The Job Keeper payment is a subsidy from the Australian Government to assist employers affected by the COVID19 epidemic to continue employing their employees.
To be an eligible EMPLOYER you must meet the following conditions:
1.Decrease in Turnover
- Your annual business turnover is less than $1 billion and it has been reduced by more than 30%.
- Your annual business turnover is greater than $1 billion and it has been reduced by more than 50%.
- Your business is not subject to the Major Bank Levy.
The decrease in turnover must be calculated by comparing at least 1 months revenue in 2020 (the affected time period) with the revenue from the same period a year ago.
- Employees
- You (the employer) must have been in an employment relationship with your employee as at 1 March 2020.
- The employee must be currently employed by you.
- If the employee was employed by you at 1 March 2020 and has since been "let go" or "stood down" the employee can be re-employed and the payment will be backdated to 1 March 2020.
- The employee must be at least 16 years of age
- The employee must have been employed on a full-time, part-time or long-term casual basis
- Long-Term casual refers to someone employed on a regular basis for a time period longer than 12 months as at 1 March 2020)
- Employee must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Visa holder or holder of another specified visa (see Fact Sheet for specific visa types)
- Not be in receipt of a JobKeeper payment from another employer
- Not be in receipt of a JobSeeker payment from centrelink (those who have applied for this payment can transfer to the JobKeeper payment)
How to register for the payment
You can register for the payment at: https://www.ato.gov.au/Job-keeper-payment/
In order to complete the registration you will need:
- Business name
- ABN
- Contact Name
- Email Address
- Mobile Phone number
Following this initial registration if employers find they do not qualify immediately but do later on there will be an online application process.
Important Information To Consider
The JobKeeper Payment will be available for a period of 6 months from 1 March 2020.
The first payment of the subsidy to employers will occur in the first week of May and be backdated to 1 March.
If you do not initially qualify for the payment you will be able to apply from a later date.
Employers must identify the Eligible employees and update the ATO of these employees monthly.
The Employer must pay the eligible employee at least $1500.00 per fortnight before tax.
The employer can continue to pay staff their normal wage if it is more than $1500.00 per fortnight.
It is up to the employer whether superannuation contributions are paid on the $1500.00 per fortnight subsidy.
Self-employed people can also apply for the JobKeeper payment/subsidy. They must register with their business ABN and nominate a person to receive the payment.