Contents:

• Welcome
• What's New
• GrandMaster Update

Welcome!

October 2008 - 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:

October 22, 2008 - More services to simplify your business taxes - The CRA offers additional options to help manage your business taxes through our My Business Account service. Business owners can now use this secure online service to perfrom useful services such as checking the status of goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) returns or to see when Notices of Assessment were issued and to access a variety of business tax information and services, including account balances and activities. (Full Story)

October 14, 2008 - Employment Insurance Commission Releases Chief Actuary's Report - The Canada Employment Insurance (EI) Commission today released the Report of the Chief Actuary to the EI Commission on the EI Premium Rate and Maximum Insurable Earnings. The report will be considered by the EI Commission in its determination of the EI premium rate for 2009. The Report is available on Human Resources and Social Development Canada's Web site at www.hrsdc.gc.ca. (Full Story)

September 3, 2008 - Interest rates for the fourth calendar quarter - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) today announced the prescribed annual interest rates that will apply to any amounts owed to the CRA and to any amounts the CRA owes to individuals and corporations. These rates are calculated quarterly in accordance with applicable legislation and will be in effect from October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. (Full Story)

September 5, 2008 - The Government of Canada continues Employment Insurance pilot projects and expands their scope - Mr. Colin Carrie, Member of Parliament for Oshawa, responded to the announcement today from the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, that the Government is continuing three Employment Insurance (EI) pilot projects to further assess their effects. Minister Solberg also announced that the current EI regional boundaries will remain in place following the conclusion of the boundaries review process. (Full Story)

Alberta:

October 29, 2008 - Website reminds young Albertans that on-the-job dangers can have lasting consequences - A new public awareness campaign has been launched to remind young working Albertans that injuries and fatalities can be only moments away. The campaign focuses on specific questions young workers should ask their employers to avoid a workplace injury or death. Based on extensive research and testing, the campaign focuses on 15 to 19-year-olds and emphasises that workplace incidents can be very real with lasting consequences. (Full Story)

October 22, 2008 - Province provides more help to Albertans in need - Albertans receiving Alberta Works income support will receive higher monthly benefits beginning November 1. In addition single Albertans who work and qualify for income support assistance will see earning exemptions double from $115 to $230 a month - meaning they can make more money before their benefits are affected. (Full Story)

October 1, 2008 - Alberta and Philippines sign worker memorandum - Alberta and the Philippines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will help ease labour shortages and improve the flow of Filipino workers into the province. "The Philippines has been a significant contributor to the economic success of Alberta as a major source of workers to the province," said Hector Goudreau, Minister of Employment and Immigration. "This agreement is about working with the Philippine government to ensure Filipino workers understand what skills are in demand, and about protecting the interests of workers coming here." (Full Story)

September 2, 2008 - New agreement signed on training and skills development - The Federal and Alberta Provincial Governments have signed a new agreement to help Alberta workers improve their skills, and to prepare them for the jobs of the future. The agreement represents a significant Government of Canada investment in the people of Alberta and addresses employers’ needs for skilled workers. Under the new agreement, the Government of Canada will invest nearly $316 million in Alberta’s labour market over the next six years. Through this agreement, residents of Alberta who are not eligible for training under the Employment Insurance (EI) program will have more of a chance to improve their skills. (Full Story)

British Columbia:

October 20, 2008 - Innovative Office Welcomes Merritt Clients - The new Service BC Centre has officially opened in Merritt, providing one-window access to a wide range of government services for people in the Nicola Valley, announced Labour and Citizens’ Services Minister Iain Black and Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman. (Full Story)

October 20, 2008- Small Business Profile Confirms Sustained Growth - The 2008 Small Business Profile confirms that small business continues to play an integral role in British Columbia’s economy, announced Kevin Krueger, Minister of Small Business and Revenue today during a speech to the Vancouver Board of Trade. (Full Story)

October 17, 2008- 2009 premium rates to remain among lowest in Canada - Premium rates for B.C. employers will continue to be among the lowest in Canada during 2009, WorkSafeBC announced today. The average premium base rate will remain at $1.56 per $100 of assessable payroll in 2009 - the same as 2008 and the lowest rate in 30 years, down from a peak of $2.29 in 1996. (Full Story)

October 2, 2008- WorkSafeBC announces amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation - Following the 2008 public hearing process, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors has approved amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR). The majority of the amendments will take effect January 1, 2009. (Full Story)

