability (LTD) calculations. This new method allows you to set a rate per $100 of coverage and to set percentages for three levels of income including a monthly maximum. This calculation bases the employee income on standard hours per period and will not vary based on the number of hours worked.
• The HR Profile report now includes rate table pay rates along with row and column - The HR Employee Profile report has been enhanced to include employee pay rates that are derived from a rate table. Prior to this release the report would only display the row and column of the earning rate table. With this release you will also see the actual rate along with the row and column.
• Tick List label changed to properly describe the process - The Tick List menu label has been changed to properly describe the process you are selecting. Prior to this release the label used was "Edit" however, this did not accurately describe the selection and has been changed to read "Assign". This change has also been applied to the Check List menu option.
  

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

Link Opportunity! - If you are a CanPay customer wanting more exposure for your Website, please send us a 50-word description along with a copy of your logo. We'll add you to our Customer Links page and create a link directly to your website. It 's a great way to expose your goods and services to the community. Logos should be a maximum of 160 x 70 pixels and provided in the .gif or .jpg format. Send your e-mails to admin@canpay.com.

Continued from last month - Click Here to read last month's article.

6. Are you self-disciplined and well organized? Individuals who work out of their home have to set their own routine. They need to be able to organize their workload, set a schedule and stick to it. Sorry, but watching Oprah or a TSN golf game won't cut it unless you can force yourself to work later in the evening to make up for the pleasure time.

7. Do you need personal feedback and recognition? Professionals who work independently with minimal supervision and who don't require feedback and recognition are better suited to telework. If you prefer to work in a situation where there's more interaction with a supervisor for direction, followup or more frequent feedback and recognition, then telework is not for you.

8. Can your boss work effectively with a telecommuter? If you already have a trusting relationship and your supervisor won't demand concrete hourly reports that prove you are really working, then telework might be a suitable arrangement. At the same time, recognize that this is an arrangement that will require adjustment on both your parts.

9. Are your communication skills up to the task? Keeping in touch with your workplace is critical for you to be in tune with what's going on. Not only that, communicating and discussing issues via email and telephone is quite different from discussing things face to face where you have body language to guide your interpretations. What is your communication style? Are you able to send plain-language e-mails that prevent misinterpretation?

10. Will working at home lead to overwork? One of the biggest challenges teleworkers face is being able to differentiate between home and work routines. It's so easy to step back into the home office and work for just a few more hours. It's so easy to check that BlackBerry all evening long! All in all, you might find that so called life-work balance you were looking for has completely disappeared. With increasing gas and general transportation costs, telework or telecommuting is quickly going to come up for discussion and may indeed become a potential solution for many organizations. On the other hand, it also requires a combination of the right job, the right person, the right employee-boss relationship, the right technical and policy support and the right home-office environment. If all these elements are in place, then by all means, give it a try.

Source: Interview with Susan Randall, a four-year veteran of telework; "Could You Telecommute?", Telecommute Connect, New Haven CT., 10/10/06, "Are you a candidate for telecommuting?", John Haukey, Cyberspeak, 05/24/01

Article Courtesy of Barbara Bowes