How to Work Out Pro-rata Pay for your Employees
As a business owner or employer, you have probably heard of the term, “pro-rata”. However, what you might not have known is that its use case goes beyond the world of business and finance. Here is everything you need to know about pro-rata.
What pro-rata means? How to apply it to your system of compensation? Do you have any ideas on how to work it out and why you should consider a pro-rata payment system or pro rata pay for your employees?
What is Pro Rata?
A prorated salary is the payment you make out to an employee's salary in proportion to how much work is done during the entire pay period. This is a Latin term which means "in proportion". While the term can be used in any space, it is mostly used in business and finance today. This means that a worker working pro rata’s pay would get a fair share.
When should you use Pro-Rata?
As an entrepreneur, you might have to pay pro-rata in the following situations:
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when your employee’s employment is terminated before the month ends or in the middle of work.
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In cases where a new employee begins work in the middle of the work week or month.
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When an employee takes more days off than what you have already allowed.
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Where a business doesn't offer paid time-off and your employee has to take some time off-duty.
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When employees are being punished for breaking any safety rules that keep them out of work for at least a whole day.
When You Shouldn't Pay Pro-Rata?
While the concept of paying pro-rata is to ensure that you're remunerating an employee for their fair share of work done. There may be extenuating circumstances that can keep a worker out of work and would not require you to pay pro-rata, where an employee is called out of work to perform a civil duty like serving as a witness in a criminal case or fulfilling military obligations.
However, you can save your business by deducting the time lost from your taxes to offset it and balance your account.
Who Needs to Work Out a Pro-Rata Pay?
Calculating prorated salary is suitable for salaried employees and small business owners. This method allows them to fairly compute the employee's prorated salary based on the number of days or hours worked.
That way, as an entrepreneur, you get to only pay for hours worked and save the company extra expenses from what she is not profiting. Both the employer and employee go home, feeling content with the fairness in the deal.
How to Work Out a Pro-Rata Pay For Your Employees
The primary method to calculate prorated salary involves three major steps:
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Determine the employee’s pay per hour.
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Multiply the employee's hourly wage by the number of hours missed within the specific pay period.
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Subtract the calculated amount from the employee's annual salary, assuming a complete biweekly pay cycle.
There's no fixed formula for calculating prorated salary, as it depends on the salary example provided and this figure will depend on whether you pay per hour, per day, per week, or monthly. The bottom line is that an employee’s pro-rata pay is derived from dividing the staff’s pay in proportion to the number of hours worked.
Working on a proportionate basis
Benefits are another important factor to consider when hiring someone on a pro-rata basis. Part-time workers are entitled to the same employee benefits and health insurance as full-time employees, according to the Part-Time Workers Regulations.
This means that if you provide a pension to full-time employees, you must also provide one to those who work on a part-time basis. The list does not end with pay-related benefits. If full-time employees get a gym membership or their birthday off as annual leave, part-time employees should as well.
How to Calculate Pro Rata Holiday
A part-time employee is still entitled to holidays, so let's figure that out as well. There is a quick and easy trick for calculating an employee's pro rata holiday. Multiply the number of working days per week by 5.6. If a pro rata employee works three days per week, their holiday entitlement is three times 5.6, or 16.8 days.
Giving employees 0.8 of a holiday is obviously inconvenient, both for timekeeping and for the employee. It’s often practical to round to the nearest whole number to align with payroll information, which in this case is 17. Why is there a 5.6 multiplier?
A full-time employee's basic statutory holiday entitlement is 28 days. This calculation is based on a standard biweekly pay structure where employees are typically paid for five days per week. The sum of five times 5.6 equals the full 28-day entitlement.
Upgrade To A Pro Rata Role
If you’re planning a salary increase in the middle of a pay period when transitioning to a new pay period, consider all relevant factors. After you've calculated your new fixed salary, review your budget to see if the pay raise fits your financial scope. Job satisfaction is crucial, but ensure your full-time employee compensation isn't compromised when transitioning in the middle of a pay period.
You should also make certain that each new position you take has specific hours and a set start date. Sometimes pro rata positions are posted in a vague manner, and you may find out later that you are not slated to begin working for several months! In these instances, you may need to plan for a few weeks without employment or consider taking out a short-term loan.
There are many options for consumers wishing to apply for a loan, but there are also many illegal and unlicensed lenders out there trying to take advantage of borrowers. If you need a payday loan or a short-term loan, make sure you go to and apply with an FCA-regulated lender or broker.
Other Things To Think About
It's also crucial to remember that whether you work full-time or on a pro-rata basis, you're entitled to the same benefits. According to government legislation, those working part-time should enjoy the same benefits as those working full-time, both financially and otherwise.
So, if your firm provides a private pension or a bonus system to full-time employees, they must provide you with the same opportunities even if you work fewer hours. The same is true for benefits like discounted parking and taking your birthday off as annual leave.
A Possible Example of a Pro-Rata Pay Calculation
If you’re still unclear about working out your employee’s pro-rata pay, here is an example. Suppose your employee earns $10,000 and works 40 hours per week and you pay $384.62 every two weeks. V?
Pro-rata calculation
Pro rata pay = full-time pay - [hourly pay x pro-rata hours] hourly pay = Weekly pay / normal work hours weekly pay = Annual pay / 52 weeks in a year
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The first step is to determine the annual salary by dividing the employee's salary by the 52 weeks in a year. Meaning $10 000 divided by 52 weeks to give us $192.31
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Now that we have worked out the weekly pay, we shall divide the weekly pay by the number of normal working hours that is 40 hours to get the employee’s hourly pay. This would mean $192.31 divided by 40 hours to give us $4.81
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If this employee missed 10 hours from work, the employee's paycheck would reflect a prorated paycheck after multiplying $4.81 by 10 hours to give us $48.08
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We will subtract $48.08 from the employee’s normal biweekly payments of $384.62. In this case. $384.62 minus $48.08 which gives us $951.9.
Therefore, this employee’s pro-rata pay is $951.9
How to Manage Your Employee’s Payroll?
Having learned how to work out your employee’s pro-rata pay, there are other factors worthy of consideration. Factors like tax liability will decrease since the employee’s gross pay has also decreased with the pro-rata pay.
You might need to adjust retirement contributions and tax calculations when employees work fewer hours per week. Also, The payroll cycle adjustments may require a reduction in the amount withheld for federal income tax due to fewer hours worked.
Tax calculations might change depending on how many hours per week the employee did not work due to personal reasons. State and local income taxes might also have to be adjusted, depending on the presenting circumstances.
How Pay Stubs Now Can Help You With Your New Payroll and Pay Stubs?
If you're using an online paystub generator for paycheck stubs, you will need to make sure that you fill in the employee’s pro rata pay in the appropriate column. The payroll software systematically adjusts for the salaried employee's new pay period, keeping financial records accurate.
You can use paystubs updated system to settle all your paystubs needs. You can also generate other financial documents such as 1099, W-2 forms, and invoices for your business too.