Edited version of private advice

Authorisation Number: 1052327672246

Date of advice: 10 December 2024

Ruling

Subject: Fringe benefits tax - work related exempt benefits

Question 1

Will the provision of an electronic watch (Electronic watch) to employees be an exempt benefit under section 58X of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 (FBTAA)?

Answer 1

Yes

This ruling applies for the following periods:

Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) year ended 31 March 20XX

FBT year ending 31 March 20XX

FBT year ending 31 March 20XX

FBT year ending 31 March 20XX

The scheme commenced on:

1 April 20XX

Relevant facts and circumstances

This private ruling is based on the facts and circumstances set out below. If your facts and circumstances are different from those set out below, this private ruling has no effect and you cannot rely on it. The fact sheet has more information about relying on your private ruling.

The company is a professional services firm.

Employees will regularly be involved in client meetings, site visits and ongoing communication essential to the operation of the business.

Provision of electronic watches

The applicant proposes to provide one electronic watch to company directors and all future employees per FBT year. These devices, with GPS and cellular functionality, will be supplies primarily for business purposes, such as:

•                receiving and responding to business-related communications (calls, emails and messages) during client meetings or travel

•                managing work schedules, meetings and appointments using calendar apps

•                making company payments via online payment options to avoid the need for physical credit cards

•                maintaining essential business communications when the mobile phone is unavailable (e.g., out of charge or not immediately on hand).

There is expected to be incidental personal use of these devices, such as checking the time, tracking health and fitness metrics and utilising other miscellaneous functionality during personal time.

Terms of use

A Technology Usage Agreement will be executed with directors and employees outlining:

•                the business purposes for which the device is intended

•                how use of the device relates to a director's or employee's specific duties

•                the company's policy for replacement is due to manufacturer's defect, misuse or non-compliance

Previous benefits:

The applicant has not previously provided any similar benefits to employees during the current or prior FBT year.

Relevant legislative provisions

Fringe Benefit Tax Assessment Act 1986 section 40

Fringe Benefit Tax Assessment Act 1986 section 58X

Fringe Benefit Tax Assessment Act 1986 subsection 136(1)

Reasons for decision

Section 58X of the FBTAA provides an exemption for benefits relating to the provision of certain work-related items. Subsection 58X(1) of the FBTAA states that the following:

Any of the following benefits provided by an employer to an employee of the employer in respect of the employee's employment is an exempt benefit:

(a)           an expense payment benefit where the recipients expenditure is in respect of an eligible work-related item;

(b)           a property benefit where the recipients property is an eligible work-related item;

(c)            a residual benefit where the recipients benefit consists of the making available of an eligible work-related item.

Subsection 58X(2) of the FBTAA includes a list of items that, if provided primarily for use in an employee's employment, will be 'eligible work-related items'. However, section 58X of the FBTAA states that there are circumstances where the exemption does not apply. Specifically, subsection 58X(3) and 58X(4) mention that:

Subsection 58X(3)

An item (the later item) listed in subsection (2) is not an eligible work-related item if, earlier in the FBT year, an expense payment benefit or a property benefit of the employee has arisen in relation to another item that has substantially identical functions to the later item.

Subsection 58X(4)

However, subsection (3) does not apply if:

(a)           the later item is a replacement for the other item; or

(b)           the later item is a portable electronic device, and the employer is a small business entity, or is an employer covered by subsection (5), for:

                               (i)                  the year of income starting most recently after the start of the FBT year; or

                              (ii)                  the year of income ending most recently after the start of the FBT year.

Example:

For paragraph (a), the later item would be a replacement for the other item if the other item were lost or destroyed or needed replacing because of developments in technology.

In summary, there are four conditions that must be met for the provision of the Electronic watch by the company to be an exempt benefit under section 58X of the FBTAA:

1.              The benefit provided must be an expense payment fringe benefit, property fringe benefit or residual benefit.

2.              The benefit provided must be in respect of an eligible work-related item.

3.              The item provided must not be a substantially identical item to an earlier one provided in the same FBT year.

4.              If the item is substantially identical, it must be a replacement item, or the employer is a small business entity.

Each of these conditions is considered further below.

