top of page

JobKeeper Payment: Supporting Businesses to Retain Jobs

Sullivan Dewing

The Federal Government has released details on how your business can access the JobKeeper Payment. Key facts are:


30% drop in Turnover Test:

• Based on BAS reporting period ie monthly or quarterly

• Based on BAS reporting method ie cash or accruals

• Includes all taxable supplies and GST Free supplies

• Turnover excludes GST

• Compares say March 20 BAS to March 19 BAS

• Only includes Australian based sales

• Apply if you reasonably expect turnover to drop


New Businesses or March period not representative of revenue drop:

• Tax Commissioner will consider additional information

• Tax Commissioner with have discretion to set alternate test

• You can register later if your business drops after March


Eligible Employees:

• Employed at 1 March 2020

• Includes full-time, part-time, casuals >12months and stood down employees

• Other employee criteria apply

• Employees receiving Parental Leave Pay from Services Australia not eligible

• Employees receiving Workers Comp and working are eligible, not working = not eligible

• Stood down employees must go back on the payroll of same employer to receive JobKeeper

• Payment only in respect of direct employees (not via labour hire)


Timing:

• Employees employed at 1 March 2020

• For payrolls paid for the week, fortnight or month commencing 30 March 2020

• First payment from the ATO early May 2020

• Payments from the ATO are monthly in arrears

• Applies to payroll period until 27 September 2020


Business Funding of Payments:

• Your business has to fund the first month of payments before ATO reimburses you


Super & Entitlements:

• Full super paid if wage is >$1,500/fortnight

• Super only on usual wage if wage <$1,500/fortnight

• Salary Sacrifice super arrangements can continue as usual

• Entitlements continue to accrue


Trusts, Partnerships & Sole Traders (where revenue dropped by >30%):

• Trusts – ONE individual beneficiary can receive the payment

• Partnerships – ONE individual partner can receive the payment

• Sole Traders - can receive the payment

• Company Directors - ONE individual Director can receive the payment

• Shareholders - ONE individual Shareholder can receive the payment

• All the above only apply if the individual provides labour to the entity


Register:

Employers elect to participate and supply supporting information demonstrating downturn, register at Australian Taxation Office.

Please find below links to the recording of our recent webinar and a PDF copy of our PowerPoint explaining the COVID-19 Stimulus Package JobKeeper Payment in more detail, including how to access and live examples. See the YouTube video embed below or follow the link to YouTube



Comments


bottom of page