Nov 2020
18
A Thank You Note
A thank you note,
Well where should I start? When the whole country went into lockdown back in March, I was faced with the new task of working from home with my three young children.
So overnight I became a work/stay-at-home mom and a teacher all at once! It was definitely a huge challenge which was very stressful at times; trying to find a new routine that we could all settle into but we managed for the most part.
Working on the phones during this time has also been a huge task as everything about how payroll was processed had changed in both Ireland and the UK. All the different rules and processes that we had to learn about as all our customers were coming to us looking for answers was another hurdle in itself. We had a number of software upgrades that were released based on changes made by Revenue which also had to be tested before being released.
My children are aged 9, 6 and (just turned) 5 so the younger two don’t understand the concept of being quiet and would be hurtling through the house playing games with each other, making as much noise as they possibly could! And then my dogs would start barking wanting to join in on all the fun! Always the way when you want them to be quiet. But every single person I spoke to on the phones was so understanding and compassionate with me always telling me to tend to them first and not to worry.
All of our customers themselves were under an enormous amount of pressure because, let’s face it, they are the ones that have to process payroll at the end of the day and are the ones answerable to all their employees if something isn’t done right. Payroll during this pandemic was crucial and even though themselves were under pressure they always related back to my situation with understanding. So thank you, each and every one of you.
I also wanted to say another huge thank you to my managers and colleagues. Everyone has been so supportive of one another. We can no longer see each other to bounce queries off each other so we now communicate through Teams which has been a lifesaver. Anytime anyone mentioned that they were having a rough day or morning they would always tell you to go off the phones to make yourself a cuppa and come back when you’ve managed to breath - that they would man the phones and not to be worrying. This in itself was massive.
I just wholeheartedly wanted to say thank you to everyone for all your understanding and support as the last 8 months wouldn’t have been possible without it!
Nov 2020
17
National Minimum Wage to increase by 10c per hour
The National Minimum Wage is going to increase from €10.10 per hour to the new rate of €10.20 per hour and this comes into effect from 1st January 2021. This increase will affect around 122,000 employees, increasing their national minimum wage by 0.9%. An employee working 40 hours a week will see their gross wages increase by €4.00 per week.
Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys advised the minimum wage has increased by approximately 18% from the rate of €8.65 per hour in 2016 to the new rate of €10.20 per hour for 2021. She also assured that the PRSI thresholds would be changed in order to reflect the increase in the Minimum Wage.
Heather Humphreys stated that:
“I also want to ensure that the increase in the minimum wage does not result in employers having to pay a higher level of PRSI charge solely due to this increase. I will make regulations that will increase the employer PRSI threshold from €395 currently to €398 from 1st January 2021.”
The General Secretary of the retail union Mandate, Gerry Light, and the General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Patricia King, resigned from their positions in the Low Pay Commission as they felt the 10c increase in the National Minimum Wage was not sufficient in meeting the needs of the minimum wage employees.
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Nov 2020
3
BrightPay Customer Update: November 2020
Welcome to BrightPay's November update. Our most important news this month include:
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Budget 2021: Employer Payroll Focus
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Revenue Start Compliance Checks and TWSS Reconciliation
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Free Webinar: Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme Explained
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Beyond Payroll: How to Price BrightPay Connect for Payroll Clients
COVID-19 Webinar with Guest Speakers Revenue: Wage Subsidy Scheme Explained
We have teamed up with Revenue to bring you a free webinar where we discuss everything you need to know about TWSS reconciliation and the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), including key changes to the scheme, eligibility criteria, processing subsidy claims, and operating the scheme in BrightPay. The webinar will also include a live Q&A session with experts from BrightPay and Revenue. Only 30 places remaining – book your place now.
COVID-19 & achieving business continuity in the cloud
In the ‘new normal’, employers and employees expect to access their payroll information in the cloud. Self-service online portals are changing the way businesses interact and communicate with their employees, whilst providing the cloud functionality to get things done smarter and faster. BrightPay Connect enables clients to submit employee hours, approve the payroll run, manage their employees’ leave, run payroll reports and much more.
BrightPay 2021 is coming soon...
We have some exciting new features coming in BrightPay 2021, including improved cloud functionality with BrightPay Connect. This new functionality gives you the best of both worlds – a desktop-based payroll software but with cloud access capabilities, improving the remote-working experience. Pre-order your BrightPay 2021 licence today!
How can an employee app improve your payroll processes?
Traditionally, using a mobile phone in the workplace could sometimes be seen as a complete no-no. But that’s rapidly changing thanks to the myriad of ways that employers are now using mobile technology to streamline their business and boost employee morale. But these apps can do more than make your business a nicer place to work for your employees. They can improve your payroll processes too.
Reduce payroll overheads to futureproof against the impact of COVID-19
As businesses look at creative ways to save jobs, many are moving to reduce their business overheads. Savvy businesses have already saved thousands by opting for a payroll provider that does not have an additional charge for PAYE Modernisation or customer support. BrightPay is one of the most competitively priced payroll software on the market with no contract ties. Making simple changes and investing in payroll solutions with integrated cloud access can save money, improve productivity and increase profits.
