The JobKeeper Payment will be extended until 28 March 2021, targeting support to businesses that continue to be significantly impacted by the Coronavirus.
From 28 September 2020, eligibility for the JobKeeper Payment will be based on actual turnover in the relevant periods, and the payment will be stepped down and paid at two rates.
How it works
The existing JobKeeper Payment will remain in place until 27 September 2020.
From 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021, the payment rate will be $1,200 per fortnight for all eligible employees (and eligible business participants – sole traders, partner, shareholder/director, trust beneficiary).
From 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021, the payment rate will be $1,000 per fortnight for all eligible employees.
Organisations will be required to reassess their eligibility for the JobKeeper extension in the June, September, and December 2020 quarters (i.e. demonstrate a decline in turnover of more than 30% in those quarters).
Payment Rates
Period
Working more than 20 hours per week (fortnightly payment)
Working less than 20 hours per week (fortnightly payment)
28 Sept 20 – 3 Jan 21
$1,200
$750
4 Jan 21 – 28 Mar 21
$1,000
$650
From 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021, the JobKeeper Payment rates will be:
$1,200 per fortnight for all eligible employees who, in the four weeks of pay periods before 1 March 2020, were working in the business or not-for-profit for 20 hours or more a week on average, and for eligible business participants who were actively engaged in the business for 20 hours or more per week on average in the month of February 2020; and
$750 per fortnight for other eligible employees and business participants.
From 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021, the JobKeeper Payment rates will be:
$1,000 per fortnight for all eligible employees who, in the four weeks of pay periods before 1 March 2020, were working in the business or not-for-profit for 20 hours or more a week on average and for business participants who were actively engaged in the business for 20 hours or more per week on average in the month of February 2020; and
$650 per fortnight for other eligible employees and business participants.
Additional Turnover Tests
Businesses will need to meet a further decline in turnover test for each of the two periods of extension, as well as meeting the other existing eligibility requirements for the JobKeeper Payment.
For the period 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021 – will need to demonstrate that actual GST turnover has significantly fallen (by more than 30%) in the both the June quarter 2020 (April, May and June) and the September quarter 2020 (July, August, September) relative to comparable periods (generally the corresponding quarters in 2019).
For the period 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021 – will need to demonstrate that actual GST turnover has significantly fallen (by more than 30%) in each of the June, September, and December quarters 2020 relative to comparable periods (generally the corresponding quarters in 2019).
Businesses will generally be able to assess eligibility based on details reported in the Business Activity Statement (BAS).
The Commissioner of Taxation will have discretion to set out alternative tests that would establish eligibility in specific circumstances where it is not appropriate to compare actual turnover in a quarter in 2020 with actual turnover in a quarter in 2019, in line with the Commissioner’s existing discretion.
Eligible Employees
The eligibility rules for employees remain unchanged. This means you are eligible if you:
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 18 years of age (or were 16 or 17 and independent);
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;
are not in receipt of a JobKeeper Payment from another employer;
are not in receipt of government parental leave or Dad and partner pay under the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010; or a payment in accordance with Australian worker compensation law for an individual’s total incapacity for work.
Further information is available in the Australian Government fact sheet.
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