Is the provision of the electronic watch an expense payment, property benefit or residual benefit?

Division 11 applies to property fringe benefits. Section 40 of the FBTAA states that:

Where, at a particular time, a person (in this section referred to as the provider) provides property to another person (in this section referred to as the recipient), the provision of the property shall be taken to constitute a benefit provided by the provider to the recipient at that time.

The definition of 'provide' in subsection 136(1) of the FBTAA is

(a)           in relation to a benefit - includes allow, confer, give, grant or perform; and

(b)           in relation to property - means dispose of (whether by sale, gift, declaration of trust or otherwise);

                               (i)                  if the property is a beneficial interest in property but does not include legal ownership - the beneficial interest; or

                              (ii)                  in any other case - the legal owner of the property.

With application to the facts, the employer is providing an employee with an Electronic watch. This would be a property fringe benefit as the employer (the provider) is giving their employee (the recipient) an Electronic watch. Therefore, the provision of the Electronic watch to the employees would be a property fringe benefit and would not be considered an expense payment fringe benefit or residual fringe benefit (by virtue of being a property fringe benefit).

Has an eligible work-related item been provided to the employee?

Subsection 58X(2) of the FBTAA lists the following as eligible work-related items if the item is primarily used in the employee's employment:

•                a portable electronic device;

•                an item of computer software;

•                an item of protective clothing;

•                a briefcase;

•                a tool of trade.

Although, the term "portable electronic device" is not defined in FBTAA, ATO ID 2008/133 provides guidance on what is considered a "portable electronic device". As follows:

"... the primary characteristics of 'a portable electronic device' for the purposes of this provision would be that the device is:

•                easily portable and designed for use away from an office environment

•                small and light

•                can operate without an external power supply, and

•                designed as a complete unit.

A device has these characteristics it would be 'a portable electronic device' for the purposes of paragraph 58X(2)(a) of the FBTAA.

We concluded that the Electronic watch is a device has these characteristics it would be 'a portable electronic device' for the purposes of paragraph 58X(2)(a) of the FBTAA.

Accordingly, as the Electronic watch can operate on its own battery power source, is small and light, easily portable and designed as a complete system for use away from an office environment, it would be a portable electronic device under paragraph 58X(2)(a) of the FBTAA. Correspondingly, the Electronic watch would be an eligible work-related item as it is primarily used for work and is a portable electronic device.

Will the electronic watch provided be substantially identical to a former item provided in the same year?

As per the facts, the employer does not provide employees more than one Electronic watch per FBT year. The only scenario where this occurs is if an Electronic watch is broken due to manufacturer's defect, and another is required. This would mean that subsection 58X(3) would apply as an identical Electronic watch has been provided in the same FBT year. This Electronic watch would be a substantially identical item and therefore not an eligible work-related item. However, if subsection 58X(4) applies, the provision of the replacement item will still be considered an eligible work-related item.

Where the above scenario occurs, will the provision of the electronic watch still be exempt?

As previously stated, subsection 58X(4) states that section 58X does not apply where the following conditions are met:

•                the later item is a replacement for the other item; or

•                the later item is a portable electronic device, and the employer is a small business entity, or is an employer covered by subsection (5).

Subsection 58X provides an example of a replacement item. As follows: "...

the later item would be a replacement for the other item if the other item were lost or destroyed or needed replacing because of developments in technology".

The provision of another Electronic watch will be a replacement item where one provided earlier in the year is broken or is outdated due to new developments in technology.

Conclusion

As discussed, the company:

•                provides a property fringe benefit by giving their employees an Electronic watch.

•                provides a portable electronic device (the Electronic watch) that is primarily used for the employee's work.

In addition, as outlined in the facts provided, the company:

•                generally, does not provide more than one Electronic watch per FBT year.

•                only provides more than one Electronic watch per year when it a replacement for a broken one due to manufacturer's defect.

Therefore, the provision of the Electronic watch will be exempt under section 58X of the FBTAA as all conditions have been met.

Other matters to consider

Small businesses can provide employees with more than one work-related portable electronic device in an FBT year - even if they have substantially identical functions. A is a business with an aggregated turnover of less than $XX million in an income year that starts or ends in the relevant FBT year.