What is employment allowance?

An employment allowance is a payment made by an employer to an employee as part of their salary or wages. Allowances are typically paid in addition to the employee’s base pay. They may be given for various reasons, such as compensating for expenses related to the employee’s job or providing additional income for things like housing or transportation. Allowances are often non-contractual and as such can be revoked by employers.

What are the most common types of employer allowances?

Travel allowance

A travel allowance is a payment made to an employee to cover the costs of traveling for work. This may include expenses such as transportation, meals, and lodging. The travel allowance amount will depend on the nature of the trip and the expected expenses and may be based on a per diem rate or a fixed amount.

Housing allowance

A housing allowance is a payment made to an employee to help cover the cost of housing. Housing allowances are often given to employees who work in high-cost areas or areas where housing is in short supply. The amount of a housing allowance will depend on factors such as the cost of living where the employee works, the type of housing the employee needs, and the employee’s salary and other sources of income.

Cost-of-living allowance

A cost-of-living allowance (COLA) is a payment to help employees cover rising living costs. COLAs are often given to adjust employees’ salaries for inflation and ensure that their purchasing power is not eroded over time. COLAs may be given as a fixed amount or a percentage of an employee’s salary and may be paid regularly or as a one-time payment.

Education allowance

A payment made to an employee to cover the costs of job-related education or training. Education allowances may be offered as part of an employee’s overall compensation package, or they may be provided as part of a professional development program.

Transport allowance

A payment made to an employee to cover the cost of transportation. This may include the cost of commuting to and from work, as well as the cost of travel for work-related purposes. Transport allowances may be paid regularly, such as monthly or biweekly, or they may be paid on an ad hoc basis for specific work-related travel.

Is Employment allowance considered taxable income?

There are three types of allowances:

• Taxable allowances. In India, for example, these allowances include dearness allowances (a cost of living adjustment for public sector employees), entertainment allowances, uniform allowances, and more.
• Non-taxable allowances. In the U.S, for example, allowances that government employees receive when working abroad – for example, travel allowances and living allowances for housing, utilities, food, clothing, and household supplies – are non-taxable.
• Partially taxable allowances. For example, in India, the following allowances are partially taxable: house rent allowance, children’s education allowance, and leave travel allowance.