JobKeeper Payment Info For Employees

In addition to existing Coronavirus assistance measures the Federal Government has now announced a substantive wage subsidy scheme to help keep people employed through this difficult period. It’s called the JobKeeper Payment.

Employees will receive a notification from their employer that they are receiving the JobKeeper Payment. The majority of employees will need to do nothing further.

Employees in the following circumstances will have additional obligations.

• Employees that have multiple employers must notify the employer that is their primary employer.
• Employees that are not Australian citizens must notify their employer of their visa status, to allow their employer to determine if they are an eligible employee.
• Employees that are currently in receipt of an income support payment must notify Services Australia of their new income.

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.

Under the JobKeeper Payment, businesses impacted by the Coronavirus will be able to access a wage 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 of 6 months.

Eligible employees will receive a minimum of $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 JobKeeper Payments.

Eligible employees include Australian citizens, 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.

Full time and part time employees, including stood down employees, would be eligible for the JobKeeper Payment. Where a casual employee has been with their employer for at least the previous 12 months they will also be eligible for the Payment. Employees will be able to receive this payment in a number of different ways

• If you ordinarily receive $1,500 or more in income per fortnight before tax, you will continue to receive your regular income according to the prevailing workplace arrangements. The JobKeeper Payments will subsidise part or all of your income.
• If you ordinarily receive less than $1,500 in income per fortnight before tax, your employer must pay you, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.
• If you have been stood down, your employer must pay you, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.
• If you were employed on 1 March 2020, subsequently ceased employment and then were re-engaged by the same eligible employer, you will receive, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.

Your employer will notify you if they are claiming the JobKeeper Payment on your behalf.

Make sure to contact us at Bosco Nowra, Sanctuary Point or Sussex if there’s anything we can do to help.