{"id":1353,"date":"2020-08-06T21:00:01","date_gmt":"2020-08-06T15:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/?p=1353"},"modified":"2024-05-10T15:22:14","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T09:52:14","slug":"covid-19-impacts-on-fringe-benefits-tax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/06\/covid-19-impacts-on-fringe-benefits-tax\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 Impacts on Fringe Benefits Tax"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">COVID-19 has brought massive changes in the working system of the business. It`s due to COVID-19 that employees are working from home. This has also brought changes in the fringe benefits, health benefits, safety, and the mental wellbeing of the employees. FBT is taxes that are paid by the employer for the employee for the work done by them. Due to COVID, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/details\/603\/fringe-benefits-covid-19\">fringe benefits<\/a> are included in the overall salary or payments made to the employee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier, other than the salary employees were given perks and economic security in the form of non-wage benefits for their loyal work done. This lessened employee retention and made the employee work harder for earning such rewards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;&lt;div style=&quot;color:#0E1851;margin-top:20px;font-size:28px;font-weight:bold;&quot;&gt;Related Webinars&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;width:100%;height:auto;overflow:hidden;overflow-x:auto;margin:20px 0;&quot;&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;width:calc(0 * 260px);&quot;&gt;&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;\/div&gt;&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:513,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;12&quot;:0}\"><div style=\"color:#0E1851;margin-top:20px;font-size:28px;font-weight:bold;\">Related Webinars<\/div><div style=\"width:100%;height:auto;overflow:hidden;overflow-x:auto;margin:20px 0;\"><div style=\"width:calc(3 * 260px);\"><div style=\"width:250px;height:350px;background-color:#D2E0FF;background:url(https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/assets\/images\/wdt-back.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;border-radius:10px;margin-right:10px;float:left;text-align:center;padding:25px 10px 0 10px;cursor:pointer;\" onclick=\"location.href='https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/details\/1900\/w4-2026?utm_source=cp_blog'\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width:135px;height:135px;border-radius:50%;border:2px solid #2B58B5;padding:3px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/image.php?src=https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/uploads\/img_upload\/1690210566_ddeafec58b7fab473c74.png&w=200&h=200&zc=1&s=1\" alt=\"Speaker\"><div style=\"color:#0E1851;margin-top:5px;font-size:18px;font-weight:bold;line-height:22px;max-height:65px;overflow:hidden;\">Form W-4 & the OBBBA: What You Need to Know<\/div><div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div><div style=\"margin:10px auto 0 auto;display:inline-block;\"><div style=\"width:20px;float:left;\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" id=\"IconChangeColor\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\"><path d=\"M160 32V64H288V32C288 14.33 302.3 0 320 0C337.7 0 352 14.33 352 32V64H400C426.5 64 448 85.49 448 112V160H0V112C0 85.49 21.49 64 48 64H96V32C96 14.33 110.3 0 128 0C145.7 0 160 14.33 160 32zM0 192H448V464C448 490.5 426.5 512 400 512H48C21.49 512 0 490.5 0 464V192zM64 304C64 312.8 71.16 320 80 320H112C120.8 320 128 312.8 128 304V272C128 263.2 120.8 256 112 256H80C71.16 256 64 263.2 64 272V304zM192 304C192 312.8 199.2 320 208 320H240C248.8 320 256 312.8 256 304V272C256 263.2 248.8 256 240 256H208C199.2 256 192 263.2 192 272V304zM336 256C327.2 256 320 263.2 320 272V304C320 312.8 327.2 320 336 320H368C376.8 320 384 312.8 384 304V272C384 263.2 376.8 256 368 256H336zM64 432C64 440.8 71.16 448 80 448H112C120.8 448 128 440.8 128 432V400C128 391.2 120.8 384 112 384H80C71.16 384 64 391.2 64 400V432zM208 384C199.2 384 192 391.2 192 400V432C192 440.8 199.2 448 208 448H240C248.8 448 256 440.8 256 432V400C256 391.2 248.8 384 240 384H208zM320 432C320 440.8 327.2 448 336 448H368C376.8 448 384 440.8 384 432V400C384 391.2 376.8 384 368 384H336C327.2 384 320 391.2 320 400V432z\" id=\"mainIconPathAttribute\" stroke-width=\"1\" stroke=\"#ff0000\" filter=\"url(#shadow)\" fill=\"#FB0351\"><\/path><filter id=\"shadow\"><feDropShadow id=\"shadowValue\" stdDeviation=\".5\" dx=\"0\" dy=\"0\" flood-color=\"black\"><\/feDropShadow><\/filter><filter id=\"shadow\"><feDropShadow id=\"shadowValue\" stdDeviation=\".5\" dx=\"0\" dy=\"0\" flood-color=\"black\"><\/feDropShadow><\/filter><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"float:left;margin-left:5px;font-size:12px;font-weight:bold;color:#FB0351;\">Sep 24th 2026 @ 01:00 PM ET<\/div><div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"font-size:12px;color:#2B58B5;margin-top:-10px;\"><strong>Speaker: <\/strong>Vicki M. Lambert, CPP<\/div><div style=\"width:120px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:12px;color:#FB0351;border:2px solid #FB0351;border-radius:30px;padding:1px 5px;margin:10px auto;\">Learn More<\/div><\/div><div style=\"width:250px;height:350px;background-color:#D2E0FF;background:url(https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/assets\/images\/wdt-back.