JobKeeper Extension

It has recently been announced that the JobKeeper program will be extended for six months in order to provide support for businesses that continue to be significantly impacted by the pandemic.

          Please see information about the scheme below. We expect more information to be released in the coming months.

1. Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible for the extension businesses will be required to meet additional turnover tests. These tests will be applied quarterly.

          To be eligible for JobKeeper in the first extension period, 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021, the business must be able to demonstrate a 30% drop in turnover in both the June 2020 and September 2020 quarters when compared to the corresponding quarters in 2019.

          To be eligible for JobKeeper in the second extension period, 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021, the business must be able to demonstrate a 30% drop in turnover in each of the three quarters ending  June, September and December 2020 when compared to the corresponding quarters in 2019.

          Please note that the turnover test is reduced to 15% for charities.

2. Eligible employees

There has been no change to the eligibility requirements for employees. Employees must have been employed prior to 1 March 2020. Casual employees must have been employed on a regular and systematic basis for at least 12 months as at 1 March 2020.

          Please note that these rules confirm that any new employees post 1 March 2020 will remain ineligible.

          The rules for Eligible Business Participant’s are also unchanged.

3. Payment Rates

The JobKeeper payment rate has been reduced for the extension period. A second lower rate has also been introduced for employees who were working less than 20 hours per week in four weekly pay periods prior to 1 March 2020. The updated payment rates are:

• 28 September 2020 – 3 January 2021:
  • $1,200 per fortnight
  • $750 per fortnight for employees working less than 20 hours per week pre 1 March 20
• 4 January 2021 – 28 March 2021:
  • $1,000 per fortnight
  • $650 per fortnight for employees working less than 20 hours per week pre 1 March 20

          Payments will continue to be made monthly in arrears to eligible businesses. Eligible employers will still be required to have made payment to employees prior to receiving the JobKeeper payment.

          We do not yet have details of the application process for the JobKeeper extension, we will provide an update on this when information is available.