September 18, 2008 - Trucking Industry Rolls Out New Safety Council - Minister of Labour and Citizens’ Services Iain Black congratulated the new BC Trucking Safety Council as it announced its inaugural Board of Directors today. The Council was created by the BC Trucking Association in partnership with WorkSafeBC and other regulatory agencies. (Full Story)

Manitoba:

October 2008 - Safety Partners Focus on Fall Prevention - As residential construction continues to boom throughout the province, the need for protection against falls - especially those from height - among workers becomes increasingly important. To illustrate the need for proper protection, a fall demonstration took place today at the Construction Safety Association of Manitoba’s (CSAM) Fall Protection Training Centre. Industry workers demonstrated proper safety procedures when working atop a residential roof structure, and through the use of a dummy, illustrated what happens when proper fall protection isn’t utilized. (Full Story)

September 15, 2008 - COLA for Retired Teachers to Double this Year - The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for retired teachers will double this year under amendments to the Teachers’ Pensions Act, which was passed today, Education, Citizenship and Youth Minister Peter Bjornson has announced. An additional administrative amendment to the act will enable teachers hired as employees of a school division or district other than under a teaching contract to be similarly designated as eligible employees. (Full Story)

Newfoundland and Labrador:

October 27, 2008 - Skills Program in Labrador Receives Funding from Government - The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is providing $80,000 in funding for a new skill development and career planning program. STEPS – Steps Toward Employment and Personal Success will be operated through the Labrador Friendship Centre. The Honourable Shawn Skinner, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, made the announcement today in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. (Full Story)

October 27, 2008 - WHSCC Base assessment rate unchanged for 2009 - The Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (the Commission) is maintaining its average base assessment rate for employers at $2.75 for 2009. The average base rate is the rate paid by employers to cover the anticipated claims costs and the cost of administering the workers’ compensation system. Assessment rates are based on the industry group in which an employer is classified and the cost experience of the group. (Full Story)

October 2, 2008 - Innovative Virtual Career Fair to Promote Job Opportunities in Province - The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is participating in a virtual career fair - Jobs at Home ExpoLive '08. Through partnership with the business community and CareerBeacon.com, the province is working to provide an innovative way to post and access career opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Honourable Shawn Skinner, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, made the announcement today. Other partners in the project include the Newfoundland and Labrador Business Coalition, Steele Communications Inc., and CareerBeacon.com. (Full Story)

New Brunswick:

October 22, 2008 - New chair and members appointed to Minimum Wage Board - New appointments to the independent Minimum Wage Board were announced today by Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Ed Doherty. Among the appointments is Mary-Eileen Flanagan, the first woman chair to the board. "Ms. Flanagan brings to the Minimum Wage Board a wealth of experience with her law background and extensive community service," Doherty said. "I am confident that she will provide the ideal balance as chair to a new board that features broader representation of our stakeholders." (Full Story)

October 17, 2008 - WorksafeNB Recognizes Companies At Annual Health And Safety Conference - WorkSafeNB recently acknowledged Cott Beverages Canada and Johnson Enterprises Inc., for exemplary efforts in improving workplace health and safety. The two companies were recognized during the Safety Improvement Recognition Breakfast in Moncton on Tuesday, October 7, as part of WorkSafeNB’s Annual Health and Safety Conference. Cott Beverages has consistently outperformed their industry as a whole, registering 3 or less lost-time claims in the past five years, and no lost-time claims in 2006 and 2007. (Full Story - PDF)

October 10, 2008 - Unemployment rate drops - The unemployment rate dropped to eight per cent in September, fueled by 3,300 more New Brunswickers working compared to the previous year, Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Ed Doherty reported today. Statistics Canada figures showed last month that the number of employed persons in New Brunswick was 367,000, up by 500 from last month. This is compared to 363,700 during September of 2007. The survey also reported that the labour force grew by 2,200 to 399,000 during this same year-over-year period. (Full Story)

October 10, 2008 - Partnership between CCNB Campbellton and District 15 promotes skilled trades - A new partnership between Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) - Campus de Campbellton and School District 15 means that Sugarloaf Senior High School students can now benefit from skilled trades training at their local community college campus. The partnership, announced today by Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Ed Doherty, will allow students at the school to take carpentry, framing and sheathing installation, and residential finish courses at the Atlantic Canada Woodworking Centre of Excellence, which is located at CCNB - Campbellton. (Full Story)

October 7, 2008 - Province invests over $357,000 in support service for employers, persons with disabilities - The provincial government is broadening opportunities for persons with disabilities to contribute to our economy and society. Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Ed Doherty announced today that the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) has been selected as the service provider for a new provincial employer support service. Doherty said more than $357,000 is being invested over two years for the initiative. (Full Story)

