Hi everyone
There seems to be a number of forums in relation to the Jobkeeper Payment. Rather than having multiple threads, ask me questions in relation to the JobKeeper Payment and I will try my best to answer otherwise hopefully somebody else can as well.
Background: I am an accountant with years of experience
If you are eligible, why would you want to do that?
Is $275 worth getting my accountant to do it, any benefits v me doing it?
$275 is reasonable to determine whether you are eligible and applying on your behalf. Depending on your business structure, the turnover tests may not be as straight forward.
We have a husband and wife partnership, so only i can apply, will be down 30% for April - June quarter. Doesn't seem hard to do.
Here's a warning to everyone that thinks this is the case:
"An employee doesn't need to work to get jobkeeper. It is based on a fortnight. You need to pay them at least $1500."
The employer does not have to claim JobKeeper for your position, and refusing to work is grounds for dismissal.
The JobKeeper scheme is to fund businesses to keep staff to keep them off centrelink/jobseeker. The employer has everyright to make you work the equivalent of $1500 gross a fort-night.
What if you normally work casual for 8-9 hour per fortnight for $30/ hour and now that you receive jobkeeper payment, are you expected to work 50 hour per fortnight?
I don't see why not, if you don't want to or can't they can use the other casuals that are willing to, and employ fewer people to get the same work done.
@keongperak: This website mentioned that employer are not allowed to give additional/extra hour of work just to “match” the jobkeeper payment unless it is reasonable. I have 2 kids at home that is why I only work 8-9 hour per fortnight which I have done for close to 2 years. However since I am eligible for jobkeeper payment, my employer expect me to work 50 hours per fortnight and threaten me to cancel my jobkeeper if I am not willing to do that. Is that right or wrong?
@keongperak: The employer will need to find 5 times as much as their normal payroll to do that, on less income. I think that's unreasonable.
They can't ask you to do more hours just because of jobkeeper but if there are tasks that need to be done they are allowed to ask you to do more.
If you think it is unreasonable you can refuse, but they could just fire you and keep the ones willing to work more hours.
Unless your kids have medical issues or disabilities they aren't a good excuse for not working. Childcare is free for younger ones and you're allowed to send school age kids to school if you need to.
If you are choosing not to work, when you are capable of working and have a job that wants you, it is extremely selfish to expect a free handout of money from the government when so many people are facing wage cuts and need this to even survive day to day.
@Quantumcat: The reason why I only work 8-9 hours per fortnight in the last 1.5 years is because I want to receive the childcare rebate for one of my older kid. I only work at night time when the kids are sleeping and I prefer to keep it that way as I value more time with my family. If my hour increase that means I will have less time with them
If you think it is selfish I know someone who have been stood down by their employer and receive the jobkeeper payment without having to work at all. What do you think of them then? Is that government’s fault or employer’s or the employee’s?
It’s not like I am reducing my hour (which I could do that given my job is casual paid hourly). I just want to maintain the amount of hour that I can work.
Note : childcare is only free if you have enrolled your kids before government’s announcement. You will need to pay as per normal if you enrol after that.
Note : childcare is only free if you have enrolled your kids before government’s announcement. You will need to pay as per normal if you enrol after that.
Where did you read that? My understanding is childcare centres are not eligible for the government paying them 50% on their normal turnover if they ask any parent for fees.
Anyway, you can just go on jobseeker - it will pay more than what you normally get, and the partner income test is raised to $80k. No need to make your employer suffer so you can get a few hundred extra free dollars.
@Quantumcat: From my kid’s childcare centre. It is to prevent people increasing their kids’ childcare day because it’s free now.
As far as I know the jobkeeper payment comes from the government and my employer will save money needed to pay me. How do they suffer if I mau ask you?
Are you an employer who employs people?
@keongperak: Interest cost on prepaying the JobKeeper payment on behalf of ATO. There is a one month lag in your employer getting the money from the ATO.
@tooslow8888: Ok fair enough. They may lose the interest cost or fee for paying upfront but after government payout they wouldn’t have to fork out few hundred dollars every fortnight to pay me. I will try to work and help more but my employer shouldn’t be threatening me with the amount of hours needed for me to work. That to me is not fair. Also my employer decided to include the jobkeeper payment of $1500 covering 3 weeks from 23/3 to 12/4 even though the firat jobkeeper payment should be from 30/3-12/4 as I have mentioned below. Is that correct? I wouldn’t fight much since it is only a few hundred dollars, I just want to know my right.
