These changes do not impact the current JobKeeper payments up until 27 September 2020, but there will be a requalification test for the second round of JobKeeper from 28 September 2020. We will provide more information regarding this in due course.

In the meantime, the Government has announced that permanent employees who were hired, or turned 18, between 2 March 2020 and 1 July 2020 may now be eligible for the current JobKeeper payments. Long-term casual employees may now also be eligible if they were employed for a 12 month period as at 1 July 2020.

Key points:

• From 3 August 2020, the eligible employee test has been extended to include individuals who were employed on 1 July 2020 and are not currently nominated for JobKeeper by another entity.
• Employees who turned 18 years old between the 2 March 2020 and 1 July 2020 may also now be eligible.
• Long-term casual employees may also now be eligible if they were employed for a 12 month period on a "regular and systematic basis" as at 1 July 2020
• For the fortnights commencing on 3 and 17 August 2020 only, The ATO are allowing employers until 31 August 2020 to make any necessary top up payments for all new eligible employees included in the JobKeeper scheme under the 1 July eligibility test.
• If your circumstances have changed and you now meet the decline in turnover test, you can still enrol for the current JobKeeper Payment up until the program closes.

In summary changes from 14 August 2020 mean:

• More employees can qualify – see eligible employees
• A top up payment extension to 31 August for new eligible employees – see JobKeeper key dates
• New information is available on long-term casual employees.

Any new eligible employees need to complete a new employee nomination notice.

If you would like more detailed information please visit https://www.ato.gov.au/general/jobkeeper-payment/

If you have any questions in relation to the above information please feel free to contact our office.