Recruitment Services
General Information for Candidates
About the University
About Wollongong
Salary Packaging
Salary packaging is available to permanent and limited term full time and part time staff members. The length of a limited/fixed term staff member’s contract may limit the range of items that can be salary packaged. Salary packaging is optional and voluntary.
The University of Wollongong will continue to offer employees the opportunity to salary sacrifice superannuation, Kids Uni, Car parking and URAC gym fees. In addition the University has appointed nlc, an Australian owned company who specialise in Salary Packaging, to work closely with the University and their Employees, to deliver a wider range of items that may be packaged and a competitive and customer-focused Salary Packaging service.
Packaging Principles
Salary Packaging is an approved means of structuring remuneration to enable the Employee to receive a combination of:
- salary; and
- approved benefits
Benefits are paid for from an employee's pre-tax salary thereby reducing the taxable income. Impact on an employees take home pay will depend on the amount of gross salary, the type(s) of benefit(s) selected, the cost of each benefit and other associated costs, such as FBT.
Items Available for Salary Packaging
Internal items available for packaging
| Car Parking |
Salary Packaging is available for car parking on Campus only. Two categories of car parking are available to staff, both of which can be salary packaged; Reserved Parking
Permit Parking
A Car Parking Application Form must be completed and returned to Reception at Personnel & Financial Services - a sticker can be issued immediately. The form includes an option to have the deduction taken from your salary as a pre tax (or salary packaged) deduction. If an employee leaves the University of Wollongong due to termination, resignation, or the end of their employment contract the relevant car parking permit must be returned to Personnel Services. |
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| Child Care |
Salary Packaging is available for child care at the UniCentre Children's Services (Kids' Uni). Employees should ensure they are aware of any changes to legislative or taxation issues associated with child care. Currently Salary Packaging Kids Uni fees may result in the inability to claim the Child Care Rebate or Child Care Benefit from the Government. It is strongly recommended that financial advice is sought before entering in a Salary Packaging Arrangement for Kids Uni fees. Child care must be on campus for employees to be eligible for the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption. Long Day care, After School care and Vacation care can be salary packaged. Salary Packaging child care is subject to the availability of a position for your child/children. Priority cannot be given to employees who choose to salary package. Parents should secure positions for their child/children prior to entering into a Salary Packaging arrangement. Employees should estimate their child care fees a year in advance. This amount will then be used to determine the fortnightly deductions from your pre-tax salary. At the end of the year your account is reconciled, and credits are repaid through the payroll. Employees should refer to the policies and procedures of the UniCentre Children's Services for further information. |
| Superannuation |
Employees can salary package their standard superannuation contributions and any additional, voluntary superannuation contributions. Employees should be aware that salary packaged contributions are deemed to be employer contributions. Employees should refer to their contract of employment to confirm their employer contribution to superannuation. All employer contributions attract a government imposed Contributions Tax of 15%. Therefore, for example, contributions of 7% will increase to 8.25%, and contributions of 3.5% will increase to 4.125%. From 1 July 2007, concessional contributions made to super will be subject to an annual cap of $50,000. Concessional contributions include employer contributions (including contributions made under a salary sacrifice arrangement) and personal contributions claimed as a tax deduction by a self-employed person. The age-based limits on deductions that currently exist for these contributions will no longer apply. You will be taxed on concessional contributions over the $50,000 cap at a rate of 31.5%. This is on top of the 15% tax paid by the fund. You can ask your super fund to release money to pay this excess contributions tax. See the Australian Taxation Office website for further detail. Superannuation contributions are not subject to the GST. Superannuation can be complex, and there are many issues that may need to be considered. Therefore, it is advisable that employees seek financial advice before entering into a Salary Packaging arrangement. Some issues to consider and to discuss with your financial adviser include:
For more information on UniSuper, visit the UniSuper website. |
| URAC Gym Membership |
The following gym memberships may be salary packaged:
