If you work at an organization in Canada, you may have been given what is known as an Employee Number. This number is personal to each individual and can be used for identification purposes. In this piece, we’ll provide an overview of Employee Numbers, discussing what they are and why we need them.
What is an Employee Number in Canada?
In Canada, an Employee Number is a unique number that is given from employers to employees (no surprise there). Your Employee Number is a code that the employer can use to identify you.
In most cases, it’s your employer that will need to use this number for record-keeping and bookkeeping purposes. In certain cases, however, you may be asked to provide your Employee Number for tax reasons.
If you are filling out a TD1 form for a new job, for example, you may be asked to provide your Employee Number.
Where can you get your Employee Number?
Employee ID Numbers are generally assigned by one specific person or team, depending on the size of the company that you work for. Smaller companies or organizations may have their accountant or payroll employee assign numbers. Larger companies or organizations may assign the task to Human Resources.
You can ask for your employee number from whoever is assigned the task. If you aren’t sure who to ask, check with your manager or supervisor.
You may also, in some cases, be able to find your Employee Number on your payroll slip.
Do all businesses assign Employee Numbers?
No. Employee numbers are not mandatory or required for tax purposes. They are simply helpful to human resources or payroll clerks.
In fact, most small businesses don’t assign employee numbers at all. Why? Employee numbers are simply a method of distinguishing one employee from another. In small businesses, this isn’t usually a problem.
For example, if you own a business with 10 employees, it’s unlikely that you will have two Tanya Blacks working for you. In such a case, it’s difficult to mix up employees.
But if you own a large business or corporation with, let’s say, 1000 employees, now your chances of having two Tanya Blacks is increased. And if two Tanya Blacks do work for you, it could become confusing, especially for the payroll department.
Employee ID Numbers can help to avoid this confusion. But again, they are not mandatory.
Is an Employee ID the same as an Employer ID?
When filling out information on your TD1 form, it’s important that you don’t confuse Employee ID with Employer ID. Though it’s easy to see how the two numbers can be mistaken, they are completely different entities.
Your employee ID is the number assigned to you by the company you work for to help distinguish you from other employees. Your Employer ID is the number that is assigned to your employer by the Federal Government for tax purposes.
In conclusion, you may or may not have an employee ID number depending on how large of a company you work for. If you are filling out a TD1 form that requests your employee ID, simply ask human resources or your payroll clerk if one exists for you.
