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Built for Jamaican food service businesses

Restaurant payroll software for Jamaica

Variable hours, tips, part-time staff, PAYE, NIS, NHT — Payroll Jamaica handles the full complexity of restaurant payroll in Jamaica.

Free trial · Works for restaurants, cafes, and bars

For every type of Jamaican food service business

Full-service restaurantsQuick service / fast foodCafes and coffee shopsBars and rum barsCatering companiesHotel F&B departmentsFood trucksBakeries

Restaurant payroll in Jamaica is harder than it looks

Variable schedules, tip declarations, casual workers — Jamaica's food service industry has payroll challenges most generic software wasn't built for.

Problem: Variable hours every pay period

Restaurant staff rarely work the same hours twice. Payroll Jamaica handles hourly rates, variable schedules, and overtime calculations without spreadsheet formulas.

Problem: Tip income and service charges

TAJ requires PAYE on tip income distributed to employees. Payroll Jamaica tracks tip declarations, applies the correct tax rate, and includes gratuity in all statutory filings.

Problem: Part-time and casual workers

Weekend staff, temporary cooks, casual waitstaff — all must receive statutory deductions. Payroll Jamaica processes part-time workers with the same accuracy as full-time employees.

Problem: Monthly NIS/NHT submissions

Miss a TAJ filing and you face penalties. Payroll Jamaica generates your monthly NIS, NHT, and Education Tax schedules automatically — ready to submit by the 14th of each month.

Every feature a Jamaican restaurant needs

From first pay run to March 31 TAJ filing — Payroll Jamaica covers every step for food service businesses.

Hourly staff payroll

Enter hours worked each period and Payroll Jamaica calculates gross pay, all statutory deductions, and net pay — instantly. No more payroll spreadsheets.

Tip and gratuity management

Record service charge distributions and tips declared by staff. All gratuity income is correctly added to taxable wages for accurate PAYE calculation.

Part-time worker compliance

Part-time workers in Jamaica are still subject to NIS, NHT, and Education Tax. Payroll Jamaica ensures all casual and part-time staff are deducted correctly.

Automated monthly filing schedules

Generate your monthly NIS employer schedule, NHT contribution schedule, and Education Tax deduction return by the 14th of every month — one click, no manual totals.

TAJ-compliant payslips

Professional payslips with gross pay, all deductions itemised, and net pay. Available as PDF for distribution or employee self-service portal access.

Year-end S01/S02 returns

Annual employee and employer returns auto-populated from full-year payroll data. File on time for the March 31 deadline with zero manual data entry.

Jamaica statutory deductions for restaurant staff (2026)

Every restaurant employee in Jamaica — full-time, part-time, or casual — is subject to these deductions.

DeductionEmployee RateEmployer RateFiling deadline
PAYE (income tax)25–30% above J$1.5M threshold14th of month
NIS3%3%14th of month
NHT2%3%14th of month
Education Tax2.25%3.5%14th of month
HEART (10+ employees)3%14th of month

Payroll Jamaica calculates all deductions automatically. Try the free calculator.

⚠ March 31 deadline

S01/S02 annual returns due in 20 days

Jamaica's tax year ends March 31. Every employer — including restaurants — must file S01 and S02 returns with TAJ. Payroll Jamaica generates both from your payroll data automatically.

Start free — be compliant by March 31

Restaurant payroll Jamaica — FAQs

Do restaurant tips and service charges attract PAYE in Jamaica?

Yes. Tips and service charges distributed to employees are treated as supplemental wages under Jamaica's Income Tax Act and are subject to PAYE. Payroll Jamaica adds tip income to each employee's taxable gross, applies the correct PAYE rate, and includes it in all monthly TAJ submissions and year-end S01 returns.

How does Payroll Jamaica handle staff who work different hours every week?

You enter each employee's hours for the pay period. Payroll Jamaica calculates gross pay using their hourly rate, applies all statutory deductions, and generates the payslip. Variable hours are handled automatically — no spreadsheet formulas required.

Are part-time and weekend restaurant staff subject to NIS and NHT in Jamaica?

Yes. All employed persons in Jamaica — including part-time, casual, and weekend workers — are subject to NIS (3% employee contribution), NHT (2% employee), and Education Tax (2.25% employee) deductions. Payroll Jamaica processes these deductions correctly regardless of hours worked.

What is the monthly payroll filing deadline for Jamaican restaurants?

The 14th of each month. You must remit PAYE, NIS, NHT, and Education Tax deductions to TAJ by the 14th following the pay period. Payroll Jamaica generates all four monthly schedules with a single export — ready for bank payment or TAJ online portal submission.

We have 5 staff. Is Payroll Jamaica worth it for a small restaurant?

Yes — especially for small restaurants where the owner is doing payroll manually. Payroll Jamaica pays for itself in the first month by eliminating calculation errors that attract TAJ penalties. There's no minimum staff requirement.

Run restaurant payroll correctly in Jamaica

Join Jamaican restaurants running accurate, TAJ-compliant payroll with Payroll Jamaica.

Restaurant payroll software built for Jamaica
Variable hours, tips, part-time staff — all statutory deductions handled automatically.