ARTICLE · 19 MAY 2020

Understanding The JobKeeper Scheme

Johnson Winter & Slattery

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The Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Act 2020 (Cth) (the Act) and the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Rules 2020

AustraliaTax

Prashanth Kainthaje

Julian Wan

Freya Booth

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The Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Act 2020 (Cth) (the Act) and the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Rules 2020 (Cth) (the Rules) enacts the JobKeeper scheme, one of key economic initiatives of the Commonwealth to address the broader economic effects of COVID-19.

In broad terms, businesses and not-for-profit organisations affected by COVID-19 will be able to access a subsidy from the Commonwealth to continue paying their employees. Affected employers will be able to claim a payment of A$1,500 per fortnight per eligible employee from 30 March 2020 until 27 September 2020. This article aims to provide a summary of the rules relating to the JobKeeper scheme.

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