Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Our thoughts go out to our friends and associates currently in the devastating floods in Queensland.
We hope everyone is safe.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Welcome 2011. A new year, why not a new uniform?
You have come back from Christmas break and your office uniform maybe looking a bit drab and in need of some attention. Now is a great time to update your uniform, summertime is upon us after all the late rains and we have a range of new seasons colours that will freshen up the look in the office.
Polo shirts in cotton, polyester and new bamboo.
Business shirts in cotton and polyester breathable fabrics.

What unifroms can I claim on Tax?

This question is about expenses you incur as an employee for work-related:

protective clothing
uniforms
occupation-specific clothing, and
laundering and dry-cleaning of clothing listed above.
You can claim the cost of a work uniform that is distinctive – such as one that has your employer’s logo permanently attached to it – and it must be either:

a non-compulsory uniform that your employer has registered with AusIndustry – check with your employer if you are not sure – or
a compulsory uniform that can be a set of clothing or a single item that identifies you as an employee of an organisation. There must be a strictly enforced policy making it compulsory to wear that clothing at work. Items may include shoes, stockings, socks and jumpers where they are an essential part of a distinctive compulsory uniform and the colour, style and type are specified in your employer’s policy.
You can also claim the cost of:

occupation-specific clothing which allows people to easily recognise that occupation – such as the checked pants a chef wears when working – and which are not for everyday use
protective clothing and footwear to protect you from the risk of illness or injury, or to prevent damage to your ordinary clothes, caused by your work or work environment. Items may include fire-resistant clothing, sun protection clothing, safety-coloured vests, non-slip nurse’s shoes, steel-capped boots, gloves, overalls, aprons, and heavy duty shirts and trousers (but not jeans). You can claim the cost of protective equipment, such as hard hats and safety glasses.
You can claim the cost of renting, repairing and cleaning any of the above work-related clothing.

You cannot claim the cost of purchasing or cleaning plain uniforms or clothes, such as black trousers, white shirts, suits and stockings, even if your employer requires you to wear them.