Sodexho Passes Given By Companies Are Exempted From Tax

Hi All,
We are going to stop the sodexo passes. Since, recently we got a new tax benefit/ policy details from financial auditors to avoid Tax. I’m not able to gather more & proper info. Hence, request you all to help on this at the earliest.
Thanks
Joe
HR

hey guy , i came across a new concept in the market , instead of going for any sort of meal passes , came to know one of the company in hyderabad is providing subscriptions/ membership program wherein can avail lots of discounts in all categories nothing but save time logically saving money and this is in local ,National and international market..... The punch is I eat I save ,I Shop I save , I Travel I save and lot.....Nothing but saving ...
Bharath

Dear Suhrita,
Sodexho has been introduced recently. It is taxable if u ask for cash payment. The First step is to ask ur hr to provide the list of shops( Restaurants and also Supermarkets) where u can get provisions for ur home.
Another thing is you can collect food coupons from the company. It difers from org to org. That is not taxable.
For Eg.
For Managerial Position, Sodexho will be Rs. 1400/ Month or you can get coupon for Rs.50/Day which you can give to the respective restaurants ( In List as i mentioned earlier).

Hi,
i came to know that every corporate employee can save their valuable time and money thru discounts in listed merchants of all the categories like restaurants,shopping,malls,health and beauty,travel etc....present in local ,national and international.

the ceiling amount stated by you - 15600 and 36000 is applicable to employee or employer?
While i was an intern at a reputed company, i found every employee was given a 400 rs something sodexo coupon pm.
so how is it possible they providing these meal vouchers to around 200 employees with ceiling amount specified?

The ceiling is 2700/- pm from FY 2011-12. Both employer & employee are exempted from tax. 2 meals per day @ Rs.50/- per meal, i.e. assuming 27 days in a month, Rs.2700/- is exempted from tax. Good saving option for the ppl who falls in 30% IT slab category.

currently i am working in an organization where the whole of salary is in hand salary only with deductions of prof tax and tds as applicable.
The people in my office mostly fall under 10% slab only.
I wanted to know if givng sodexo coupons or meal vouchers would actually help them motivate or giving away cash to them only would help.
The organization where i work, everyone does everything and so everyone is loaded with work, everytime.

Issuance of food coupons is part of CTC. Isitn't?
For the 10% slab ppl, the advantages are less. Sodexo passes are accepted in limited merchant establishments and some stores are charging 2-4% extra for the usage of sodexo in exchange of goods or groceries.
Pon

I do not know about 2-4% extra processing fee as when I had redeemed sodexo at an outlet, they charged me for the food and service tax as the usual trend. nothing additional is charged from us.
Also I want to know, what benefits would an employer have by providing food coupons?

Sodexo coupons or any other food coupons are like usage of credit card as far as the accepting establishments are concerned. The coupon service providers charge some % (say 4%) of commission from the merchants while settling the encashment of coupons. Some merchants pass on the commission to the users where they keep less margins. It is like using credit card where some merchants charge 2-3% extra for some select items.
As I said earlier, both employers & employees are exempted from tax subject to the ceiling amount as prescribed under I.T.rules.
Pon