A payroll reporting change. What it means for businesses and individuals.
WHAT IS STPR?
Single Touch Payroll is a reporting change for employers. It means employers will report payments such as salaries and wages, pay as you go (PAYG) withholding and superannuation information from your payroll solution to the ATO each time they pay their employees.
WHEN DOES STPR START?
STPR starts for employers with 20 or more employees from 1 July 2017.
The Australian Government has also announced that it will be expanding Single Touch Payroll to include employers with 19 or less employees from 1 July 2019. However, they may voluntarily report under STPR before this date.
DO I HAVE TO USE STPR?
As stated, STPR must be used in cases where there are 20 or more employees. To determine whether you are a “substantial employer” and therefore required to move over, take a head count of the number of employees on your payroll on 1 April 2018.
The count should include:
Full-time employees
Part-time employees
Casual employees who are on payroll and worked any shifts during March
Overseas based employees
Employees who are absent or on leave
Seasonal employees (ie harvest workers)
Do not include employees who ceased work before 1 April, casual employees who did not work in March, independent contractors, staff provided by third-party labour hire organisations, company directors, office holders or religious practitioners.
I'M AN EMPLOYEE. DOES THIS AFFECT ME?
Employees will not automatically receive payment summaries in relation to 2018-2019 onward. You have the statutory burde
n to prove that the salary and wage income reported in your tax return is correct. Therefore it would be prudent for you to check your amounts against payroll information that will be available on ATO online and your payslips.