Single Touch Payroll – Options For Employers With 1-4 Employees

Business Setup

Updated March 19th 2020

From 1 July 2019, all employers are required to comply with Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting requirements. 

The STP system reports all payments from employers to employees in real time reporting which assists the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in ensure all employers are meeting their tax and super obligations.

A statement has been released from the ATO Commissioner Chris Jordon which details some implementation concessions which will be available to micro employers who have 1-4 employees.
Concessions to assist in the STP transition for micro employers are:

  • Allowing quarterly STP reporting of payroll when prepared by a BAS agent, rather than each payroll run
  • The STP start date can be anytime from 1 July 2019 to 30 September 2019
  • Deferral requests will automatically be granted for any micro employer who requests additional time
  • There will be no penalties for mistakes, missed or late reports in the first year
  • Exemptions will be provided for employers experiencing hardship or have no reliable internet connection

There have also recently been releases from a number of software providers for Single Touch Payroll solutions for $10 or less a month.