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;border-radius:10px;margin-right:10px;float:left;text-align:center;padding:25px 10px 0 10px;cursor:pointer;\" onclick=\"location.href='https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/details\/1839\/payroll-2026?utm_source=cp_blog'\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width:135px;height:135px;border-radius:50%;border:2px solid #2B58B5;padding:3px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/image.php?src=https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/uploads\/img_upload\/1690210566_ddeafec58b7fab473c74.png&w=200&h=200&zc=1&s=1\" alt=\"Speaker\"><div style=\"color:#0E1851;margin-top:5px;font-size:18px;font-weight:bold;line-height:22px;max-height:65px;overflow:hidden;\">Payroll Compliance in 2026-27: 7 Issues You Need to Get Right<\/div><div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div><div style=\"margin:10px auto 0 auto;display:inline-block;\"><div style=\"width:20px;float:left;\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" id=\"IconChangeColor\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\"><path d=\"M160 32V64H288V32C288 14.33 302.3 0 320 0C337.7 0 352 14.33 352 32V64H400C426.5 64 448 85.49 448 112V160H0V112C0 85.49 21.49 64 48 64H96V32C96 14.33 110.3 0 128 0C145.7 0 160 14.33 160 32zM0 192H448V464C448 490.5 426.5 512 400 512H48C21.49 512 0 490.5 0 464V192zM64 304C64 312.8 71.16 320 80 320H112C120.8 320 128 312.8 128 304V272C128 263.2 120.8 256 112 256H80C71.16 256 64 263.2 64 272V304zM192 304C192 312.8 199.2 320 208 320H240C248.8 320 256 312.8 256 304V272C256 263.2 248.8 256 240 256H208C199.2 256 192 263.2 192 272V304zM336 256C327.2 256 320 263.2 320 272V304C320 312.8 327.2 320 336 320H368C376.8 320 384 312.8 384 304V272C384 263.2 376.8 256 368 256H336zM64 432C64 440.8 71.16 448 80 448H112C120.8 448 128 440.8 128 432V400C128 391.2 120.8 384 112 384H80C71.16 384 64 391.2 64 400V432zM208 384C199.2 384 192 391.2 192 400V432C192 440.8 199.2 448 208 448H240C248.8 448 256 440.8 256 432V400C256 391.2 248.8 384 240 384H208zM320 432C320 440.8 327.2 448 336 448H368C376.8 448 384 440.8 384 432V400C384 391.2 376.8 384 368 384H336C327.2 384 320 391.2 320 400V432z\" id=\"mainIconPathAttribute\" stroke-width=\"1\" stroke=\"#ff0000\" filter=\"url(#shadow)\" fill=\"#FB0351\"><\/path><filter id=\"shadow\"><feDropShadow id=\"shadowValue\" stdDeviation=\".5\" dx=\"0\" dy=\"0\" flood-color=\"black\"><\/feDropShadow><\/filter><filter id=\"shadow\"><feDropShadow id=\"shadowValue\" stdDeviation=\".5\" dx=\"0\" dy=\"0\" flood-color=\"black\"><\/feDropShadow><\/filter><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"float:left;margin-left:5px;font-size:12px;font-weight:bold;color:#FB0351;\">Sep 24th 2026 @ 01:00 PM ET<\/div><div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"font-size:12px;color:#2B58B5;margin-top:-10px;\"><strong>Speaker: <\/strong>Vicki M. Lambert, CPP<\/div><div style=\"width:120px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:12px;color:#FB0351;border:2px solid #FB0351;border-radius:30px;padding:1px 5px;margin:10px auto;\">Learn More<\/div><\/div><div style=\"width:250px;height:350px;background-color:#D2E0FF;background:url(https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/assets\/images\/wdt-back.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;border-radius:10px;margin-right:10px;float:left;text-align:center;padding:25px 10px 0 10px;cursor:pointer;\" onclick=\"location.href='https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/details\/1840\/year-end-2026?utm_source=cp_blog'\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width:135px;height:135px;border-radius:50%;border:2px solid #2B58B5;padding:3px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/image.php?src=https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/uploads\/img_upload\/1690210566_ddeafec58b7fab473c74.png&w=200&h=200&zc=1&s=1\" alt=\"Speaker\"><div style=\"color:#0E1851;margin-top:5px;font-size:18px;font-weight:bold;line-height:22px;max-height:65px;overflow:hidden;\">Preparing for Year End 2026 and Year Beginning 2027<\/div><div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div><div style=\"margin:10px auto 0 auto;display:inline-block;\"><div style=\"width:20px;float:left;\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" id=\"IconChangeColor\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\"><path d=\"M160 32V64H288V32C288 14.33 302.3 0 320 0C337.7 0 352 14.33 352 32V64H400C426.5 64 448 85.49 448 112V160H0V112C0 85.49 21.49 64 48 64H96V32C96 14.33 110.3 0 128 0C145.7 0 160 14.33 160 32zM0 192H448V464C448 490.5 426.5 512 400 512H48C21.49 512 0 490.5 0 464V192zM64 304C64 312.8 71.16 320 80 320H112C120.8 320 128 312.8 128 304V272C128 263.2 120.8 256 112 256H80C71.16 256 64 263.2 64 272V304zM192 304C192 312.8 199.2 320 208 320H240C248.8 320 256 312.8 256 304V272C256 263.2 248.8 256 240 256H208C199.2 256 192 263.2 192 272V304zM336 256C327.2 256 320 263.2 320 272V304C320 312.8 327.2 320 336 320H368C376.8 320 384 312.8 384 304V272C384 263.2 376.8 256 368 256H336zM64 432C64 440.8 71.16 448 80 448H112C120.8 448 128 440.8 128 432V400C128 391.2 120.8 384 112 384H80C71.16 384 64 391.2 64 400V432zM208 384C199.2 384 192 391.2 192 400V432C192 440.8 199.2 448 208 448H240C248.8 448 256 440.8 256 432V400C256 391.2 248.8 384 240 384H208zM320 