Payroll Management Blog

A higher “sense of urgency” needed as increased CPP costs impact payroll budgeting

CPP costs began its inexorable — and unavoidable — rise in January, 2019 — but many Payroll and HR Managers have not given the increases a high sense of urgency. Those that do, will champion important changes to human resources management — becoming the future superheroes of budgets. Although the […]

Severance pay rules legal precedent: only Ontario payroll factors into the $2.5 million payroll threshold for severance

The Hawkes Decision sets some clarifying precedent for severance payments for Ontario payrolls, with a clear differentiation between companies with payrolls of more or less than $2.5 million — regardless of global payroll of the company. The important takeaway from the December 2018 decision, according to legal consultants at BLG, […]

Payroll and benefits managers should budget for drug and health benefit costs to rise nearly 12 percent in 2019

Drug benefits are projected to rise, on average by 11.57 percent on renewal in 2019, with healthcare benefits also rising 11.55 percent (according to Accompass data.) Dental benefits are forecast to increase 5.62 percent. “With good advisors, you’re going to find the rates will typically be lower for a lot […]

Some eligible parents will get an additional five to eight weeks of parental leave — as long as both parents agree to split time off

In what has been called a “take it or lose it” policy, a new paternity benefit comes into effect March 24, 2019 —allowing for five additional weeks of leave for 12-month parental leave situations, or eight weeks for the new 18-month leave option. There’s a condition: both parents have to […]

Seven steps to move your company towards gender pay equity; new study shows annual pay gap of $20,000 in technology jobs between genders

New data makes it clear that pay equity between genders — especially in technology — is not yet a reality — at least not at every company, or even the majority of companies. With the pay gap in technology jobs still $19,750 between male and female workers with equivalent expertise […]

Rules designed to reduce “red tape” and increase job growth may make Payroll Management challenging in 2019

While most Ontario employers regard new government rules, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, as a positive move for both businesses and the job market in 2019 — and despite promises to reduce paperwork — the magnitude of changes from Queen’s Park may overwhelm some employers, certainly in terms of payroll management in […]

Disability support undergoing change in Ontario: employed people receiving disability keep more, but qualifying is more difficult

Revisions to Ontario’s Disability Support Program (ODSP) may see people receiving disability support earning up to $6,000 per year before support is reduced — up from the current maximum $200 per month. Under new reforms from the Ontario government, qualifications for disability support will change, making it both more difficult […]

50% of employees share secret company information — and other reasons to outsource payroll services

The reasons corporate secrets spread are numerous — carelessness, malicious conduct, coercion, social media slips, questions at job interviews — but nowhere are the stakes higher than in payroll confidentiality. The repercussions are immediate if salaries and bonuses leak: business loss, employee poaching, team discontent and jealousy, and (possible) discrimination […]

Payroll team members take 9.6 days per year off; contingency emergency planning for short-term payroll outsource support

According to Statscan, leave in the workplace is increasing, averaging 9.6 days per employee per year. What do you do, though, if that person who has an abrupt need for emergency or sick leave is your key payroll team member? What do you do when that key payroll person is […]

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