@keongperak: I'm not an employer.
The employer needs to come up with all the money upfront before they get any reimbursement - so paying out 5 times as much as they normally would. And there is a risk some employees may not be eligible so they don't get it reimbursed and lose five months worth of wage for one month's work. I don't think it is likely they will take the risk and if you try to make them you'll be let go. But then you can always get jobseeker so no real risk to you.
What happens if you work full time during the week but work weekends part time in retail? (paying extra tax on the second job).
Can you get the job keeper payment from the second job as well as still earn your regular income from Monday to Friday/Main Job?
Only if second job is casual. I myself in similar situation. I have 2 part time jobs so I don't qualify.
What I find funny about what's happening with covid-19 isn't the virus it's self but the outcome it will have on community's.
I can see Scott Morrison saying this:
Scott Morrison: " good Morining everyone, I can see your all here, okay let me be frank the unfortunate situations we all are dealing with for most or Even all Australians some who are still struggling, and the policies we had to enforce that effected all Australians but with out those precautions who knows what would have happened, and I am happy knowing we all can sleep having those we love be it friends or family, but onto pressing concerns it seems not everyone got the message, and especially the packages we offered to promote a healthy economy, but sadly most kept thinking this free job keeper payment hand out ment you didn't have to do anything, so from now on we are now rolling out this trial with jobseeker for those stil unable to find work, and those whose who blatantly abused job keeper during the time will now allow any employer the description to suspend your payment if they suspect you slacked off.
Come on Australia we are all in this together, and yes we will be extending the jobseeker payment til march 2021, that's all Australia stay strong in these pressing times"
I've got a question. So I've applied on the business portal website just fine and listed that I expected at least a 30% downfall in the month of April.
Does this mean that I only have a choice of comparing for either the month of April, or the quarter of April, May and June?
Is it possible for me to just compare May but still get the payments starting from April?
If you want payments starting in April (well, technically the fortnight beginning 30 March), you’d have to demonstrate a fall in turnover (projected, in the case of the future) in March, April or the April-June quarter.
You can use May as the test period but you will only get paid from May onward (effectively giving you 5 months of Jobkeeper instead of 6).
Looks like the April-June quarter will be most applicable for me. Thank you :)
It says on page for the question.
Has your turnover for the entity for the selected month (or the quarter including the selected month) fallen, or is likely to fall by 30% or more?
Can one avail both jobseeker and jobkeeper?
No
Can I pay my employees weekly $750 or I have to pay them $1500 fortnight gross.
As long as the minimum $1,500 is paid by the end of each fortnight. Can do $500 on one week and then $1,000 the following week.
thanks
My mother is on the pension but was working (long term casual) to top up her pension. Can she apply for jobkeeper and how will it effect her pension?
Has her employer given her the form to fill out? Jobkeeper is counted as treated as income so I'd assume if would affect her pension much the same as if she got paid $1500 in a fortnight.
I am confused regarding new sole trader started Feb this year.
As I wasnt working last year had a nil tax return.
I am not registered for gst nor lodged a bas
I only work one day a week on this, not huge amount of money . Loss can be shown.
Am I stuffed due to the the bas / gst and 18/19 tax bit of it all?
Are you full/part time employee elsewhere?
If not you may still be eligible under the alternative tests providing you were and are actively involved in the business. Was there a reason you worked only once a week?
Yes I am also a casual with a company that does not qualify. my work has gone from 25 hrs a week to 5 !
My wife is in the same situation. She starts having ABN last July and doing bakery from home last October. There is no BAS or GST. She doesn't work elsewhere. Do you have link for alternative tests? Is this worth to have a try or hire an accountant?
Thank you in advance
I am none the wiser. Please let me know if you find anymore out. I will be getting an accountant onto this next week. I am having trouble finding one that knows about sole traders. I have even been told by some that it is not for sole traders !!
