The cause for this measurement are the stricter tax rules, explains head of Sports Centre the Bongerd, Henri ten Klooster. During an inspection the tax authorities, among other things, examined the basic ‘fitness’ package. According to the tax authorities this package is too elaborate. Squash, tennis and swimming do not meet the definition of business sports and must therefore be removed from the package.
According to the tax authorities, employees that swim, squash or play tennis through the sport rights have too great of an advantage. For squash, tennis and swimming the employees will now have to pay separately. It is not clear yet how much that is going to be. Ten Klooster is working on a proposal that is acceptable for the tax authorities. More than 150 of the 1049 employees with sports rights use the facilities of these three sports.
Besides the changes in the basic package, it is also not possible to purchase sports rights through the employment package Optare anymore. Within Optare the sports rights are payed with gross wages. That tax benefit is no longer allowed. This affects more than 500 employees. Another 500 employees do have sports rights, but do not pay it through Optare. Ten Klooster regrets the measure. ‘I am really disappointed by it. For years I have campaigned to get the sports rights in the employment package. But I cannot change anything now.’ The period to change things in Optare was just changed this weeks. The employees that were effected have been notified by email.
Apart from the interventions of the tax authorities, the sports rights are also becoming more expensive. Employees will pay 1,50 euro (now 18,50 euro) more per month, which brings the total amount per year to 240 euro. Students will pay 10 euro more in the coming year, which equates to 94 euro per year. Both increases originate from the construction of the new sports hall.