How Can I Get Involved?
National Payroll Week is an opportunity to contribute to your community and profession by using those special skills and knowledge you’ve developed in your work as a payroll professional. National Payroll Week is all about taking pride in your profession - now is the right time to share that pride with others.
Reach out and teach for NPW 2002
What can you do to celebrate National Payroll Week? You can celebrate by sharing what you know. Payroll professionals should take pride in the fact that they track and collect the income taxes and other remittances that keep Canada going.
Do it because you have been looking for an excuse to put together a presentation. Do it because you want to participate in your child's school. Do it because you believe that it is important to give back to your community when you can. Do it because you want coworkers at your company to better understand what you do and how you can help them.
You can reach out to your local community and your workplace - to schools and youth groups, coworkers, small business owners, literacy organizations, and job reentry programs. Remember, you have something to teach people in all of these settings.
Approach your local high school with an offer to teach students about how the tax withholding system works; show them how to fill out T4 and Record of Employment forms; explain what it is like to work manage a payroll for a large (or small) company; or explain how payroll professionals make the payroll system run.
Meet with school guidance counselers to inform them about career possibilities in payroll. Meet with younger students to explain to them how the system works - what their salary can buy for them, and how statutory deductions help build schools, parks, roads, retirement benefits, etc. Talk to business classes or vocational students. And don't forget to bring NPW buttons, NPW pens and notepads to share with the students!
OK, you say, this sounds good, but I don't know how to get started and maybe it's too late already. Don't worry - you still have time. If you have or know a child in the school system, call their school principal or call the central office and ask for the name of the business, social studies or economics teacher. Tell them that you would like to come in to make a presentation to their classes. Or, write a letter to the principal explaining what you would like to do and ask for suggestions of who you should contact. Be sure to include some information with your request. Then follow up the letter with a phone call. Rest assured that your efforts will be appreciated - many other payroll professionals have done this before, and we've heard nothing but glowing reviews.
You don't have to work with youth to contribute to your community - there also are plenty of adults out there who will appreciate your expertise. Local organizations such as libraries, literacy programs, and job reentry programs will all be eager to have you make a presentation. You can also try local service clubs like Lions and Rotary, which host regular meetings. Their members are usually business professionals and are often on the look-out for informative, professional development presentations.
If you're unsure about the appropriateness of a payroll presentation for a particular group, call and ask if they would be interested. They may also be able to suggest other places that would love want to host your payroll presentation.
Want to stick a little closer to home? There are many people right in your own company who would benefit from learning about their pay cheque, direct deposit, savings plans, your company's benefits package, and T4 slips and ROE forms, -- to name but a few.
Seize the opportunity provided by National Payroll Week to educate your employees; or even your boss (show your commitment to streamlining operations by making a presentation on the benefits of direct deposit). Organize a "lunch and learn" program for each day of National Payroll Week.
If presentations are not your style, you can still educate - do what is most comfortable for you:
- You can set up an information fair for employees to stop by. Bring in outside partners for information fairs, such as direct deposit experts.
- Write a short article for your company newsletter or on your company intranet site or send daily messages via email (if your talents don't run to writing, contact the CPA for samples of articles and email messages);
- Make your department more visible by setting up an informational payroll table in the cafeteria;
- Don't forget - this is a celebration, so hand out NPW buttons and pens, hang up NPW balloons and wear NPW T-shirts!
Reach out and grab the opportunity
National Payroll Week provides us with an opportunity to educate others, take pride in our work, and demonstrate the value of the system that works for all Canadians. We can all exceed in this goal if we work together!
National Payroll Week Proclamations - A big payoff for everyone
Experience the pride of your profession and National Payroll Week by getting a Payroll Week proclamation from your mayor, county leader, or local legislators! Anyone can request one - you just have to be a constituent. It's very simple to achieve, and yet it looks so impressive hanging on your office wall.
Steps for getting a proclamation:
- Call your mayor's office and ask about the procedures for enacting a City Proclamation. They are used to requests like this and usually have a simple process set up.
- They will ask you to send a proposal. This should include: a letter explaining your goal in enacting a City Payroll Week, sample language for the proclamation, information on the payroll profession or National Payroll Week.
- Ask the contact if there is any additional information the mayor will need. Ask where to send the package - to them, the mayor or both.
- Send the package with your name and phone number so they can call for additional information. Call within two weeks to find out progress on the proposal and when a decision might be made.
After the proclamation has been finalized:
- Write thank-yous to the mayor, your contact and anyone else who has helped.
- Let your local media know about this great achievement!
- Create a photo opportunity - have the proclamation presented to you during a city hall meeting, press conference, etc. Bring along your colleagues and your boss. Take pictures!
- Tell all your friends and colleagues!
- Pat yourself on the back.
Sample Proclamation:
The 8th Annual National Payroll Week will take place from September 3 to 6, 2002; and
The objective of National Payroll Week is to educate business and the public on the vital role these professionals play in the workforce; and
Complex government legislation, emerging technologies and a changing workplace make payroll increasingly intricate and require the payroll professional to constantly upgrade knowledge and skills and maintain a standard of professional excellence; and
Payroll professionals collect billions of dollars in taxes and withholdings on behalf of the federal and provincial governments and then produce 14 million T4s each year; and
Workers across Canada count on payroll professionals to issue their pay in a timely manner and ensure legislative compliance and prevent costly errors; and
Employers across Canada depend on their payroll professionals to maintain a timely, accurate payrolls to prevent government penalties and other costly errors; and
National Payroll Week is sponsored by The Canadian Payroll Association together with payroll providers who cast aside competitiveness each year and unite to boost the profile of the payroll professional,
NOW, THEREFORE, I (name, title) do hereby proclaim the week of September 3 to 6, 2002
In the (CITY/PROV/TERR) of ( ) and urge all residents, workers and employers to lend their support.
NPW Proclamations Steps for getting a proclamation After the proclamation has been finalized Sample proclamation
Steps for getting a proclamation
After the proclamation has been finalized
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