@sbgirl: This is from the legislation:
"(b) if the entity started business before 1 March 2020, but on or after 1 February 2020, the entity’s current GST turnover before 1 March 2020, divided by the number of days the entity was in business and multiplied by 29."
So if your revenue during March period < .7*(extrapolated Feb period), yes you pass turnover test.
Your issue arises from the eligibility criteria:
"You are actively engaged in the business carried on by your entity"
The onus may be eventually on you to prove this, so if you believe you can do so, go ahead and apply.
made a supply in 1 July 2018 – 12 March 2020 and provided notice to the Commissioner on or before 12 March 2020
This is the wording. I am unsure if getting payments into my bank via my abn is enough to satisfy the above.
Thanks for offering to answer questions.
I have been on paid parental leave since March-it should have been commenced in January but due to my employer not completing paperwork on their side until end of February it did not commence until March. Annual leave had been taken from Jan-Feb to fill that gap.
When my parental paid leave runs out in July would I be potentially eligible to go onto JobKeeper? Prior to going on maternity leave in December I had been a full-time employee.
Yes provided you meet other eligibility criteria (residency etc.) and your employer is eligible.
I’m normally getting paid per fortnight. The latest payslip should have covered payment from 23/3 to 5/4. Since I am eligible for jobkeeper payment from 30/3-12/4 does that mean that I am not getting paid from 23/3 to 29/3?
Is job keeper eligibility linked to your job, or a company ABN. In my
Situation, I am employed on an employment contract by company A, but paid via the payroll of Company B.
Company A is ineligible. Company B is eligible. They have asked me to fill out a nomination form. But I’ve also been told that as my role is in Company A, no one in company A is eligible.
My payslips and group certificate etc come from company B.
Any thoughts? Thank you!
This is a common scenario.
You employer may use a service entity i.e. where the employees are employed by a different entity to the one that conducts the business.
In your case, it seems like company B is the service entity. It is their responsibility to work out whether they are eligible.
If you meet the eligibility requirements then it should be fine.
Thank you. I used to work for company B, before getting a new role in company A. They just never moved me onto the new payroll (too hard apparently….!) Company B has determined they’re eligible, so in this case it looks like I may benefit from it all being in the ‘too hard’ basket.
Another question if it’s okay, This time regarding Unpaid maternity leave which I was discussing with colleagues from work today.
If an employee is currently on maternity leave. They have been on employer paid, transitioning to unpaid. Their government PPL was due to commence in July. If both company and employee are deemed eligible, would this mean they would get paid Job Keeper from March until July?
Could they defer the government PPL until a later date and continue to get paid until September?
It seems crazy to think that someone who was going to be on unpaid leave and wasn’t going to get paid anything, could now get 6 months worth of job keeper and not have to do anything/any hours. Is this really correct?
Thanks for all your time in responding
Employees on unpaid leave can receive the payment (if all eligibility is met).
One of the many tests you need to meet to get the Parental Leave Pay (PLP) is the 'work test'. Therefore you may not be eligible to receive it if you choose to defer the PLP.
Hi Riseandfall. Thanks for doing this.
Does a business have to nominate all employees for job keeper, or can they elect to only nominate the full time staff?
This is from the ATO website:
https://www.ato.gov.au/general/jobkeeper-payment/employers/y…
If you decide to participate in the JobKeeper Payment scheme, you must nominate all your eligible employees. You cannot choose to nominate only some employees. However, individual eligible employees can choose not to participate.
Hope that helps!
Hi Riseandfall, I’m normally getting paid per fortnight. The latest payslip should have covered payment from 23/3 to 5/4. I am eligible for jobkeeper payment and my employer already pay me for the jobkeeper payment with payment period covering 30/3 to 12/4. When I enquire regarding the missing week payment (23/3-29/3) my employer said I will not be paid as I have already received the jobkeeper payment and that jobkeeper payment will cover the three weeks payment from 23/3 to 12/4. Is that correct?
So can a workplace discriminate against an employee who isn't on JobKeeper? A little background, my partner has worked for 6 years for a large daycare centre here in QLD. We are fighting the company over their opinion that in order for your employment to be considered "regular" you have to have worked one shift in 20 out of 26 fortnights - at first they had the opinion that it was one shift a week for 40 weeks of a year but they since changed it to one shift every two weeks. My partner has worked on average 3 shifts a week over 18 out of 26 fortnights - she needed some time off due to surgery and a back injury which made it hard for her to work in daycare for a few weeks, which she informed her manager about and then took two weeks off to travel interstate to her brother's wedding.
