employer failed to pay my USC

benefitchild

I was working in a bank for a year through a recruitment agency. my contract ended at the end of november 2013 and i have been unemployed since.
I rang the tax office at the start of January 2014 asking if I was due any tax back for 2013. My rate was 11euro per hour and I was getting 10euro into my account so obviously taxed a euro per hour. There was PRSI and PAYE on my payslip each week.. So I assumed seeing as I only earned 16,000 in 2013 I might get something back.
Anyway the tax office said they would do the calculations and send me a cheque if I was due anything back. That was 3 weeks ago.
Today I got a letter from tax office saying I underpaid and owe them €500?! According to the form, the tax office said I paid NO USC... it says nothing was deducted for USC and therefore I owe 500euro for USC underpayment.
Is that not the job of the employer to pay it for me? I feel annoyed now that I ever asked for tax back...
Is there anything I can do? Do I have to legally pay that? Is it not my employers fault for not taking USC from my pay? I feel under immense pressure now as i am living off the last of my savings now and not claiming social welfare. Thanks

benefitchild

I'm curious how it works... If I never brought the matter to revenues attention, would I never have had to pay that €500? Maybe they would never have noticed it

OU812

Are there USC deductions on your payslip? If so, then your employer should pay it (but you're responsible for paying it to revenue). If not, then you really should have noticed & questioned it with your employer.

You could try to come agreement with them where you both pay half.

Revenue would have come looking for it from your next role.

Rhys Essien

Surely this is the employers fault and the Revenue should be going after them for it.There are some people who might never look at a payslip and would never cop it or be unaware of it.

Also OP,why are you not signed on with the social??.

benefitchild

Rhys Essien wrote: »

Surely this is the employers fault and the Revenue should be going after them for it.There are some people who might never look at a payslip and would never cop it or be unaware of it.

Also OP,why are you not signed on with the social??.

I didn't sign on as I had some money to live off after losing my job. Wouldnt sign on unless I had zero funds. Also didn't want to pretend to be job seeking when really I plan to leave the country for 3 months or so at some point in 2014 (I had saved 4000 for this).. Is it still possible to sign on? I'm not so sure?

token56

From my understanding of it liability with regards payment of the USC lies with the employer. The last section of this pdf clearly states that:

Link

I would presume then that any underpayment of USC should be between revenue and your employer.

Rhys Essien

benefitchild wrote: »

I didn't sign on as I had some money to live off after losing my job. Wouldnt sign on unless I had zero funds. Also didn't want to pretend to be job seeking when really I plan to leave the country for 3 months or so at some point in 2014 (I had saved 4000 for this).. Is it still possible to sign on? I'm not so sure?

It sure is.Claim what is rightfully yours.Any questions,tell them you were considering your options.

How much did you lose out on so far...8 x €188=€1504 or 8 x €150=€1200?.

Although they might backdate you a few weeks.

maguic24

A guy I work with didn't pay his USC for a whole year and then notified revenue. He is now paying double USC for this year. He has to pay it back, even though it was revenue's fault. That's what he was told. :-/

benefitchild

token56 wrote: »

From my understanding of it liability with regards payment of the USC lies with the employer. The last section of this pdf clearly states that:

Link

I would presume then that any underpayment of USC should be between revenue and your employer.

Thanks to everyone for all your posts..in response to the above, is there anything I can do considering it is the employers responsibilty? I emailed my former employer early this morning asking them why they never deducted USC and no response.. would ringing the tax office help me at all? Or does anyone have any number I can ring?
How do I appeal? It says on the form "appeals can be made up to 30 days from date of this notice" but doesn't actualy tell me how to appeal...

Rhys Essien

Id say your best bet would be to talk to Revenue directly seen that they are on your back now.Contacts here.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/contact/index.html

Also,did you get your P45 back from employer?

benefitchild

Rhys Essien wrote: »

Id say your best bet would be to talk to Revenue directly seen that they are on your back now.Contacts here.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/contact/index.html

Also,did you get your P45 back from employer?

No I didnt get my p45. Will I need it?

Rhys Essien

benefitchild wrote: »

No I didnt get my p45. Will I need it?

You need to chase them down for that straight away.To get another job here you need that.You will also need it for the dole office.

benefitchild

Rhys Essien wrote: »

You need to chase them down for that straight away.To get another job here you need that.You will also need it for the dole office.

You're very good thanks a million. I will ask them for my p45. If I go on social for a month or 2 and am offered a job or something I don't want, is it ok for me to refuse? What reasons would be ok to give? I obviously can't say "oh I'm planning to go travelling"
Just wanna make sure it won't affect my ability to get on social in future if I really need it more than I do now

doolox

...you should be entitled to Jobseekers Benefit. The chances of you getting a job offer in the next 6 months are very slim and you can always underperform at any interview if you are called. There will be 100's that will be scrambling for the few job available. I would guess that experienced nurses and carers and other health care workers would get an offer quickly but most other sectors would have slim job prospects.

I would guess that financial sector is packed with suitable candidates looking for workl. So for you I'd say no problems.

Rhys Essien

benefitchild wrote: »

You're very good thanks a million. I will ask them for my p45. If I go on social for a month or 2 and am offered a job or something I don't want, is it ok for me to refuse? What reasons would be ok to give? I obviously can't say "oh I'm planning to go travelling"
Just wanna make sure it won't affect my ability to get on social in future if I really need it more than I do now

I could be wrong but I imagine for the first few weeks/months they wont be pressuring you like that.They might give you options of courses etc.

ScouseMouse

I have an accountant buddy here. He says: The employer has to make deductions for tax as instructed by revenue, and then pass them to revenue.

If the deduction was made but not passed on, its an employer problem.

But if no deduction was made for any reason, its the employee, i.e. YOU, that has to stump up.

No Pants

superscouse wrote: »

If the deduction was made but not passed on, its an employer problem.

But if no deduction was made for any reason, its the employee, i.e. YOU, that has to stump up.

Just what I was going to ask.

JP Liz V1

ScouseMouse wrote: »

I have an accountant buddy here. He says: The employer has to make deductions for tax as instructed by revenue, and then pass them to revenue.

If the deduction was made but not passed on, its an employer problem.

But if no deduction was made for any reason, its the employee, i.e. YOU, that has to stump up.

Is USC a compulsory tax paid by employer for employee?

haveringchick

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Is USC a compulsory tax paid by employer for employee?

The whole of the USC is paid by the employee
Yes it is compulsory
Your employer should deduct it from your wages and give it to Revenue on your behalf
As always it is the employee's responsibility to ensure that his or her taxes are paid