Businesses have until 8 May to pay staff to claim JobKeeper for the first 2 fortnights.

The Australian Taxation Office has given eligible businesses until 8 May to pay staff the first two tranches of payments worth $3000 for the first two fortnights of the JobKeeper scheme.

For the first two fortnights (30 March – 12 April, 13 April – 26 April), the ATO will accept the minimum $1,500 payment for each fortnight that has been paid by you even if it has been paid late, provided it is paid by 8 May. If you do not pay your staff by this date, you will not be able to claim JobKeeper for the first two fortnights.

Enrolment extended until 31 May 2020

Please note the Commissioner has extended the time to enrol for the initial JobKeeper periods from 30 April 2020 until 31 May 2020.

If you enrol by 31 May, you will still be able to claim for the fortnights in April and May provided you meet all the eligibility requirements for each of those fortnights. This includes having paid your employees by the appropriate date for each fortnight.