Traditionally the Iron and Steel Industry closes over Dec/Jan and in the General Agreement the amount calculations for leave and bonuses are set out.

I use a payroll program into which I put the amounts and the program calculates the amount of PAYE.

A problem now arises if one puts the total amount of money ( leave pay plus bonus ) into the program, the tax calculation is pretty steep and although the program adjusts the tax on subsequent payslips ( mid Jan till end Feb ) one tends to get a worker dissatisfaction if they look at the "huge" tax deduction.
On this pay run the program makes an " over tax calculation" and causes an employer/employee relationship problem.

Now I can see three possibilities:

1) Put all amounts on one payslip. ( and have the problem ! )
2) Make three payslips for the three weeks leave pay and add the bonus to one.
3) Make three payslips and add to each payslip 1/3 of the bonus amount.

Will option 3 not be better to "confuse" the payroll program not to see the amounts as a huge "increase" in pay and hence adjust the estimated yearly income dramatically and also the tax deducted ?