JobKeeper 3.0 explained

With the release of JobKeeper 3.0 some of the eligibility rules have changed from fortnight 10.

The relevant date of employment has been moved from 1 March 2020 to 1 July 2020. This means employees who were previously not eligible, may now be eligible for the current Jobkeeper period as well as the extended periods.

To satisfy the eligibility criteria, you need to identify these employees and meet the Jobkeeper minimum wage condition i.e. $1,500 by 16 August 2020.

It’s time to revisit the eligibility of your employees to comply with the existing “one in, all in” rule.

Employees are eligible in the extension period if they:

• are currently employed by an eligible employer (including if you were stood down or rehired)
• were for the eligible employer (or another entity in their wholly-owned group) either:
– a full-time, part-time or fixed-term employee at 1 July 2020; or
– a long-term casual employee (employed on a regular and systematic basis for at least 12 months) as at 1 July 2020 and not a permanent employee of any other employer.

• were aged 18 years or older at 1 July 2020 (if you were 16 or 17 you can also qualify if you
are independent or not undertaking full time study).

• were either:
– an Australian resident (within the meaning of the Social Security Act 1991); 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 July 2020.

• were not in receipt of any of these payments during the JobKeeper fortnight:
– government parental leave or Dad and partner pay under the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010; or
– a payment in accordance with Australian worker compensation law for an individual’s total incapacity for work.

Only one employer can claim the JobKeeper Payment in respect of an employee.

The self-employed will be eligible to receive the JobKeeper Payment where they meet the relevant turnover test, and are not a permanent employee of another employer.

Employees will continue to receive the JobKeeper Payment through their employer during the period of the extension if they and their employer are eligible and their employer is claiming the
JobKeeper Payment. However, the amount of the JobKeeper Payment will change at the rates outlined below:

From 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021, the JobKeeper Payment rates will be:
• $1,200 per fortnight for all eligible employees who were working in the business or notfor-profit for 20 hours or more a week on average in the four weeks of pay periods before either 1 March 2020 or 1 July 2020, and for eligible business participants who were actively engaged in the business for 20 hours or more per week on average; and
• $750 per fortnight for other eligible employees and business participants.

From 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021, the JobKeeper Payment rates will be:
• $1,000 per fortnight for all eligible employees who were working in the business or not for-profit for 20 hours or more a week on average in the four weeks of pay periods before either 1 March 2020 or 1 July 2020, and for business participants who were actively engaged in the business for 20 hours or more per week on average; and
• $650 per fortnight for other eligible employees and business participants.

Businesses and not-for-profits will be required to nominate which payment rate they are claiming for each of their eligible employees (or business participants).

To find out more see the JobKeeper extension fact sheet.