Australian Federal Government Support
JOB KEEPER PAYMENT
Extension of the JobKeeper Payment
The Government is extending the JobKeeper Payment by a further six months to March 2021. Support will be targeted to businesses and not-for-profits that continue to be significantly impacted by the Coronavirus. The payment rate will be reduced and a lower payment rate will be introduced for those who work fewer hours. Other eligibility rules remain unchanged.
The payment rate of $1,500 per fortnight for eligible employees and business participants will be reduced to $1,200 per fortnight from 28 September 2020 and to $1,000 per fortnight from 4 January 2021. From 28 September 2020, lower payment rates will apply for employees and business participants that worked fewer than 20 hours per week.
Please find links to fact sheets on the Extension of the Jobkeeper payment here and the coronavirus supplement here.
Today, the Government announced it is extending the JobKeeper Payment until 28 March 2021 and is targeting support to those employers who continue to be significantly impacted by the Coronavirus.
Additional information is also available on the Treasury website at https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/jobkeeper
JobKeeper Program
Business significantly impacted by COVID19 will be able to access a wage subsidy to continue paying their employees.Under the JobKeeper program, businesses will be able to claim a fortnightly payment of $1,500 per eligible employee from 30 March 2020, for a maximum of 6 months. Find out more HERE
Download Job Keeper_Information for Employees.pdf
Download JobKeeper Payment_Information for Employers.pdf
Our National Office in conjunction with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has produced a comprehensive Guide for Employers. Download JobKeeper Payment Guide - Edition 5.pdf
If you would like a copy of the COVID19 Webinar: JobKeeper Update & Hospitality Industry Awards Discussion which was held on Tuesday 14th April please email admin@hospitalitynt.com.au
JOBKEEPER AMENDMENT
Employer Requirement to Give Notice to Employees: By 8 May 2020
On Friday 1 May, the Federal Government amended the Jobkeeper Payment Scheme Rules to close any loop-hole associated with the one-in-all-in nature of the Scheme. The amendment requires employers to ensure they have issued all employees with a NOTICE OF THE EMPLOYER’S ELECTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JOBKEEPER PAYMENT SCHEME, which must state:
- You must provide by return an employee nomination notice if you agree to be nominated by the Company as an eligible employee of the Company;
- You can return the completed employee nomination notice by [insert methods or steps as to how the employee can return the Employee nomination notice]
The notice must be provided to employees by Friday 8 May 2020 or if you advise the ATO Commissioner of your election to participate in the Jobkeeper Payment Scheme after 1 May 2020, then within 7 days of advising the ATO Commissioner. A failure to provide this notice to all employees constitutes an offence under section 8C of the Tax Administration Act 1953.
You do not have to provide the notice to employees:
- whom you reasonably believe are not eligible; or
- whom you previously provided the Employee Nomination Notice, IF when providing the Employee Nomination Notice, it was accompanied by the two bold statements above.
Click HERE to download a template letter developed to assist members to meet this new obligation.
Employees aged 16 or 17 Years
Employees who are 16 and 17 years old are required to lodge a new updated employee nomination form (see link below) for Jobkeeper Fortnights commencing on or after 11 May 2020. However, you do not have to provide the attached notice to employees aged 16 and 17 years old if you reasonably believe they are undertaking full-time study and are not independent within the meaning of section 1067A of the Social Security Act 1991, which is set out in general terms on the revised Jobkeeper Employee Nomination Notice.
Updated JobKeeper Payment Guide
Hospitality NT is a Member of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and we have previously sent out their JobKeeper Payment Employer Guide, which is a useful and comprehensive document. They have updated this document. To indicate what information has been added, here is a 'Marked-Up' version.
JOBSEEKER ALLOWANCE
If you dont have a job, you may be eligible to access the JobSeeker (Newstart) allowance of $550 per fortnight. From 27 April 2020, you can also access an additional COVID19 allowance of $550 per fortnight if you receive the JobSeeker, Youth and Farm Household allowances, Parenting Payment and Special Benefits.