Current fees are available on the URAC Website - http://www.urac.com.au/ Applications for membership are available from the gym - employees will be required to present their current staff card. |
NLC items available for packaging
| Motor Vehicles |
Employees have the opportunity to salary package a new or used motor vehicle under a Novated Lease for themselves or their associate. The University has engaged the services of nlc to provide Employees with this service. A Novated Lease is simply a variation to a standard finance lease. You enter into a Lease Contract with nlc. Both you and University of Wollongong then enter into a Novated Lease Agreement with nlc, which means University of Wollongong assumes responsibility for your obligations under the Lease Contract, excluding the Residual Value obligation. This arrangement continues until the lease contract expires or you leave University of Wollongong, whichever is earlier. A Novated Lease allows for the lease payments to be deducted from the total remuneration package in pre-tax dollars. If employment ceases, for whatever reason, University of Wollongong’s rights and obligations in respect of the lease immediately cease and revert back to the employee. Vehicle Choice
Vehicle InsuranceAll salary packaged vehicles must be comprehensively insured at all times. Vehicle insurance can be arranged through nlc Insurance or an external provider. Redundancy Insurancenlc offer Redundancy Insurance, this is however optional and the employee’s choice. All costs associated with the application of these rules will be calculated by nlc and forwarded to the employee as part of the Vehicle Salary Package quote. Tolls and InfringementsEmployees are personally responsible for all traffic and parking infringements and road tolls. Tolls and infringements cannot be included in any salary package arrangement. However, where a toll is incurred on University business this can be claimed as a business expense. |
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| Other Items |
The University has engaged the services of nlc to provide employees a range of other items that they may choose to salary package. These items include:
Employees should contact nlc for more information |
| Charitable Contributions- UOW cares | Workplace giving is a simple and effective way for you to regularly donate to a community group with deductible gift recipient status (DGR) through automated payroll deductions. By contributing to a workplace giving pre-tax program, you receive the benefit of an immediate tax deduction from your fortnightly salary. Staff can find out more information on the UOW Cares website and can commence their deductions by logging onto Web Kiosk. |
Administration fees
- Car parking - $0.50 per fortnight (or free if packaged with any other item)
- Child Care - $3.00 per fortnight
- Superannuation - $2.00 per fortnight
- Gym Membership - $0.50 per fortnight
- nlc items - $75.00 per year (unlimited number of items)
* Plus 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Alteration fees
Employees can alter their salary package i.e. the item or items being packaged, once each year on the anniversary date of the package. Any alterations to a salary package within that one year period may incur a $100 Alteration Fee. In addition, employees will be subject to all terms, conditions and penalties of University suppliers.
The Alteration Fee will not apply to small changes such as a change in bank account details, change of address, annual package adjustments etc.
Salary Packaging Disclaimer
Whilst every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within the Salary Packaging web site, the University of Wollongong and its suppliers will not accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may have been made or to the correctness of the information contained within the Salary Packaging web site.
All employees of the University of Wollongong are advised to seek financial advice before entering into a Salary Packaging arrangement.
The University of Wollongong reserves the right to change, adjust or in any way alter any of the information contained within this document and other documents relating to Salary Packaging.
The University of Wollongong will not provide taxation, financial or legal advice relating to Salary Packaging.
Legal action may be taken by the University of Wollongong to collect any outstanding monies owed by an employee or former employee of the University.
It will be understood by the University of Wollongong that any employee who enters into a Salary Packaging arrangement has fully read and understood this disclaimer relating to Salary Packaging and agrees to all terms and conditions of the Salary Packaging Guidelines and all terms and conditions of University suppliers. Salary Packaging arrangements must meet Australian Taxation Office requirements.
The University of Wollongong accepts no responsibility for any loss associated with Salary Packaging by an employee.
The Salary Packaging web site is protected by Copyright and University Policy in relation to intellectual property. The distribution or dissemination of the information contained within the Salary Packaging web site is strictly prohibited without prior permission of the Director, Personnel or nominee.