O FGTS Digital, a digital platform that makes life easier and simpler for employers, goes into operation from this Friday, March 1st. A Ordinance No. 240which regulates the implementation and operationalization of the system, was published in the Official Gazette of the Union.
The initiative is a new way of managing the process relating to the Service Time Guarantee Fund (FGTS). It improves collection, provision of information to workers and employers, inspection, verification, assessment and collection of amounts owed.
According to a survey carried out by companies in the eSocial Pilot Working Group, the FGTS collection process before the implementation of the digital system required approximately 34 hours per month from employers. At the same time, complying with all legal obligations with eSocial requires around 25 hours per month. With the implementation of FGTS Digital, employers, in addition to saving monthly time, will benefit from reduced operational costs.
“It is estimated that with FGTS Digital, employers will save 36 hours per month in time spent on routines to collect the FGTS. The new system provides a reduction in operational costs incurred by the fund of approximately R$144 million per year”, explains the Minister of Labor and Employment, Luiz Marinho.
PLATFORM – During the period from August 2023 to January 2024 (testing period), the FGTS Digital Platform was offered in a limited production version so that employers could learn about the services, functionalities and prepare for the new system. “The new platform will support around 4.5 million employers in managing the more than 50 million workers with employment contracts, issuing, every month, 7 million guides to collect the obligation”, points out the company’s CEO of technology at Serpro, Alexandre Amorim.
PIX – The adoption of PIX as a payment method for FGTS Digital, another innovation, offers multiple advantages, including the elimination of duplicate payments, prevention against the collection of already paid debts and the impossibility of paying overdue bills. The innovation eliminates problems with the current system and promotes speed in collecting and depositing the amounts collected into workers’ accounts.
INTEGRATED SYSTEM – The new platform takes advantage of the remuneration information declared in eSocial. Employers, when providing contractual and payroll data via eSocial, will have access to an integrated system that will offer the possibility of generating personalized and quick guides.
Furthermore, the system allows the calculation of compensatory damages, obtaining detailed statements per worker or consolidated summaries per employer, in addition to the possibility of requesting refunds and installments.
In the same way that eSocial already benefits several government systems, providing data for RAIS and CAGED, in addition to helping to collect social security contributions and prepare the social security profile, FGTS Digital will also be enriched with registration, contractual and remuneration data of informed workers.
QUESTIONS – On March 7th and 28th, the FGTS Digital technical team will hold questions-answering sessions, via YouTube, to clarify doubts from employers and users of the platform (accounting and HR offices).