Date posted: 01/02/2012
Audience: HR Managers & Payroll Managers
Action:
- To communicate the information at Annex A to staff members and
- To note the information about payroll interface
Timing: Immediate
This notice is from Cabinet Office, Scheme Management Executive
Employee Communications
- EPNs 314 and 317 gave employers information to help them support their payroll providers implement the changes to employee contribution rates. We followed this up by sending employers a questionnaire asking them to give us an assessment of how ready they were to implement the changes to contributions in April 2012. We are grateful to the many employers who returned the completed questionnaire. The returns show the majority of employers are in a good position to deduct the extra contributions in April 2012.
- Now we have an assurance about the implementation the next step is to begin communication with employees. At Annex A is a Question and Answer note for employers to put on their intranets or communicate to staff in their preferred way. When considering how to use the Question and Answer note employers must liaise with their Head of Internal Communications. Employers must also ensure they share the note with their Shared Services or the first point of HR contact for their staff. Please note you will have to enter contact details in the Question and Answer note.
- This Q&A is one strand of the planned communications to employees telling them about the extra contributions. The planned communications will include a mailing to all employees with the support of some employers. We will issue a further EPN once we have finalised the details and timing of the planned employee communication exercise. The EPN will tell employers about the nature of the exercise and what role they might be expected to play.
Payroll interface
- In response to EPNs 314 and 317 some employers and their payroll providers have raised a number of questions about the interface between payroll and penserver. MyCSP are working to resolve any interface issues resulting from the implementation of the extra contributions. There will be few, if any, changes to the interface for premium and classic plus members. As Annex A to EPN 317 advised for classic members the current contribution rate, generally 1.5% of salary, and the extra contributions will have to be recorded separately. For nuvos members penserver will need details of the individual member’s contribution rate.
- While MyCSP are developing any changes to the payroll/penserver interface employers and their payroll providers should record the employee contributions. These details will then be sent over to penserver using any revised interface guidance. Revised interface guidance will be sent to employers and payroll providers as it becomes available.
Employees with individual accrual rates
- MyCSP need to be aware of any individual granted non standard accrual rates as part of their terms and conditions of employment. Employers must send details of any such individual to MyCSP.Basingstoke@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Reference
EPN314 and EPN317
Contacts
Enquiries regarding content please contact SME on
SMEemployers@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
Enquiries regarding distribution or to receive in a different format
Mycsp.basingstoke@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Attachments
