Employers need to get ready for JobKeeper now
Apr 30, 2020
Sourced from the Australia Taxation Office
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. The 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, they will provide you 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
Employees will need to meet eligibility criteria to access the JobKeeper payment from their employee. A breakdown of the requirements is on their website: ato.gov.au/JobKeeper
Working from home expenses
The ATO announced special arrangements to make it easier for people to claim deductions for working from home this year. Details are available at ato.gov.au/workingfromhome
Additionally, The ATO has introduced a simplified method for claiming deductions for anyone working from home as a result of COVID-19. Between 1 March and 30 June 2020, taxpayers will be able to claim 80 cents per work hour for all their additional running expenses, rather than needing to calculate costs for specific running expenses. This new method is designed to make tax returns simpler for anybody who has recently transitioned to working from home due to COVID-19, and ensures they are able to easily claim their relevant deductions. This information has been summarised into a Working from home media release.
Other resources you might find useful is the ATO working from home poster.
