The current JobKeeper program ends on Sunday 27 September 2020.  A two-tiered reduced rate of JobKeeper continues depending on the hours worked by employees in either February or June 2020.

In order to qualify from 28 September onwards, there must be at least 30% reduction in actual GST turnover for the September 2020 quarter, compared to the September 2019 quarter.  Businesses currently enrolled for JobKeeper will not need to re-enrol.

Although the September 2020 quarter is not yet finalised, you should consider doing the following now:

– Estimate whether you will likely have reduced GST turnover of 30% or more for the September 2020 quarter;

– Decide whether to suspend paying employees top-up payments where it is unknown whether the business will have reduced GST turnover of 30% or more (where employees would ordinarily be paid less than JobKeeper); and

– Ascertain if eligible employees meet the 80 hour test in the 4-week payroll period commencing before 1 March 2020 or 1 July 2020 (you can choose either period on an employee by employee basis).

There are a number of alternative turnover tests as well as additional rules where payroll records are unavailable to test hours worked.

There are also ATO concessions which allow wages to be paid prior to 31 October for the 2 JobKeeper fortnights from 28 September to 25 October 2020 to allow businesses to evaluate whether they still qualify.