Nova Scotia:

October 30, 2008 - Occupational Health and Safety Initiative Consultation Begins - The province is looking for suggestions to help make safety a priority and responsibility of every employee, regardless of position, in every workplace in Nova Scotia. A program, called the Internal Responsibility System, promotes respect for safety leaders and the idea that everyone should find opportunities to think about, and apply, safety to daily responsibilities, from researching the safest equipment to mopping up a spill. (Full Story)

October 8, 2008 - Better Access to Workforce for Aboriginal and Mi'kmaq Nova Scotians - The province is working to connect more aboriginal and Mi'kmaq Nova Scotians with employers and career opportunities. This is one of the topics being discussed in workshops across the province today, Oct. 8. Workshop locations include Bridgewater, Coldbrook, Dartmouth, Truro and Sydney. Other topics include apprenticeship, adult literacy and labour market information. Labour and Workforce Development Minister Mark Parent will open the Truro workshop, where he will comment on workforce demographics, challenges and solutions. (Full Story)

October 22, 2008 - Mainstay Awards Celebrate Workplace Safety in Nova Scotia - Individuals, organizations and employers who strive to ensure a safe and healthy workplace will see their determination and hard work recognized through a new awards program in Nova Scotia. The Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) and Nova Scotia Labour and Workforce Development are the drivers behind the first annual Mainstay Awards, celebrating excellence in injury prevention and return-to-work programs. Fifteen awards will be distributed in six categories. The call for nominations is open until January 16, 2009, and winners will be announced during a luncheon on May 5, 2009. (Full Story)

September 8, 2008 - Maximum Assessable/ Insurable Earnings Set for 2009 - The Maximum Assessable / Insurable Earnings refers to maximum annual earnings on which premiums are calculated for each worker of a covered employer, and on which benefits are calculated for those who are injured at work. The maximum assessable/insurable earnings (per person, per year) for 2009 is $49,400. (Full Story)

Ontario:

October 28, 2008 - Construction Industry To Benefit From Stronger Safety Standards - Ontario is today introducing legislation that, if passed, would make workers' compensation coverage mandatory for individuals working in the construction industry. The proposed legislation would make it mandatory to extend benefits and services contained in the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) for independent operators in construction and some other individuals in the construction industry who are currently not covered. (Full Story)

October 20, 2008 - WSIB Launches New Workplace Safety Awareness Campaign - With today’s launch of its newest social marketing campaign, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) continues its efforts to build a societal belief that there really are no accidents, creating a national habit of safety on the Road to Zero. (Full Story - PDF)

October 9, 2008 - Welland Joins WSIB on Road to Zero Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities - Welland’s Mayor Damian Goulbourne has signed on to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s (WSIB) Community Workplace Health and Safety Charter, committing the city to eliminating workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities. (Full Story - PDF)

September 18, 2008 - WSIB to Implement New Rules for Construction Sector - New rules that are part of an industry-led effort to help injured/ill construction workers get back to work came into force September 1, 2008. (Full Story - PDF)

Prince Edward Island:

October 30, 2008 - WCB Partners with Canadian Standards Association to Launch Electronic Access to Occupational Health and Safety Standards - The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) is working with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) to improve workplace health and safety in Prince Edward Island and throughout Canada. The View Access initiative is a two-year pilot project that provides users easy “read only” access to CSA’s occupational health and safety (OHS) standards as referenced in legislation. (Full Story)

October 29, 2008 - A National Celebration Of Skilled Trades And Technology Careers - On Monday November 3, 2008, events are being held across the country to help introduce young Canadians to successful careers in skilled trades and technology. To showcase the importance of careers in these fields, and to kick off National Technology Week and National Skilled Trades Day, activities planned by each province will be announced in the House of Commons. (Full Story)

October 7, 2008 - Public Invited To Participate In Review Of Minimum Wage - The Prince Edward Island Employment Standards Board is inviting Islanders to present written submissions for consideration during the annual review of the provincial minimum wage. The Employment Standards Board meets at least once a year to review the Minimum Wage Order and make recommendations to government. The minimum wage on Prince Edward Island recently increased to $8.00 per hour on October 1, 2008. Deadline for written submissions is November 17, 2008. (Full Story)

