• Christmas wind-down checklist
• Our Christmas Hours       
• Employing Students & Casual Staff
• Referrals

1. Can you use the shut down period to schedule maintenance on any plant & machinery, or computers?
2. Are you hosting any staff or client Christmas parties? If so, do you know if these come under the entertainment regime rules?
3. Are you giving staff Christmas bonuses or gifts? Do you know the rules around paying cash bonuses and also the FBT rules?
4. Consider contacting your debtors to encourage payments before Christmas. People and businesses are generally more cash strapped in the New Year.
5. Add details of any shutdown period to your website and/or face book page.
6. Consider setting up out of office replies for emails and adding a footer detailing your shutdown period to emails sent between now and the break, or set up remote access to enable you to check your emails.
7. If your website offers online shopping ability, have you communicated whether the break may mean longer than usual delivery times?
8. Can you save money by turning off computers and other appliances over the break? Or do you want to have lights come on using a timer for security reasons?
9. Have you made sure that you have someone to calculate wages/salaries over the break or arranged to have these calculated or paid to employees prior to closing? If you are unsure of the rules in relation to holiday pay, please contact us.
10. Will someone check the post office box over the break to bank any cheques that might come in?
11. Have you done a rough cash flow to make sure there are enough funds in the company bank account to cover payments that will go out over the break?
12. Will you have telephone calls forwarded to your mobile over the break (so you don't miss potential leads), or do you need to change the answer phone message to let customers know when you will be back and perhaps emergency contact details?
13. Consider putting a sign on the door in case customers turn up expecting you to be open.
14. If the business premises are alarmed do the security company have details of who to contact if the need arises.
15. Throw some business cards in the car in case you get some networking opportunities while you are on holiday!
16. And the trivial - make sure the work fridge is cleared of those tidbits so eagerly kept during the year!

Our Christmas Hours

Our offices will close at midday on Friday december and we will re-open after the Christmas break on Monday 14 January at 8am.

Employing Students & Casual Staff in holiday period and Holiday Pay

There are a myriad of issues to consider with payroll and employment around the Christmas period. We have highlighted below links to websites with information and tools that may be of some help to you. Alternatively, please do not hesitate to contact us to assist you with these queries. 

IRD Business Tax Update

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Referrals

Do you enjoy working with us?  If so, do you have a friend, colleague or relative that may also need our assistance?  We particularly enjoy working with clients that are referred to us and we are always extremely appreciative of clients who refer us to others.  As an added incentive, if you refer someone to us by 28 February 2013, you will go in the drawer for a $200 dinner voucher.