OBLIGATIONS ON EMPLOYERS
To receive the JobKeeper Payment, employers must:
- Register an intention to apply on the ATO website and assess that they have or will experience the
required turnover decline. - Provide information to the ATO on eligible employees. This includes information on the number of
eligible employees engaged as at 1 March 2020 and those currently employed by the business
(including those stood down or rehired). For most businesses, the ATO will use Single Touch Payroll
data to pre-populate the employee details for the business. - Ensure that each eligible employee receives at least $1,500 per fortnight (before tax). For
employees that were already receiving this amount from the employer then their income will not
change. For employees that have been receiving less than this amount, the employer will need to top
up the payment to the employee up to $1,500, before tax. And for those employees earning more
than this amount, the employer is able to provide them with a top-up. - Notify all eligible employees that they are receiving the JobKeeper Payment.
- Continue to provide information to the ATO on a monthly basis, including the number of eligible
employees employed by the business.
BACKGROUND ON JOBKEEPER PAYMENT
Under the JobKeeper Payment, businesses impacted by the Coronavirus will be able to access a subsidy
from the Government to continue paying their employees. Affected employers will be able to claim a
fortnightly payment of $1,500 per eligible employee from 30 March 2020, for a maximum period of
6 months.
ELIGIBLE EMPLOYERS
Employers will be eligible for the subsidy if:
- their business has a turnover of less than $1 billion and their turnover will be reduced by more than
30 per cent relative to a comparable period a year ago (of at least a month); or - their business has a turnover of $1 billion or more and their turnover will be reduced by more than
50 per cent relative to a comparable period a year ago (of at least a month); and - the business is not subject to the Major Bank Levy.
The employer must have been in an employment relationship with eligible employees as at 1 March 2020,
and confirm that each eligible employee is currently engaged in order to receive JobKeeper Payments.
Not-for-profit entities (including charities) and self-employed individuals (businesses without employees)
that meet the turnover tests that apply for businesses are eligible to apply for JobKeeper Payments.
ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES
Eligible employees are employees who:
- are currently employed by the eligible employer (including those stood down or re-hired);
- were employed by the employer at 1 March 2020;
- are full-time, part-time, or long-term casuals (a casual employed on a regular basis for longer than
12 months as at 1 March 2020); - are at least 16 years of age;
- are an Australian citizen, the holder of a permanent visa, a Protected Special Category Visa Holder, a
non-protected Special Category Visa Holder who has been residing continually in Australia for 10
years or more, or a Special Category (Subclass 444) Visa Holder; and - are not in receipt of a JobKeeper Payment from another employer.
If your employees receive the JobKeeper Payment, this may affect their eligibility for payments from
Services Australia as they must report their JobKeeper Payment as income.
APPLICATION PROCESS
BUSINESSES WITH EMPLOYEES
Initially, employers can register their interest in applying for the JobKeeper Payment via ato.gov.au from
30 March 2020.
Subsequently, eligible employers will be able to apply for the scheme by means of an online application.
The first payment will be received by employers from the ATO in the first week of May.
Eligible employers will need to identify eligible employees for JobKeeper Payments and must provide
monthly updates to the ATO.
Participating employers will be required to ensure eligible employees will receive, at a minimum,
$1,500 per fortnight, before tax.
It will be up to the employer if they want to pay superannuation on any additional wage paid because of
the JobKeeper Payment.
Further details for businesses for employees will be provided on ato.gov.au.
BUSINESSES WITHOUT EMPLOYEES
Businesses without employees, such as the self-employed, can register their interest in applying for
JobKeeper Payment via ato.gov.au from 30 March 2020.
Businesses without employees will need to provide an ABN for their business, nominate an individual to
receive the payment and provide that individual’s Tax File Number and provide a declaration as to recent
business activity.
People who are self-employed will need to provide a monthly update to the ATO to declare their continued
eligibility for the payments. Payment will be made monthly to the individual’s bank account.
Further details for the self-employed will be provided on ato.gov.au.
Employer with employees on different wages
Adam owns a real estate business with two employees. The business is still operating at this stage but
Adam expects that turnover will decline by more than 30 per cent in the coming months. The
employees are:
- Anne, who is a permanent full-time employee on a salary of $3,000 per fortnight before tax and
who continues working for the business; and - Nick, who is a permanent part-time employee on a salary of $1,000 per fortnight before tax and
who continues working for the business.
Adam is eligible to receive the JobKeeper Payment for each employee, which would have the following
benefits for the business and its employees:
- The business continues to pay Anne her full-time salary of $3,000 per fortnight before tax, and the
business will receive $1,500 per fortnight from the JobKeeper Payment to subsidise the cost of
Anne’s salary and will continue paying the superannuation guarantee on Anne’s income;
Last updated: 30 March 2020 3 - The business continues to pay Nick his $1,000 per fortnight before tax salary and an additional
$500 per fortnight before tax, totalling $1,500 per fortnight before tax. The business receives
$1,500 per fortnight before tax from the JobKeeper Payment which will subsidise the cost of Nick’s
salary. The business must continue to pay the superannuation guarantee on the
$1,000 per fortnight of wages that Nick is earning. The business has the option of choosing to pay
superannuation on the additional $500 (before tax) paid to Nick under the JobKeeper Payment.
Adam can register his initial interest in the scheme from 30 March 2020, followed subsequently by an
application to ATO with details about his eligible employees. In addition, Adam is required to advise his
employees that he has nominated them as eligible employees to receive the payment. Adam will provide
information to the ATO on a monthly basis and receive the payment monthly in arrears.
Employer with employees who have been stood down without pay
Zahrah runs a beauty salon in Melbourne. Ordinarily, she employs three permanent part-time
beauticians, but the government directive that beauty salons can no longer operate has required her to
shut the business. As such she has been forced to stand down her three beauticians without pay.
Zahrah’s turnover will decline by more than 30 per cent, so she is eligible to apply for the JobKeeper
Payment for each employee, and pass on $1,500 per fortnight before tax to each of her three beauticians
for up to six months. Zahrah will maintain the connection to her employees, and be in a position to
quickly resume her operations.
Zahrah is required to advise her employees that she has nominated them as eligible employees to
receive the payment. It is up to Zahrah whether she wants to pay superannuation on the additional
income paid because of the JobKeeper Payment.
If Zahrah’s employees have already started receiving income support payments like the JobSeeker
Payment when they receive the JobKeeper Payment, they will need to advise Services Australia of their new income.
