Below is the JobKeeper payment plan. To avoid a financial crisis, the Australian government has offered a payment plan to support companies and their employees during these times of COVID-19 pandemic. This is with the aim of keeping employees rather than firing them or sending them on an unpaid break.
If you are an employer keep in mind:
If your business is affected by the coronavirus, you may be eligible to access the JobKeeper payment and thus be able to help you continue to pay your employees.
Being an employer you can choose to participate in this scheme and then nominate all the employees you have so that they can claim this payment. Likewise, you can also decide not to participate in the JobKeeper payment.
To access the JobKeeper payment, you must meet the following requirements:
- Employees must work full-time, part-time, or long-term (a worker must have been employed for more than 12 months, before March 1, 2020).
- Employees must be at least 16 years old.
- Employees must be Australian citizens, permanent visa holders, specially protected category visa holders, unprotected special category visa holders who have been continuously residing in Australia for 10 years or more, or special category visa holders ( subclass 444).
Extension of time to enroll in the JobKeeper payment plan:
Registration dates have been extended for the initial periods of JobKeeper from April 30, 2020, to May 31, 2020. Likewise, if you register before May 31, you can still claim the fortnights in April and May as long as you meet all the eligibility requirements for each of those fortnights. This includes having paid your employees on the appropriate date for each fortnight.
During the first two fortnights (March 30 – April 12, April 13 – April 26), they will accept the minimum payment of $ 1,500 for each fortnight you have paid, even if you have paid late, as long as you pay before May 8. If you don’t pay your staff by this date, you can’t claim JobKeeper during the first two fortnights.
You can sign up and apply for JobKeeper sooner if you want. For example, you can sign up in late April to claim the JobKeeper payments for the two fortnights in April.
To sign up for the JobKeeper payment click here
If you are an employee, keep in mind:
The JobKeeper payment supports companies affected by the COVID-19 situation. They help them with the costs of their employees’ wages so that workers can keep their jobs and continue receiving income.
- Your employer will notify you if they intend to claim the $ 1,500 biweekly JobKeeper payment on your behalf.
- The payment comes from your employer, which is then reimbursed by the ATO. Tax will be withheld from the payment, so you can receive less than $ 1,500 in your bank account.
Learn how you can help your employer to claim the JobKeeper payment on your behalf:
Step 1: Check if you meet the eligibility requirements.
Step 2: Talk to your employer and let them know if you want them to claim JobKeeper payment through you.
Step 3: If you have multiple jobs:
- Choose which employer you want to claim JobKeeper payment for you. You can only choose one employer. If you have a casual long-term job but also have a permanent employer, you can only choose one permanent employer.
- Inform your chosen employer that you want them to claim JobKeeper payment for you.
- Inform the other employers that you have nominated a different employer for the JobKeeper payment.
If you run a business but are also a permanent employee, you cannot apply to be an eligible business participant in that business. Soon they will be indicating the requirements for this case, stay informed by entering here.
Step 4: Complete the JobKeeper job nomination notice provided by your chosen and agreed employer. Please return it as soon as possible. The form contains simple information to verify who you are.
Step 5: If you receive or are in the process of requesting an income support payment from Services Australia, such as the JobSeeker payment, please contact Services Australia External Linky, let them know that your employer has requested the JobKeeper payment. If you do not report income or cancel your JobSeeker payment, you may incur a debt that you must pay.
It is important that you keep an eye on our communication channels so that you are aware of the updates of this situation, rest assured that Visado Migration Services will be there to help you.
Source: Australian Taxation Office (2020). Australia.