October 1, 2008 - Minimum Wage Increased October 1 - Prince Edward Island’s minimum wage will increase from $7.75 per hour to $8.00 per hour effective October 1, 2008. This increase was announced as part of the Government's two-stage wage increase strategy in April 2008. The two-stage approach increased wages from $7.50 to $7.75 on May 1 and then from $7.75 to $8.00 effective October 1. The approach was aimed to provide the business community more time to integrate the salary adjustments into their operational plans. (Full Story)

Saskatchewan:

October 29, 2008 - Saskatchewan Wages And Low Unemployment Continue To Lead Nation - Saskatchewan people continue to benefit from living and working in Saskatchewan with continued increases in the average earnings of paid employees and decreases in the number of residents receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. The average earnings of paid employees in Saskatchewan for August 2008 were $760.46 per week, up 1.0 per cent from the previous month. Saskatchewan recorded the largest year-over-year increase among provinces with 4.9 per cent, well above the national average of 2.8 per cent. (Full Story)

October 10, 2008 - Saskatchewan Leading Nation In Job Growth And Lowest Unemployment Rate - Saskatchewan employment numbers have again hit record monthly levels, according to a release from Statistics Canada today. There were 522,500 people working in Saskatchewan in September 2008 - an increase of 18,100 jobs from September 2007. Full-time employment increased by 15,400 jobs in the last year. At the same time, Saskatchewan's unemployment rate is the lowest in Canada at 3.6 per cent. (Full Story)

October 2, 2008 - Saskatchewan Regional Colleges Enroll With Aboriginal Employment Development - Enrollment is up again for Aboriginal Employment Development (AED) as the Ministry of First Nations and Métis Relations welcomed seven Saskatchewan Regional Colleges as the newest partners at a partnership agreement signing today in Saskatoon. The signing is unprecedented in terms of the number of educational institutions coming together to increase First Nations and Métis employment, which in turn will support Saskatchewan's growing economy. (Full Story)

September 23, 2008 - Fewer Saskatchewan People Receiving Employment Insurance Benefits - Saskatchewan people continue to benefit from the strong economy with fewer residents receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, according to a release today by Statistics Canada. There were 9,660 people receiving EI benefits in July 2008 a drop of 14.7 per cent from the same month one year ago. This is the second largest drop in recipients of EI benefits across Canada. (Full Story)

Yukon:

October 27, 2008 - Government Hosts Labour Market Framework Symposium - The Department of Education is hosting a Labour Market Framework Symposium in Whitehorse today. Representatives from key labour market stakeholders from across the territory, including all levels of government, First Nations, as well as business and industry interests and non-government organizations, are involved. (Full Story)

October 10, 2008 - Saskatchewan Leading Nation In Job Growth And Lowest Unemployment Rate - Saskatchewan employment numbers have again hit record monthly levels, according to a release from Statistics Canada today. There were 522,500 people working in Saskatchewan in September 2008 - an increase of 18,100 jobs from September 2007. Full-time employment increased by 15,400 jobs in the last year. At the same time, Saskatchewan's unemployment rate is the lowest in Canada at 3.6 per cent. (Full Story)

The current release of GrandMaster Suite (5.63) 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:

• The Gross to Net Export option has been added - This release includes a new export option that allows you to export the employee gross to net pay information. What this option does is it creates a delimited file that contains the employee gross pay information and all withholding amounts including company paid statutory benefits. This new feature will allow you to import this data into a spreadsheet or another application where you may manipulate the data for reporting purposes. Note: if your total of earning, deduction and accumulators assigned is greater that 119 you will not be able to import all the data into Excel since it will only process up to and including 256 columns of data.
• The Input Worksheet now verifies employees for active status - Prior to this release the Input Worksheet would include non-active employees adding to the length of the printed report. With this release we have made a change to the report so that it will now verify that an employee does have active status.
• The Evaluations Details dialog box now includes a completion date field - The HR Evaluations Details dialog box and evaluation list has been modified to include a completion date. This date is only accessible when the completed check box has been selected and is used to key the date when the evaluation process is complete. This date has also been included in the evaluations report and export.
• The Customized Payroll Report deduction selection process modified - The Customized Payroll Report has been modified to uncouple the statutory deductions from the regular or company deductions when returning deduction and benefit information. What this change means is that if you want deductions included in the report you will no longer need to exclude the statutory deductions to prevent them from being included. What this change also means is that if you have current reports defined where you are reporting on both company deductions and stat deductions you will now need to edit your stat deduction selections to ensure that you have the applicable stat deductions selected to be included in or excluded from the report. If you do not have deductions selected in either of these selection lists the report will NOT include them. This is contrary to all other selection lists where the default is to process all when nothing has been selected.
• The employee default position has been added to the HR Skills Report - The HR Skills Report has been modified to include the employee's default position as a report option. This change will require you to select a payroll when the default position is a print option in your report.
• The HR Skills Report has been modified to include employee counts - With this release we have added an employee count to the HR Skills Report. The report will now provide you with the total employees by sort.
• Deduction calculation method 154 has been added for custom pension calculations - This release includes a new deduction calculation method (154) which is a custom pension calculation. This deduction method will calculate the deduction based on the YMPE. The calculation has two deduction rates that you may set. The first rate is applied to the selected earnings when the year to date amounts for those earnings are less than the YMPE. Once the YTD earnings have reached and surpassed the YMPE the second deduction rate will be used in the calculation. Additionally, you may cap the deduction to a maximum. This calculation method may also have a benefit amount as a percent of the deduction.
• Option to print rates that are new within a date range added to the Earning Rate report - We have added an option to print pay rates that are new or have a start date within the defined date range of your Employee Earning Rate report. This new option is useful where you would like to report employee earning rate information for those who had a new rate within a particular date range. However, to take advantage of this option you MUST have dates on your pay rates and your report MUST have a start and end date for the report range.
• Email process log file added to the Pay Statement Report - For those who use the option to email pay statements, we have added a log file to this process that writes the processing detail when emailing employee pay statements. This feature is very useful when you are having difficulty with the email statement process and wish to view any error messages that the sendemail program has generated. The log file is named emaillog.txt and is written in the \EFT directory within your database. This log file overwrites itself each time you process pay statements with the email option so only the most recent log data will be contained in this file.
  

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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.

He selected the applicants who attended the top schools and with the highest academic standing, but when they arrived for the job interviews, something was missing.

"I screened for the brightest of the crop -- they all had one or two degrees from the finest schools in the world -- but I came out of those interviews really saddened," Rosin says.

"Something was failing these guys. They were brilliant people, and they could write phenomenal code. But if I had asked them to interact with other team members, or write an e-mail to obtain a response, it would have been a disaster."

They had the credentials, but they rarely made eye contact during the interview. Their posture lacked confidence. The handshakes were limp.

"I'm not talking about appearance," Rosin says. "They had the best education money could buy, but there was so much missing."

Rosin was puzzled, so he started paying attention to articles about teamwork and leadership. He was fascinated by the subject and he realized those young engineers were missing some important skills they don't teach at school. Skills such as assertiveness, leadership and how to interact with people.

"It's not about being smart, but these skills aren't taught in school," says Rosin, 47. "I would have loved to know these things when I was 18."

When he became a father himself, he began to think about what he could do to help his children lead happy and successful lives, and a few years later, he left the high-tech world and moved with his family to West Vancouver. But rather than look for work in his field, the software engineer created an after-school program for elementary and high school students that teaches the "soft skills" they don't learn in class.

The course, called Intelligent for Life, is now beginning its second year with students in North and West Vancouver, and Rosin plans to expand to other areas. He hopes that by learning these skills early, young people will be more successful at work and in life.

"I believe you should start learning these things as early as possible," he says. "You can be really smart, but still be unsuccessful if you're missing the social skills."

Knowing how to work well with others and how to be your best in a job interview are important, but finding the right fit is also critical for job-seekers as well as employers, according to Jan van der Hoop, co-founder of a Halifax-based company that develops hiring practices for companies.

"We are told the steps to putting together a good resumé and cover letter and we learn interview techniques, but none of this deals with fit," says van der Hoop, president of HiringSmart.

"I think the problem is the hiring process -- it hasn't changed in 50 years and it's not working. Credentials, education and work history are the worst predictors of success, and people are leaving their jobs in droves either mentally or physically.

"If the fit is off, you are never going change it."

Collecting the details is part of the hiring process, but they shouldn't be the focus, he says. In fact, his company counsels employers to adopt resumé-free hiring -- looking for candidates with the right attitude and values, and considering how they will fit with their manager, the job, the team and the company before checking credentials.

"If the fit is right, you can teach what's missing," van der Hoop says.

While his company works with employers, he says job-seekers should also be looking for the right fit when interviewing for a new position.

Ask questions, but also be willing to share information about yourself during the interview.

If you can articulate what type of manager and work environment motivates you, there's a better chance of finding the right job.

"Everyone has a vested interest in fit," he says. "There are all kinds of prices to pay for disengagement. We have to get away from the belief that any job is a good job."

-- Canwest News Service