Now she's getting calls asking her if she can take on a shift but when she accepted they asked if she's on the JobKeeper payment and then was told if she's not then they can't give her work. I feel like this is discrimination under the Anti-Discrimination Act Part 4 Division 2 Section 14 as I don't think you can discriminate who is offered or not offered work based on eligibility to JobKeeper or not.
I think in the end we will have to take the company to Fair Work to sort out the issue with her not being paid JobKeeper when other employees have worked less hours than her and are being paid it. Happy for anyone to give us any suggestions that might help us on that account.
But does anyone also know if we have an argument for workplace discrimination as well considering she was offered work today and then told she didn't qualify as she currently isn't getting a JobKeeper payment?
I don't believe you can argue discrimination because the decision was made completely on financial interests. Just playing devil's advocate, would you feel as strongly about the situation if the daycare HR simply did not call her up? or was the issue because they offered the job and then retracted it.
Regarding the definition of 'regular and systematic', this seems to be an issue between you and employer. It is in the daycare's interest to put you on jobkeeper, as the business is operational and judging from the calls she receives, there are shifts to be filled. So, perhaps a more coercive manner towards the company may be better than "fighting".
Coercive how? We’ve written about twenty emails. Had two phone conferences with low and mid level management who agree with us only to be told that the upper management refuses to budge on this issue.
At this stage we expect the only way is to go to Fair Work and mediate or a tribunal. What else can we do coercively?
Management did end up giving her the shifts in the end as they said they couldn’t legally discriminate - I didn’t even bring it up, they did. So yeah it’s clear that they can’t refuse to offer shifts on this basis.
You have to recall that the daycare has the best interest of the employee to think about to as they have signed a contract to provide work for that employee. The anti-discrimination act clarifies how they have to take care of that employee and how they cannot discriminate. So no you cannot make these sort of decisions legally with the notion that you’re acting in best financial interest of the company when you’re doing so at the violation of the rights of your employee.
"You have to recall that the daycare has the best interest of the employee to think about to as they have signed a contract to provide work for that employee."
I believe that's called charity. A business makes decisions that are in the best interest of the business.The casual contract that is signed has no guaranteed hours of work, that's literally the first point in FW: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employee-entitlements/types-of-e…
Regardless, she got her shift in the end no? So the case is moot.
The employer is probably trying to be on the safe side as if they pay the $1500 and your partner doesn't qualify them they are out that amount of money. On what basis are you claiming discrimination? Not sure the section you referred to is right?
The other view could be they made a business decision based on finances on who to give shifts to and who not to give shifts to. If a business is struggling there isn't any incentive to give hours to someone who who is excluded from jobkeeper if they can give it to someone who isn't.
That they have no right to discriminate on the basis of offering work. Anyways they called back and said that their legal office was clear that they couldn’t do that - we didn’t even mention the legal aspect but they determined that it could be seen as discrimination and would violate my partner’s rights. You have to remember that the financial interests of the company is tempered by law by the rights of the employee and by the responsibilities the company has under their contract to their employee. That’s just the law of the land. Thankfully this was sorted out on their end. Looks like we’ll have to fight for JobKeeper though. I do get that they are being conservative in their interpretation, but when I can show them nearly an identical decision from FWA in the last few years where a similar case was decided as being a regular and systematic employment I find it frustrating that they aren’t taking the more liberal approach as ultimately I don’t think the ATO is going to test the grey areas of this legislation - I think they’ll focus on the black and white ones.
On which protected attribute is she being discriminated against? Her age, sex, religion etc?
The company has a right to try and not go out of business. Only giving work to jobseeker eligible employees would help with that. Hopefully you get somewhere with the regular and systematic part of the argument.
Contractual rights? Casuals are employed on a day to day basis, no guarantee of ongoing work.
Does Job Keeper accrue annual leave? I just realised my annual leave entitlements are the same from last pay.
Depends. Are you on stand down?
