Determining remuneration for employer health tax

A bonus is a form of remuneration based on an employment relationship. Employer health tax applies in the calendar year the bonus is paid to an employee. 

A signing bonus paid before or after an employment relationship begins is considered remuneration based on an employment agreement. Employer health tax applies in the calendar year the signing bonus is paid to the employee.

Employers may request employees to sign non-compete agreements, restricting an employee or former employee from taking a job with a competitor of the employer’s for a period of time. Employer health tax applies in the calendar year the non-compete payment is paid to the employee.

Commissions are a form of remuneration based on an employment relationship. Employer health tax applies in the calendar year commissions are paid to the employee.

Whether you pay the employer health tax on a gratuity or tip is based on who facilitates the payment. When the gratuity or tip is paid by the employer to the employee, employer health tax applies in the year the gratuity or tip is paid to the employee.  

If the gratuity or tip is paid directly from the customer to the employee, as there is no employment relationship between the customer and the employee, the employer health tax doesn’t apply on the gratuity or tip received by the employee.

The following are examples of gratuities or tips paid by an employer to an employee, which are taxable:

• the employer adds a mandatory service charge to a client's bill to cover tips
• the employer adds a percentage to a client's bill to cover tips
• tips that are allocated to employees using a tip-sharing formula determined by the employer
• tips that an employer includes in his business income, then expenses and redistributes to employees in the form of pay
• tips that the employees turn over to their employer who then distributes them to the employees
• cash tips that are deposited into the employer's bank account and become, or are even commingled with, the property of the employer and then paid out to the employees

The following are examples of gratuities or tips paid by clients/customers, which are not taxable:

• a customer leaves money on the table at the end of the meal and the server keeps the whole amount
• a guest gives a tip directly to a bellhop, door person, car attendant, porter, etc.
• the employees and not the employer decide how the tips are pooled or shared among employees
• a customer includes an amount for a tip when paying the bill by credit or debit card and the employer returns the tip amount in cash to the employee at the end of the shift. In exceptional situations the cash tips could be paid out the day after, for example, if there was not enough available cash on hand

Fees paid to a director as a member of a corporation’s board of directors, are considered employment income. Employer health tax applies in the calendar year the fees are paid.

An advance is a payment from an employer to an employee for future salary, wages or commissions without expectation of interest payable and the amount will be deducted from the employee’s future paycheques. Employer health tax applies in the calendar year the advance payment is paid to the employee.

Vacation pay is either paid out as earned, paid out when used by an employee, or paid out when unused according to rules established by the employer. Employer health tax applies in the calendar year the vacation pay is paid to the employee.

If you top up unemployment or workers’ compensation benefits to the employee’s regular salary, (such as maternity leave, temporary or indefinite layoffs etc.) the employer health tax  applies  in the calendar year the top-up payment is paid to the employee.

If the employee receives a top-up payment from an independent third-party trustee under the terms of a supplementary unemployment benefit plan, the employer health tax doesn’t apply.

Payments or allowances paid to members of religious orders are considered to be an employment relationship. Employer health tax applies in the calendar year the payments or allowances are paid to members of religious orders.

An allowance is a periodic or lump-sum amount that is paid to employees to cover expenses of the employee. Unlike a reimbursement, the employee doesn’t have to provide the employer with receipts; the amount is used as the employee chooses. Employer health tax may apply in the calendar year if the allowance is not reasonable, or if it relates to personal expenses of the employee.

As an employee is expected to repay an employee loan, the employer health tax doesn’t apply to the principal of the loan.

If the employee is required to pay interest on the outstanding principal and the interest rate is less than market interest rate, the employer health tax applies on the difference.

If the employee loan is later forgiven by the employer, the employer health tax applies on the forgiven amount of the loan in the calendar year the loan is forgiven.

If an employee is required to provide the employer with receipts to be reimbursed for employment expenses the employer health tax doesn’t apply because the funds paid by the employer are to repay the employee for the employer’s expense.

Employer health tax applies on the value of any subsidized or free board and lodging, except when the employer provides board and lodging at a special work site or a remote location.

Generally, the employer health tax applies on tuition paid on behalf of an employee (including any reimbursed tuition fees). The employer health tax doesn’t apply when the tuition is for a course taken for the benefit of the employer.

Employer health tax applies on employer-paid premiums or contributions to group sickness or accident insurance plans where the related benefits are paid on a lump sum basis.

Employer health tax applies on employer-paid premiums to non-group sickness or accident insurance plans, disability insurance plans, or income maintenance insurance plans.

Stock option benefits represent a benefit received by the employee due to his or her employment relationship. Employer health tax applies in the calendar year on the stock option benefits that are required to be reported in Box 14 (Employment Income) of an employee's T4 slip.

Learn more about stock option benefits:

• What is a security (stock) options taxable benefit?