Inland Revenue Agrees to Change

13 July 1999

PR68/99

Inland Revenue has agreed to change the time it sends out Employer Monthly Schedules following a request from Federated Farmers.

Following lobbying from Federated Farmers, the Inland Revenue Department has agreed to send out the Employer Schedules during the first week of each month.

When Inland Revenue changed to a new system for collecting PAYE wage deductions in April, the time when they mailed the documentation changed from the end of the month before the payment was due, to the 10th of the month when it was due.

Farmers living in remote areas with infrequent mail delivers were unable to meet the IRD deadline, as this is only ten days before monthly payments are due on the 20th.

Federated Farmers firmly believes that the Inland Revenue Department should not impose penalties on farmer employers who fail to meet the 20th of the month deadline because of the short timeframe involved.

"This arbitrary change by IRD did not allow for rural mail delivery schedules. When approached, IRD said there was no reason the Employer Schedules could not be mailed out a week earlier. It would be grossly unfair if any late payment penalties imposed are left in place," said General Policy Manager Gavin Forrest

Federated Farmers wants to hear from any members who have been charged penalties because of the too-brief time allowed by the IRD and whether the new timeframes are realistic for their individual circumstances.

ENDS

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