Reduced hours. I had two fortnights paid. First one I just worked for 3 hrs (meeting) and second one was 9 hours.
You should still accrue leave entitlements.
Quick question,
Wife's employer has just sent an email stating they will be applying for JobKeeper as the numbers have dipped more than they expected.
Wife is casual and has been regular for 18 months.
They are applying this week.
Does this mean that my wife will be back paid JobKeeper from 1st March or will she start receiving jobkeeper payments from the time of application?
Cheers!
No. The fortnight for JobKeeper commences 30 March.
As there has been two fortnights since then, she should receive a minimum $1,500 each fortnight ($3,000 total), less taxes since then.
Thanks mate, appreciate you clearing it up.
Hi Riseandfall. Thank you for all you information so far. I have some questions about single touch payroll (STP) and jobkeeper. I have 7 staff that are eligible for the jobkeeper payments, however all of them have been working continuously (slightly reduced hours). I have already paid them their hours worked for the last 2 fortnights (starting from Monday 30th March). All but two staff earn less than $1500 per fortnight. My payroll software (cashflow manager) has sent me this information for lodging the codes via the software and for STP, which has just confused me more. I have already submitted for the first fortnight via STP (but only their normal pay not jobkeeper). My question is should I go back and top up their payments to $1500 (for those earning less than $1500), and can I resubmit the pays to STP? Are you also familiar with the codes and if so which codes would you use for someone who earns less than $1500 and someone that earns more than $1500?
Thanks in advance
Yes you will need to top up their payments to the minimum $1,500 when you receive their nomination form. I don't know much about the software and suggest you give them a call and they possibly walk you through it.
Thank you so much for the information. I've been meaning to call them but I've been quite busy at work lately. But I will do as soon as I'm able. Do you know if you can resubmit to STP the new amounts once I've made the top-up or if there is a way I can edit the already submitted values?
Ignore the above question. I have figured it out!
Hi hope I can get an answer to this as don’t really understand it all.
My son received his fortnightly pay he normally gets about $1600 per fn but with the down turn he has been getting only
$500 fn this week they paid him the $500 in wages 600 in holiday pay 150 in sick leave and topped it off with 250 of the job keeper allowance. He did not ask for holiday or had sick days . To me looks like are using the job keeper to pay off holidays and sick leave can they do this .
Thanks for your help
Firstly, did he actually work the appropriate hours to cover a fortnight wage of $1500?
The use of sick leave without being sick is rather alarming though…
No he only worked to get about $500 dollars in the fortnight normally he would get $1600fn
Just alarmed they used his holiday and sick leave
The use of holiday pay is legal, though an agreement should have probably been discussed with your son. This is taken from fair work:
"An employer that qualifies for the JobKeeper payment can ask an employee to agree to take paid annual leave. The employer can make the request if it will not result in the employee having a balance of less than 2 weeks annual leave. To request this of the employee, the employer must be entitled to receive JobKeeper payments for the employee for the period of the agreement.
The employee must consider the request and not unreasonably refuse it.
The employer and employee can agree in writing to the employee taking twice as much paid annual leave at half their rate of pay."
The sick leave is another story, though there's not much details on it. I would recommend starting a paper trail, though it may be not recommended to kick up a stink (over $150) during this employment climate. Perhaps, an email request to consume additional annual leave instead of sick?
@SleepyPolarBear: Thanks for the reply ,they used up all his leave just goes to show how companies are not playing fair and if my son complains he will lose his job.
Cheers for the information 👍
@justhooked: :(
Well, on the bright side, since all the leave is gone, he will now be paid $1500 for the reduced hours. (assuming his shifts don't suddenly increase again)
Hello All,
I need to take an important decision today, thank you all for your help.
I have been working with same company for over 7years now. Things have lately changed (before covid19), made my position redundant but the CEO is saying she will give some other job and company will keep me employed. I had been working for 2 months with her things are not working for me. Long story short I had enough and can't see myself going any far.
I am part time Uber/Didi/Ola driver haven't driven lately(for 2 months) but had sarted on July Last year and had drove continiously part-time since then (Approx $17k).
TODAY I HAVE TO SIGN JOBKEEPER EMPLOYEE SIGN. Will I be eligible for JOBKEEPER from Rideshare. I have 1 month sick leave am I am intending to use it now and then resign.