432C320 440.8 327.2 448 336 448H368C376.8 448 384 440.8 384 432V400C384 391.2 376.8 384 368 384H336C327.2 384 320 391.2 320 400V432z\" id=\"mainIconPathAttribute\" stroke-width=\"1\" stroke=\"#ff0000\" filter=\"url(#shadow)\" fill=\"#FB0351\"><\/path><filter id=\"shadow\"><feDropShadow id=\"shadowValue\" stdDeviation=\".5\" dx=\"0\" dy=\"0\" flood-color=\"black\"><\/feDropShadow><\/filter><filter id=\"shadow\"><feDropShadow id=\"shadowValue\" stdDeviation=\".5\" dx=\"0\" dy=\"0\" flood-color=\"black\"><\/feDropShadow><\/filter><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"float:left;margin-left:5px;font-size:12px;font-weight:bold;color:#FB0351;\">Oct 8th 2026 @ 01:00 PM ET<\/div><div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"font-size:12px;color:#2B58B5;margin-top:-10px;\"><strong>Speaker: <\/strong>Vicki M. Lambert, CPP<\/div><div style=\"width:120px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:12px;color:#FB0351;border:2px solid #FB0351;border-radius:30px;padding:1px 5px;margin:10px auto;\">Learn More<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>According To ATO, There Are Certain Key Points That Affect The Fringe Benefits Due To COVID<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If employees are using a printer and laptop on a regular basis for work then it is included in the FBT. If not in use regularly then it is exempted.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other things such as using a monitor, mouse, or keyboard is allowed by the company due to COVID. These benefits are exempted from the perks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stationary used by the employees who are working from home for them also the deductible rule applies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now due to lockdown situations, there is no medical benefit given if an employee gets affected by this virus.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exemptions are given only for any kind of relocation for work, flight charges, and other work-related transport expenses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical assistance and the flu vaccination are exempted from the FBT. Moreover, any kind of voucher is exempted from FBT seeing the pandemic situation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Providing employees with COVID testing is exempted from the fringe benefits as this is an infectious virus.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Benefit Extension During Corona Virus Situation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In case if an employee is affected due to Corona then the medical benefits are extended in three cases that are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Until the employee finds a new job for himself.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Till the employee gets well and returns back to the job.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the CARES Act, the burden of paying taxes reduces in the long run.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>FFCRA`S PAID LEAVE<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Families\u2019 First Coronavirus response act expands the time period for paying leave and are non-punishable if they are loyal employees of the company. Moreover, the employees need to work cautiously with the company and cannot neglect the work and cannot take unnecessary leave.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If at all the employees try and take leave in this COVID Situation then the department of labor can take action against them. Section 16 and 17 can be put on the employees if they request for leave.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are ways when the employees can enroll themselves in special health insurance seeing the COVID situations.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Companies encourage employees to use the grace period effectively. Healthcare payments need to be done in a proper way within the calendar year. Every employee gets a different graced period hence, the HRA expenses can be used wisely to meet any kind of medical expenses in this COVID 19 period.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The whole working system of the companies has changed due to the lockdown and COVID. As we know every employee gets different perks and rewards according to the work done by them. Therefore, the benefits will vary from employee to employee and it is difficult to say how much the FBT will affect the employees and to what extent!!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>COVID-19 has brought massive changes in the working system of the business. It`s due to COVID-19 that employees are working from home. This has also brought changes in the fringe&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1354,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[58],"class_list":["post-1353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-payroll-and-accounting","tag-fringe-benefits"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1353"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1353\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5334,"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1353\/revisions\/5334"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1353"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.complianceprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}