The new JobKeeper Payment will be administered by the ATO and requires employers to check that they are eligible and then enrol with the ATO to be paid.
Employers will receive a monthly payment for each eligible employee who was paid by the business during the previous month.
Employers need to take steps now to be eligible for the first round of JobKeeper Payments which will be paid from the first week of May 2020.
Employers
In order to receive JobKeeper payments from the first week of May, employers need to:
Have paid their eligible employees a minimum of $1500 per fortnight (before tax) for the period between 30 March and the end of April 2020. Payments for the first two fortnights need to be made by the end of April to receive the JobKeeper payment in the first week of May.
Meet all eligibility requirements, as outlined on the ATO’s website.
Enrol in the JobKeeper Payment program, once the enrolment process is opened on 20 April.
When you submit your enrolment to the ATO, you will be provided with an acknowledgement and acceptance of your enrolment into the JobKeeper program based on the information you have provided.
Employers are encouraged to discuss their businesses’ eligibility and participation in JobKeeper with their employees.
Employees
The JobKeeper payments will flow from the ATO to employers, not directly to employees.
Employees wanting to know whether their employer will be enrolling in JobKeeper should speak to their employer and fill out the employee nomination form.
The ATO’s Deputy Commissioner James O’Halloran said they are working hard to make it as easy as possible for employers to access the Government’s JobKeeper Payment.
“At this stage employers should focus on determining their and their employees’ eligibility and desire to participate, and should discuss ongoing work arrangements with their employees.
“We know this payment is vital for the community, and we want every eligible employer to be ready to receive the JobKeeper Payments to help keep Australians in jobs.
“As you would expect we will have systems in place to ensure that the payment is made to the eligible employers and will monitor any claims over the months that attract our attention,” Deputy Commissioner O’Halloran said.
Information about the JobKeeper Payment is available via ato.gov.au/JobKeeper
Anyone affected by COVID-19 should visit ato.gov.au/coronavirus to see what additional support and assistance is available from the ATO.