Thank you all for the advice.
UPDATES:
STARTED RIDESHARE FROM JULY -'19
July $662.34
Aug $2,518.83
Sept $1,884.42
Oct $2,361.05
Nov $3,226.14
Dec $4,447.23
Jan $1,384.44
Feb $1,809.32
Mar $52.52
Apr $0.00
May $0.00
Jobkeeper is for employees - if you resign, you will no longer be an employee thus not eligible for Jobkeeper. Unfortunately drivers for rideshare services are not classified as employees.
I was under the impression it is also for sole traders. I even got message from uber. Thanks for your reply though.
Sorry - clearly my understanding of JobKeeper is lacking. Please ignore.
Do you have an ABN as a rideshare driver, so you're employed as a contractor instead of as an employee? I believe (could be wrong) that means you can get Jobkeeper. You need to do the sums to see if its worthwhile tho.
Also, sick leave isn't like annual leave. You can't just take a month of sick leave to use it up. Any more than a couple of days usually requires a medical certificate to show why you're sick…
Best of luck! :-)
TODAY I HAVE TO SIGN JOBKEEPER EMPLOYEE SIGN. Will I be eligible for JOBKEEPER from Rideshare
You can only claim it once… So if you have a form to sign from your first job, then just do that.
Will I be eligible for JOBKEEPER from Rideshare
As a sole trader, you MAY be able to claim if you meet all the requirements.
https://www.ato.gov.au/General/JobKeeper-Payment/Sole-trader…
But at a wild guess, you'll fail the following straight up
sick leave isn't like annual leave. You can't just take a month of sick leave to use it up. Any more than a couple of days usually requires a medical certificate to show why you're sick…
THIS
Financially, you may be better off going on Job S eeker and then Uber'ing on the side.
You may struggle to get on JobKeeper under your ABN if you haven't recorded income for 2+ months.
I need to take an important decision today, thank you all for your help.
Leave an important decision until the last day, then ask Ozbargain… good work :P
Keep your job, keep working, get jobkeeper, dont try and take sick leave you are not entitled to… as soon as Covid settles down then enact the plan to leave the company.
Its not an ideal option, but many many people are working under less than ideal options right now to ensure they protect income. A couple of months of doing a job you dont love isnt the hardest challenge to overcome.
This is the current situation at my work:
- 20% pay cut issued (we have not signed anything, just notified) for the month.
- Employer has us working full hours and has not been clear on reducing hours
- Annual leave hours remain the same accrued was the same this month, everything else including HECS was slashed by 20%.
The situation is likely to get worse. We have applied for Jobkeeper but not sure if we're going to get it yet.
I'm going to be backing up my projects and building a CV as I see another paycut cutting for this month and see how it plays out.
I have about 380 hours of annual leave hours (largely because my employer wouldn't let me take leave when I asked) which is more than a lot of staff.
I'm not a high income earner at all and I'm wondering what you guys might recommend. I'd be very salty if they reduced my leave by 20%.
Hypothetically, if I were an unscrupulous being and also your employer, once the business is jobkeeper eligible, I would force you on Annual leave while paying you with the $1500 payments I will receive back from program. I would essentially be able to reduce payroll liability for free.
Not saying this is the path your company will take, but given the details you described, I would be weary.
Can you clarify this a bit for me?
So basically send me out on leave while using the job keeper money as payment for that leave? Essentially reducing my leave day payment to the job keeper payment?
Correct.
This is a good page to determine your rights:
https://www.fwc.gov.au/about-us/coronavirus-covid-19-updates…
Like, from a pandemic perspective, people would say to suck it up and be grateful there's is still a job and income. But from a personal perspective, people who have been responsible and accruing a lot of leave should not be taken advantage of. It's a bit of a give and take situation.
Hello, not sure if this has already been asking or not but I am confused about what happens with second job income and Jobkeeper. I don't think that my situation is unique but can't find any information on it.
I work for company A that is giving me the job keeper allowance. This company is topping up my pay to be the minimum 1500. Which is all good.
I work for another company ill call company B and I am going back to work next week and wondering how it will affect my job keeper payment. Both the jobs I am a casual employee.
