GST ON EMPLOYEE REIMBURSEMENTS

[Pradeep Jain]

 Under GST regime, there have been a lot of issues regarding taxability of transactions between employer and employee and applicability of reverse charge mechanism on such transactions. Now, according to clause 1 of Schedule III of the CGST Act, 2017, any services provided by employee to employer in course or in relation of employment shall not be considered as supply. This means that consideration paid for such services shall not be taxable under GST regime. Further, it has been provided under section 15 of the CGST Act, 2017 that employer and employee are related persons. EMPLOYEE REIMBURSEMENTS: Employees are being paid back for the business expenses incurred by them on behalf of the employer in furtherance of business. However, reimbursements shall not be liable to GST if services are provided in course of employment. It can be considered that employee here takes the role of agent who does spending on behalf of the employer and hence such transactions will be considered as done by employer himself (merely payment made by employee on behalf of company would not be considered as supply received by employee). Therefore, in such cases section 9(3) and 9(4) of CGST Act shall come into picture. Now, these reimbursements shall fall under two heads which are:

1. Reimbursements to employees for expenses incurred from registered dealer

If expenses incurred by employee are from registered persons then the employer can claim input tax credit on the same provided tax invoice issued by the supplier of goods or services has mention the name and GSTN of employer instead of employee. For example, if employee pays on behalf of company for business promotion expenses then company can claim input tax credit on such expense on reimbursement made to employee as invoice is in name of company. It is pertinent to mention here that the GSTIN of company should be mentioned on the invoice raised by such registered person.

Also there would be cases where company would be ineligible to claim input tax credit even if employee incurs expenses from registered parties like food and beverages services i.e. restaurant service, health services, etc as mentioned in section 17(5).

2. Reimbursements to employees for expenses incurred from unregistered dealer

If expenses incurred by employee are from unregistered persons then also it will be deemed that the employer has received the said supply and the employee has merely acted as an agent. Also, the ITC paid tax on such supply under reverse charge mechanism shall be admissible just like it is admissible in case of supply from registered dealer. For example, if employee has paid for food and beverages on behalf of employer to unregistered person; then such employer shall pay GST under reverse charge but the credit shall not be allowed as it is blocked credit under section 17(5) of CGST Act, 2017. It is worthwhile to mention here that a company is availing the ITC on the supplies received from registered person by the employee on behalf of company. This ITC is being availed on the grounds that expense is booked in the company's accounts and it is the company which has actually received the said supply in course or furtherance of business. However, in case of supply from unregistered dealer, the same company cannot take altogether different stand that the supply is actually received by the employee. If we take a stand while availing the ITC that supply is being used by the company (in case of reimbursement to employee in case of registered supplier); the same stand should have to be taken even if the supplier is unregistered. We cannot change the stand/policy as per our convenience or benefit. This may be objectionable by the departmental officers. ALLOWANCES

Allowance is a fixed amount given to an employee for a specific purpose. The company does not keep a check on how the said amount is actually used. Allowance itself means no tax invoices or receipts are required to be produced by the employee for the spending to employer. The employee at his / her discretion use the money with any vendor of his / her choice. The control on such spending shall not be with the employer. For example, each employee has been provided with travel allowance of ₹ 4000 per month wherein employee at his discretion uses mode of travel whether self or rented and is also not required to produce any invoices or receipts in that respect. Thus, in case of allowances provided to employee by employer no GST shall be applicable as it is maybe an organizational obligation of employer and would be services in course of employment. It is worthwhile to mention here that in such case, this amount should form part of the salary and only salary should be debited in the books of company. No other expense pertaining to this amount of allowance should be debited in the books of company. Therefore, the company will not be liable to pay tax under reverse charge only if the said amount is treated as salary on which TDS is deducted under section 192 of Income Tax Act and no expense relating to this amount is debited in the books of the company.

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