On Thursday at noon the team at Polson Higgs will gather in the tearooms. We have a bit of a “year in review”, our successes and some of the challenges. This is followed by strawberries and bubbles. About one o’clock some (the younger ones) will head down the hill into town, others will race off to start a well-earned break and we call it a “wrap” for 2022.
I am taking the family up to Central for time in the sun. There will hopefully be bike rides with the boys, time on the lake and if I’m lucky time to read a good book.
From all the team at Polson Higgs we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. 2022 has provided its share of challenges and based on the way the reserve bank is talking 2023 will be equally challenging for other reasons. I continue to be impressed the way our clients and the team have taken the challenges of the last three years in their stride. Enjoy your holidays and we look forward to working with you in 2023.
Michael Turner
In this newsletter we are going to cover:
Christmas Hours
Ryan and the Night Before Christmas
Government Support for Covid is Still Available
Social Club December Charity
Get Social With Us
A Good Book
A Big Year for Hogue
Not One But Two New Dads!
Over Christmas our office will be closed from noon on 22 December and will reopen on Monday 9 January 2023. If you have an urgent matter that needs attention during this time, please contact the Partner you work with on their cell phone or Ryan Ehlers on 027 359 4034.
Ryan and the Night Before Christmas
T’was the night before Christmas and all through the firm,
Not an accountant was stirring, as they could confirm,
That the last of the accounts have been prepared with care,
In hopes that the IRD would be fair.
The Partners were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Tax returns danced in their heads;
And Hogue the new dad in his golf cap,
Had just settled down for a well deserved nap.
When out in the carpark there arose such a clatter,
That Ryan sprang from the bed to see what was the matter,
Away to the window he flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
Bemoaning being the partner on call,
He spied a client who he hadn’t seen since the fall,
Ryan did hail him from high,
And the client let out a sigh.
Can you help me he cried, I have concerns,
The IRD have contacted me about my returns!
They say that Reindeer feed is not an expense,
And to claim it could be an offence!
Down the stairs Ryan did race,
For this was a job that had to be done at pace,
Taking the IRDs missive,
Ryan confirmed that he would make it all permissive.
Ryan was dialing the IRD on his phone
When he looked around and saw he was alone
But he heard the client exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!
Government Support for Covid is still available
This week there were over 42,000 new Covid cases reported, a stark reminder of the need to be cautious. The good news is that the Covid – 19 Leave Support Scheme is still available through Work and Income for businesses that have staff who are sick and must isolate.
The process for business owners is to ask your staff member for screenshots of both the positive RAT test and the text message from the Ministry of Health saying that they must isolate. They then provide those to Work and Income who will make a payment of $600 for full time (20 hours or more) or $359 for part time to the business owner. That payment should be used to pay the staff member. The business could then (if needed and the employee consents) top it up with sick or holiday pay.
If one of your staff members must isolate when they are on their Christmas holiday, they can change their leave from 'holiday leave' to 'sick leave'. That sick leave would then qualify for the above payment.
Because you have up to eight weeks to apply for the payment you can sort the leave changes and application out once you have returned from your own Christmas break.
If you have any questions about Sick Leave Support, then contact Vanessa from our HR Team:
Social Club December Charity
Each month, our social club gathers donations from the team for a chosen charity. For December, the Social Club did something a little different and raffled off a couple of fabulous hampers that were kindly donated by Countdown. From the raffle we raised $655 and our very generous Partners matched that, taking our total to $1,310. This will be donated to Presbyterian Support Otago.
Raffle winners: LeWen Tran, Kristi Waldron & Anthea Grooves.
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A Good Book
In our digital age, we are always connected, with a constant flow of information at our fingertips. Our ubiquitous cell phones are never far from our reach, accepted intrusions into all our days. Over 50% of our clients who are reading this newsletter are doing so on their phones.
We accept the irony when we suggest that you put down your phones (finish our newsletter first) and pick up a book. But the Christmas break is the perfect time to sit back and read a book.
Aside from the joy that reading a good book can bring, it is also good for your health. Scientific research has shown that reading a book will reduce your stress levels. According to researchers at the Mindlab International at the University of Sussex, reading for just six minutes can help reduce stress levels by up to 68 percent. It was found to be more effective than listening to music or going for a walk.
Other benefits include improving your memory and brain function. When we read it enhances connectivity in the brain, which in turn improves brain function.
So, this summer, sit back and enjoy a good book. If you have any recommendations for a good read please email us at marketing@ph.co.nz so we can share it on our social media.
A Big Year for Hogue
2022 will take a lot of beating for our David Hogue. It started with a promotion to associate in April. Following his promotion David starred in his own Polson Higgs video. Mid-year he scored his first hole in one at Middlemarch golf course. But all of that was well and truly put in the shade in November with birth of his first child Charlotte May. Huge congratulations to David and Claire.
Not One But Two New Dads!
David Hogue was not alone at Queen Mary in November; he was joined by our rural specialist Tom Hanning. Tom was welcoming the birth of his second child, a son, Fergus Fox on the same day. We are happy to report that all the new “additions” to the Polson Higgs team are healthy and doing very well. Our new Dads are still a little ragged around the edges but are looking forward to spending Christmas with their new families.
If you have a question about anything, please don’t hesitate to ask on info@ph.co.nz.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Kind regards
Polson Higgs Team
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