I am expexting to start making more money from company B in the next few weeks.
So when I start working for company B and get my first payslip will it affect my company A payslip?
Or do I get Jobkeeper and my second job income and get to keep all of the money?
Does that mean during tax time I will potentially have to pay back if i was getting more than 1500 combined with the two jobs?
Should I put aside extra money so when tax time comes I can pay back my extra Jobkeeper money if I made more than 1500 a fortnight?
Hope this makes sense because it is confusing me.
note: this is not formal advice. consult an accountant or ATO to get the real answer.
is comp A still going to keep paying you the $1500? if so, all good and you keep them as your nominated company (you already filled out the nomination form right?)
jobkeeper is not income tested for employee or employer. so you could earn $50k a fortnight from other jobs and still be fine.
however, comp A will only deduct enough tax for the total annual income that they think you earn. so if your total income from all jobs does go into the next tax bucket, then you would not have deducted enough and you will have to pay in at tax time.
so say company A thinks you'r earning less than $37k pa but with your other jobs, you earn more than $37k, you will likely be underpaying tax at both jobs. it likely wont be massive. you can work out what your likely shortfall is using the tax tables here: https://www.ato.gov.au/rates/individual-income-tax-rates/
ps. well done on getting 2 decent jobs.
A + B = more tax liablity at tax time.
(Just posted my own topic but will remove, thanks so much for providing this place to answer people's questions!! You're a legend)
Just to start off, I'm not very good with finance. I don't have a tax agent (which I'm starting to think I should have), but I have a tiny business and haven't yet seen the need to spend money on a tax agent, since there's not really much to my financials.
I'm trying to figure out the Job Keeper scheme for sole traders. I've confirmed that I am eligible for the scheme, that I as a sole trader will be able to receive the payment, and I've filled in all the information and just applied for the scheme online, for May onwards, through MyGov. I called up the ATO but they weren't very helpful.
My issue, in a nutshell: I run a small business doing video editing. My GST turnover for the quarter (1 April to 30 June, 2020) will have a 50% drop as compared to the same quarter last year (2019). The ATO website says you can choose to satisfy the GST turnover drop of '30% or more' either by a comparison of a specific Month, or of a Quarter. My April 2020 and April 2019 figures are basically the same, my GST turnover drop-off starts this month (May). I will have $0 income in all of May, and all of June, 2020.
The ATO helpdesk advised me to apply from May on wards, but am I right in assuming that if I choose a quarterly comparison, (with a 50% drop from this year compared to last), that I could also apply for the April Job Keeper payments?
Anyone knowledgeable about this topic?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts! :)
-Red
Yes, I believe you're correct.
I think you should be comparing your projected turnover for the April-June quarter as a whole, that way you'd get the entire 6 months of JK payments (instead of just 5, if starting from May). Technically, your downturn doesn't start until May, but they've outlined the rules such that you can compare quarterly figures, so you should take advantage of that.
Okay, that's what I thought. The girl at the ATO helpdesk seemed to just want to say whatever to get me off the line, which is fair!
Now I'll have to figure out how I can apply for April, too, because they don't allow you to amend your entry.
On a side note, when I was filling in the details, I was looking through the two options (April & May), and upon clicking May, it locked me in for that month. Couldn't change it to April. Hadn't even filled in most of the form yet and that was already locked.
Yeah, they've no doubt been slammed with calls on various topics, and I suppose it's not really their job to help you strategically maximise your payments, but unless I've missed something, it does seem like you got some less-than-great advice from the helpdesk.
No idea how to go about amending your application though, unfortunately.
@asubtleviolence: I used to work in a call centre so can only imagine what a rough day they would have on the phones. Plus from past experience they would have higher a bunch of temps to handle the work load - so they'd be answering without much actual in depth business knowledge.
You're right, it ISN'T their job to help me maximise my payments. But if I can get that extra $3000 (for one month), according to their rules, them I'm going for it :) haha.
Thanks for all the input. Will have to most likely call up helpdesk again, see if they can give me a solution for amending. Will call first thing in the morning I guess!
If you're currently employed by 1 employer, earning more than $1,500 per fortnight, could there be a situation where you would advise an eligible employee not to sign the employer's request to be included in Jobkeeper?