TSU: 40,000 companies only benefit if they pay off debts – Daily News – Lisbon

Companies have to individualize the declaration pay workers the December 31, 2015 earned between 505 and 530 euros

There are 40,000 companies that will, at least for now, stay out of reduction of 0.75 percentage points of the single social tax (TSU) for having debts to social Security. This discount, which includes workers receiving the minimum wage, will be available from February this year and January 2017, because companies can benefit as soon as regularize their situation.

In addition to the information sent to these 40 000 companies, the Institute of social Security notified the 182,000 other employers who meet the requirements to benefit from that measure – which resulted in an agreement signed by social coparceiros but which the CGTP not linked to disagree with this descent of TSU.

“potential employers beneficiaries of the measure were notified by email, on 22 and 23 February, the Social Security Institute, a total of about 182,000,” said an official source of the Ministry Labour and Social Security.

This discount TSU is given to companies that December 31, 2015 had registration workers receive a monthly base salary between 505 and 530 euros inclusive. Between February 2016 and January 2017, companies will pay 23% instead of the normal 23.75% in contributions – value to be added 11% dependent on the worker. Even if a company meets the requirements to be eligible, the reduction is not assigned automatically, it is necessary to deliver the statement of remuneration of autonomized way, only with the workers covered by this exceptional measure. Sending the statement with these requirements has to be done until the 10th of this month, so that the remuneration of February may already be covered.

In relation to the 40 000 employers without regularized contributory status, source official of the ministry led by Vieira da Silva adds that were informed that, “in order to benefit from this measure, would have to proceed to regularize its contributions situation.” If they do, adds the same source, “take effect from the month following the settlement and the remainder”.

The DN / Mad Money tried to learn from the Ministry of Labour the universe of workers the December 31, 2015 enjoyed by between 505 and 530 euros per month, but it was not possible to receive the information on time. Anyway, it was based on the monthly statements of December remuneration 2015 that Social Security services might determine the universe of companies that were to be notified of the discount (and respective procedures to access it) or informed of the measure, if not gather all the requirements.

This is not the first time the government grants a discount on TSU employers’ as a way to relieve companies of the rise in costs caused by the updating of the national minimum wage. The government led by Pedro Passos Coelho had already used this solution when the minimum wage increased from 485 (value 2011) to 505 euros (in October 2014).

At the time, however, many requirements for companies to benefit from this measure eventually limit its usefulness. According to advanced data at the end of a meeting of the social dialogue, only about 40% of the 157,000 companies then notified managed to be covered or joined the relief of 0.75 points of the single social tax.

Data provided by Vieira da Silva, the Minister of Labour, following the presentation of the state budget proposal for 2016 indicate that this discount TSU will cost about 20 million euros if it is applied in full – that is, if all companies decide to order it. The value is four times lower than the additional income of 80 million euros that the mere increase of 505 to 530 euros will cause the single social tax.

In the case of the Azores and Madeira, will be covered workers at the end of 2015 received between 530.25 and 556.50 euros and between 515.10 and 540.6 euros, respectively.