CORONAVIRUS – JobKeeper Payments
About
Employers and other Business Owners will be able to claim fortnightly payment of $1,500 (before tax) per eligible employee or nominated business owner from 30 March 2020 for a maximum period of 6 months. The payments will be delivered to the Employer to then distribute to eligible employees. For businesses without employees, the payments will be delivered to only one nominated person of the business (a sole trader, company director, a trustee in a trust or a partner in a partnership). Please note that the JobKeeper Payment is not the same as the JobSeeker Payment.
Eligibility
One of the conditions below must apply to you
- Your usual turnover is less than $1 billion and your turnover now will be reduced by more than 30% relative to a comparable period a year ago (of at least a month); or
- Your usually turnover is over $1 billion and your turnover now will be reduced by more than 50% relative to a comparable period a year ago (of at least a month); or
- The business is not subject to the Major Bank Levy
For Employers, you must also satisfy both conditions below:
- There must be an employment relationship with ‘eligible employees’ as at 1 March 2020
- Confirm that each eligible employee is currently engaged to keep JobKeeper payments
‘Eligible Employees’ are:
- Currently employed including those stood down or re-hired; and
- Employed as at 1 March 2020; and
- Are full-time, part-time or long-term casual (long-term casuals are those employed on a regular basis longer than 12 months as at 1 March 2020); and
- 16 years old and over; and
- An Australian citizen, holder of a permanent visa, Protected Special Category Visa Holder, non-protected Special Category Visa Holder who resided continually in Australia over 10 years, or a Special Category (Subclass 444) Visa Holder; and
- Not in receipt of JobKeeper Payment form another employer
From 30 March 2020, Nominated Eligible Employees will need to be paid at least $1,500 per fortnight ($750 per week) before tax. See circumstances below:
| Gross wage over $1,500 | Gross wage under $1,500 | Gross wage under $1,500 | Re-engaged employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| An employee who normally earns $1,500 (before tax) or more per fortnight will continue to receive the same regular income. The JobKeeper payment will be delivered to the Employer to subsidise all or part of their employee’s income. | If an employee normally earns less than $1,500 (before tax) per fortnight, the employer must pay them a minimum of $1,500 (before tax) per fortnight to receive the subsidy | If an employee has been stood down, the employer must pay them the minimum of $1,500 (before tax) per fortnight to receive the subsidy. | If an employee was employed as at 1 March 2020, subsequently ceased employment and then re-engaged, the employer must pay them the minimum of $1,500 (before tax) per fortnight to receive the subsidy. |
Enrolling for JobKeeper payments
- Login to your Business Portal: https://bp.ato.gov.au/
- Click ‘Manage employees’
- Click ‘JobKeeper enrol’ and enter in the required information
Employers, follow the next steps:
- Fill out the JobKeeper Employee Nomination Notice for each employee and keep it as reference: https://www.ato.gov.au/uploadedfiles/content/cr/d1aab7f2-fbe8-44b8-9ec1-4885ded1088e.pdf
- Continue lodging STP Reports showing that each employee is being paid at least a gross wage of $750 per week ($1,500 per fortnight).
- Make monthly business declarations on your Business Portal regarding any employment changes, current and projected GST turnover.
Other Considerations
If the nominated eligible employee or nominated person already receives JobSeeker Payments, they need to notify Services Australia and report their JobKeeper Payment as income. It may affect their income support payments
ATO will use data from up to date STP, BAS, tax lodgements, monthly business declarations and payment obligations for compliance measures for receiving the stimulus
It is up to the employer to pay superannuation on any additional wages paid from the subsidy
Subsidy starts from 30 March 2020 with the first payments to be receive by employers and other small businesses in the 1st week of May 2020.
More information will be provided regarding the Monthly Business Declarations
Further support
Online information: https://www.ato.gov.au/general/JobKeeper-Payment/?=Redirected_URL
ATO Individual Infoline: 13 28 61
ATO Business Infoline: 13 28 66
ATO Emergency Support Infoline: 1800 806 218
