Canadian Payroll Reporter - sample

3 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2017 News in Brief A look at news, facts and figures shaping the world of payroll professionals Employees not comfortable asking for raises: Survey › MENLO PARK, CALIF — Employees in the Unit- ed States say they would feel more confident doing public speaking than asking for a raise, a new survey finds. The study, conducted by staffing firm Robert Half, found that while 57 per cent of those surveyed admitted to feeling self-assured when doing public speaking, only 49 per cent said they are confident when asking for a pay increase. The company said the results come from an independent research firm's survey of more than 1,000 employees working full-time in offices in the U.S. The survey stated that discomfort around asking for a raise was also reflected in the percentage of respondents who — rather than request more money — would prefer to clean their house (36 per cent), look for a new job (14 per cent), get a root canal (five per cent), or be audited by the Internal Revenue Service (four per cent). However, being uncomfortable talking about money with the boss can be costly over the long term, said Paul McDonald, senior executive director at Robert Half. "People who are hesitant to talk about compensation may reduce their earning power — not just in their current role but also with future employers," he said. "Do your homework on current salary levels. If you're underpaid, role-play the salary conversation with a trusted mentor before scheduling time to meet with your manager," said McDonald. Despite the unease, the survey found that 44 per cent of respondents said they plan to ask for a raise this year, with the primary reason being that their salary has not grown with their job duties. Twenty-four per cent who plan to ask for a pay hike said they needed the extra money to cover basic needs. Twenty-three per cent said they would look for a new job if their employer turned down their request. The survey also found that employees feel good about their employer's outlook and their own job opportunities. Seventy-nine per cent of respondents said they were confident in their employer's stability and 63 per cent said they felt confident about their job prospects. They survey also found that while 32 per cent of workers say they have never checked their salaries against the going market rates for their positions, the number is lower than last year when it was 41 per cent. Saskatchewan PST now applies to insurance premiums › REGINA — Beginning this month, Saskatch- ewan's provincial sales tax (PST) applies to in- surance premiums. In the province's March 22 budget, Finance Minister Kevin Doherty said the government would begin charging PST on insurance premiums — including those for life, accident and health insurance — on July 1 for premiums due on or after that date, regardless of when the insurance policy was issued. In May, however, Doherty went on to announce that the government was moving the in-force date to August 1 to give the insurance industry more time to implement the change. Beginning this month, the PST now applies to insurance premiums due or after that date. In March, the government also raised the PST rate from five per cent to six. see LONG-SERVICE page 8

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