Now that the legislation regarding the Jobkeeper Scheme has been passed the ATO have provided more detail in regard to the steps that have to be undertaken by an eligible business to register, apply and report under the scheme.
We will not go into details regarding eligibility for the Scheme as we have covered that in previous articles and in our continually updated Jobkeeper FAQ for Employers and Employees.
The following is a step by step action plan for any eligible business wishing to participate in the Jobkeeper program. Whilst we believe the information provided is all that you need to manage your participation in the Jobkeeper scheme we are able to assist with determining eligibility, registering, applying and reporting on your behalf.
| Step | Action | Reference/Notes |
| 1 | Determine the eligibility of your business and employees to receive Jobkeeper payments | Refer to our previous Jobkeeper article |
| Refer to our previous Jobkeeper: FAQ | ||
| 2 | Register your interest | Important to register as soon as possible if you have not already done so |
| 3 | Notify your eligible employees that you are intending to claim the Jobkeeper payment on their behalf by providing each employee a Jobkeeper Employee Nomination Notice and ensuring it is promptly completed and returned | Each employee must complete Section B, C and D and provide the completed form to their employer as soon as possible. Keep a copy on file and provide us with a copy if we are attending to your registration, application and reporting. |
| 4 | Confirm if there is an ‘Eligible Business Participant’ (ie. business owner not employed by the business) for which Jobkeeper will be claimed. | Refer below and to our Jobkeeper: FAQ |
| 5 | Register for Jobkeeper payments | You can enrol with the ATO for the Jobkeeper payment from 20 April, 2020 using the Business Portal and authenticate with your myGovID. Registration can also be attended to by us on your behalf. The online form will require the following information: - Bank Details IMPORTANT You must be registered by the end of April to receive Jobkeeper payments for April (ie for the period from 30 March) |
| 6 | Ensure you have paid your eligible employees at least $1,500 (Before tax) for each fortnight you will be claiming Jobkeeper payments | For April Jobkeeper fortnight periods are 30 March – 12 April and 13 April – 26 April. |
| 7 | Apply to claim the Jobkeeper payment | You can apply to claim your Jobkeeper payment from 4 May, 2020 and each month thereafter using the Business Portal or this can be done by us on your behalf. The online form will require the following information: - Identifying your eligible employees (using pre-filled STP date or by manually entering employee details) |
| 8 | Provide each employee that has indicated their acceptance of your nomination a Confirmation of Jobkeeper Nomination letter subsequent to applying for Jobkeeper payment | A letter confirming that the employee has accepted their nomination as an eligible employee of your business, that you have submitted their nomination to the ATO and that they have not accepted nomination from any other employer. |
| 9 | Each month you will be required to lodge a Jobkeeper Declaration Report with the ATO. | The Jobkeeper Declaration Report will confirm whether there have been any changes in regard to your eligible employees and information regarding your current and projected turnover. You can lodge the Jobkeeper Declaration Report using the Business Portal or we can attend to this on your behalf |
| 10 | Repeat Steps 6, 7 & 9 for the duration of the period you claim Jobkeeper payments |
An eligible business can nominate one ‘Eligible Business Participant’ being an owner who is actively engaged in the business carried on by the entity to receive Jobkeeper payment and is either:
• a sole trader;
• an individual partner of a partnership;
• a director or individual shareholder of a company; or
• an adult beneficiary of a trust.
Importantly, however, while a business may have more than one business participant, it can only nominate one of these individuals (who becomes the ‘eligible business participant’) in respect of whom it can receive a JobKeeper Payment.
If you are intending to claim Jobkeeper as an ‘Eligible Business Participant’ more information will be available shortly in regard to the exact process to enable you to receive Jobkeeper payment. We will provide updates as soon as that information is available.
We hope that the above Step-By-Step Guide has demystified the process of registration, application and reporting associated with the Jobkeeper Scheme. If you require any assistance, with any part of the process we have explained above, we are here to help.
The information contained on this website and in this article is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser. Taxation, legal and other matters referred to on this website and in this article are of a general nature only and are based on our interpretation of laws existing at the time and should not be relied upon in place of appropriate professional advice. Those laws may change from time to time.
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