One Stop Payroll

Citation

McGrath, P. (1999), "One Stop Payroll", Personnel Review, Vol. 28 No. 1/2, pp. 157-157. https://doi.org/10.1108/pr.1999.28.1_2.157.4

This book is one in a series of One Stop publications which have dealt with such diverse subjects as negotiation and the work of the Company Secretary.

One Stop Payroll is basically an A to Z (Absence to Workplace facilities) of essential information on the subject of payroll management for either the company payroll manager or the small business entrepreneur starting from scratch.

The preface is concise, supplying the reader with a broad outline of the aims of the book and illustrating that in a publication which is aimed to be user friendly for the busy manager, it is not always possible to provide sufficient detail to cover special payroll groups. The examples given by the author include such esoteric groups as contemplative nuns and Norwegian sector divers!

The separate chapters of the book are set out alphabetically, with a brief introduction to each subject. The legal implications of many payroll decisions are clearly outlined to the reader and these will be of particular value in a subject that has more than its share of potential litigation areas for the unsuspecting employer. The practical examples supplied in such areas as calculating backpay and attachment of earnings orders will also prove to be invaluable as checklists of good practice.

Readers who are contemplating entering the world of small business employee recruitment will find the sections dealing with gross pay, net pay, PAYE, statutory maternity pay and sick pay of particular interest.

The subject of tax regulations affecting employers and employees is described in a straightforward manner, although the need to seek the advice of the Inland Revenue in more specialised areas is not discounted.

The breadth covered in this publication is obviously one of its selling points; however, on occasion it would have been useful to be provided with a little more depth on certain subjects. The author comments on this lack of depth, and his previous publication, Gee’s Payroll Factbook, would undoubtedly fill this gap for the reader who requires further detail on a particular subject.

A free update service is offered twice a year until a new edition is published and readers will find this an invaluable extra given the constantly changing payment schedules and legislation in this area of financial management.

One Stop Payroll is an excellent practical reference work for the management of payroll in companies of various sizes in Great Britain. Its concise chapters and extensive use of arithmetical examples to explain potentially difficult concepts and legislation make it an excellent addition to the bookshelves of managers in a wide variety of business sectors.