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.

You can enrol for the JobKeeper Payment at any time until the program closes if your circumstances have changed

JobKeeper 2.0 does not change your eligibility for the current JobKeeper scheme to 28 Sep 2020.  But businesses and not-for-profits will be required to reassess their eligibility with reference to relevant decline in their actual GST turnover in relevant 2 previous Quarters  

Relevant Decline

  • 30 % for those with an aggregated turnover of $1 billion or less
  • 50 % for those with an aggregated turnover of more than $1 billion;
  • 15 % for Australian Charities and Not for profits Commission-registered charities

Employee Eligibility

Employee eligibility remains at:

  • a full-time, part-time, long-term casual or fixed-term employee at 1 March 2020
  • aged 18 years or older at 1 March 2020
  • an Australian resident; or an Australian Resident for the purpose of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and the holder of a Subclass 444 (Special Category) visa as at 1 March 2020.

PLUS, Employees will be divided into 2 x categories:

  1. Those who worked an average of 20+ hrs/week for the 4 weeks before 1 Mar 2020 (2 – 29 Feb 2020)
  2. Those who worked an average of less than 20 hrs/week for the 4 weeks before 1 Mar 2020 (2 – 29 Feb 2020)

JK 2.0

JobKeeper 2.0 will be reduced in 2 x Phases:

  1. 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021
  2. 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021.

1. Phase 1

Turnover Test

Businesses and NFPs will be required to reassess their eligibility with reference to their actual GST turnover in:

  • June quarter (April – June 2020), and
  • September quarter (July – September 2020).

They will need to demonstrate that they have met the relevant decline in turnover test in both of those quarters to be eligible for the JobKeeper Payment for 29 September – 3 Jan 2021 (14 weeks)

Payment Rate

  1. 20+ hrs/week (see above) = $1200/fortnight
  2. Less than 20rs/week (see above) = $750/fortnight

2. Phase 2

Turnover Test

Businesses and NFPs will be required to reassess their eligibility again with reference to their actual GST turnover in:

  • June quarter (April – June 2020), and
  • September quarter (July – September 2020), and
  • December quarter (October – December 2020).

They will need to demonstrate that they have met the relevant decline in turnover test in all of those quarters to be eligible for the JobKeeper Payment for 4 Jan – 21 Mar 2021 (11 weeks)

Payment Rate

  1. 20+ hrs/week (see above) = $1000/fortnight
  2. Less than 20rs/week (see above) = $650/fortnight
Disclaimer:  The above information is a SUMMARY of the financial aspects of the government’s JobKeeper 2.0 scheme, as distributed by the Australian Government Treasury, and has been compiled to simplify the eligibility of Businesses in general.
Your specific business circumstances must be considered for eligibility. 
Please contact us on jobkeeper@agirlfriday.com.au for your individual financials, or please seek further financial advice from a qualified Accountant or Financial Advisor to suit your individual circumstances.
The approved Bill of Parliament is yet to be approved, and thus small details may change.
For the full details on JobKeeper, please visit the following links:
https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-07/Fact_sheet-JobKeeper_Payment_extension_0.pdf
https://www.ato.gov.au/general/JobKeeper-Payment/
https://www.ato.gov.au/General/JobKeeper-Payment/JobKeeper-guides/