Claiming Christmas Expenses
Staff parties
Throwing a staff party can be a great way to see out the year and celebrate successes, but there are tax considerations to think about. You can claim some costs of a party or staff gifts, but they may be subject to fringe benefit tax. This is paid on benefits workers get as a result of their employment.
Half your holiday party expenses may be claimed in your GST and income tax returns if the expenses relate to your business. Expenses can include:- food and drink
- entertainment
- venue hire.
Generally, you can claim the costs of gifts as a business expense, eg hampers or gift vouchers. But you may need to pay fringe benefit tax on these gifts. A meal out provided by the business is an entertainment expense and you can claim 50% as a business expense.
Giving to charity
You can deduct 100% of the cost of entertainment you provide to members of the public for charitable purposes. For example, if your business donates food to a party at a hospital.
Paying Staff over the Holidays
When there’s a public holiday on a day your employee usually works, they’re entitled to a paid day off — no matter how long they’ve worked for you.
You can only require employees to work a public holiday if it’s written in their employment agreements. Also, if they agree to work, you must:- pay them at least time and a half
- give them another paid day off later.
When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, employees who don’t normally work then get the following Monday as their paid public holiday — this is called Mondayisation.
The public holidays for the upcoming Christmas break, with the day of the week they fall on, are as follows:
Christmas Day — Monday, 25 December 2017
Boxing Day — Tuesday, 26 December 2017
New Year's Day — Monday, 1 January 2018
Day after New Year's Day — Tuesday, 2 January 2018.
Working on a Public Holiday
An employee is entitled to a full alternative day off if they work on a public holiday — no matter how many hours they worked that day.
But they don’t get an alternative day off — also called a day in lieu — if:
- they only ever work public holidays
- they wouldn't normally have worked that day
- they were on call but didn't work, and being on call didn't stop them doing what they wanted to with their day.
Alternative holidays (external link) — Employment New Zealand
referenced from : business.govt.nz
