JobKeeper Payment – Enrolment

Eligible businesses will be able to enrol for the Jobkeeper payment from Monday, 20 April 2020.

We have put together several guides for businesses that simplifies information provided by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), and to help you understand the eligibility requirements.

Register your Interest

If you are eligible and you have not already done so, you should now register your interest in applying for the JobKeeper Payment via The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) – click here to register

Eligibility

There are several levels of eligibility

• Employers
• Sole traders
• Other entities (such as partnerships, trusts, or companies)
• Employees

Employers are eligible for the JobKeeper payment if:

• on 1 March 2020, you carried on a business in Australia.
• you employed at least one eligible employee on 1 March 2020.
• your eligible employees are currently employed by your business for the fortnights they start to claim for, and continue to claim for (including those who are stood down or re-hired).
• your business has faced a
  • 30% fall in turnover (if their aggregated turnover is $1 billion or less)
  • 50% fall in turnover (if their aggregated turnover is more than $1 billion), or
  • 15% fall in turnover including donations and gifts (if you are an ACNC-registered charity and not a university or school)
• you pay your eligible employees at least $1,500 before tax for the fortnights you start to claim for, and continue to claim for.
• you (or you on their behalf) successfully enrol for the JobKeeper scheme and apply for JobKeeper payments.

Sole traders and the self-employed with an ABN that meet the turnover tests are eligible for the JobKeeper payment.

Other entities (such as partnerships, trusts or companies) may be entitled to the JobKeeper Payment scheme under the business participation entitlement.

Your entity may be eligible for the JobKeeper Payment scheme if you:

• have a non-employee individual who is actively engaged in the operation of the business – the ATO refers to this individual as the eligible business participant.
• meet the other relevant eligibility requirements.

A limit applies of one $1,500 JobKeeper payment per fortnight for one eligible business participant. If your entity also has employees, you may also be able to claim additional JobKeeper payments of $1,500 per fortnight per eligible employee.

The entity, not the eligible business participant, receives the JobKeeper payment. The exception is a sole trader, who is both the business entity and an eligible business participant, and so receives the JobKeeper payment themselves.

Further guidance and Frequently Asked Questions can be viewed in the following fact sheet.

Please ensure you contact our office to discuss your particular circumstances.

We are always here to help!

McSweeney CA