The Victorian Government is offering further support for Melbourne Businesses. Applications are now also open for those Melbourne Businesses who are heavily impacted (>70% decline) and have been ineligible for the Business Costs Assistance Program, the Licensed Hospitality Fund, Alpine Resorts or Victorian Event Support.
All details can be found on the Business Victoria website below:
https://business.vic.gov.au/grants-and-programs/small-business-covid-hardship-fund
The Victorian Government has announced extra support for Businesses as a result of the recent lockdown. Support includes:
Additionally, there is Commonwealth Government COVID-19 Disaster Payment support for those we are eligible.
All details can be found on the Business Victoria website below:
https://business.vic.gov.au/news-and-updates/2021/extra-support-for-Victorian-businesses
The Victoria Government has announced July 2021 Top-Up Payments for successful recipients of the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two and Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021. Payments will be automatically paid into the previously nominated bank account. No application is required.
Further information will be available in the coming days for those who didn’t apply for either of the initial grants and who were eligible.
The NSW Government has announced a one-off payment to help businesses with cashflow support for the first 3 weeks of lockdown.
Eligibility criteria include:
Further information can be found here. Applications close 13 September 2021
Applications are now open for the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two and close on 24th June 2021. Grants of $2500 or $5000 are available based on business impact dates and location.
To be eligible, businesses must:
Employing businesses must also:
Circuit-Breaker Business Support Package for Victorians
As a result of the latest restrictions being announced on 27th May 2021, the Victorian Government has launched the $250 million Support Package which include:
More details regarding eligibility criteria are still to be released. Applications open on Wednesday 2nd June 2021. Interest can be registered here.
The ATO has released the details of the JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme which provides incentive for businesses to employ additional job seekers aged 16-35. The JobMaker Hiring Credit is available to eligible employers between 7 October 2020 – 6 October 2021.
Further details relating to criteria around eligibility for both employers and employees including key dates can be found in the link above.
As the December Quarter is coming to an end it is important to assess JobKeeper Extension 2 to determine if you are eligible to continue receiving JobKeeper Payments from 4th Jan 2020 – 28 March 2021.
The ATO has updated key dates and information relating to the extension.
The ATO has produced a great fact sheet that summaries all the changes.
The ATO has released an update in relation to the Eligible Employees from 3 August 2020. This update captures employees that
were newly employed between 1st March – 1st July 2020 that were not previously eligible, it also assists long term casuals that have 12 months of regular and systematic employment for the period ending 1st July 2020. Further details regarding all criteria to be met can be found on the ATO website below:
https://www.ato.gov.au/General/JobKeeper-Payment/Employees/Eligible-employees/
Any new eligible employees will need to complete an Employee Nomination Form to be added to JobKeeper payments for the fortnight 3rd – 17th Aug onwards. The ATO has released an updated Employee Nomination Form to be used and kept on record.
Employers have until 31st August 2020 to meet the wage condition for all new eligible employees.
JobKeeper Extension Key Updates
The Government has announced two significant changes to the original Eligibility Criteria specified in our update on 21st July 2020 in relation to the JobKeeper Extension. See the details in the table below:
| 28 September to 3 January 2021 | 4 January to 28 March 2021 | |
| Change 1 – Business Turnover Test | Previously the actual GST Turnover for both June & September 2020 Quarters relative to comparable 2019 periods were required
NOW the actual GST Turnover for September 2020 Quarter relative to comparable 2019 period is required |
Previously the actual GST Turnover for June, September & December 2020 Quarters relative to comparable 2019 periods
NOW the actual GST Turnover for December 2020 Quarter relative to comparable 2019 period is required |
| Change 2 – Employee Eligibility Test | Previously employees needed to be employed by 1st March 2020
NOW employees need to be employed by 1st July 2020. Furthermore, when determining the rate of pay for employees who are eligible to receive JobKeeper after 28th September their payment is determined by the two fortnights prior to the 1st March 2020 or 1st July 2020 – the period with the highest number of hours is to be used for those employees eligible at 1st March 2020. |
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For further information see the Treasury Fact Sheet: https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-08/Fact_sheet-JobKeeper_Payment_extension.pdf
VICTORIA – Business Support Fund Expansion Increase
Due to Stage 4 restrictions now in place in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, the Victoria Government has increased the initial $5000 Business Support Fund Expansion to $10,000.
Businesses who have successfully received the $5000 expansion do not need to reapply and will automatically receive a further $5000.
For those who have not yet applied, and the full $10,000 will be available for Melbourne and Mitchell Shire.
For further information including eligibility criteria please see the link below or contact us for further information:
Applications close on 14th September 2020.
Federal Government to introduce “Disaster Payment”
Today Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the Federal Government will introduce a “Disaster Payment” for all workers in Victoria who are required to self-isolate but do not have access to sick leave or JobKeeper or JobSeeker. If workers are required to self-isolate multiple times they will be able to access the payment again.
This payment will encourage workers to stay home when sick as there will be no economic reason to
go to work. Workers will be able to apply for the payment over the phone from Wednesday 5th August.
VICTORIA – COVID-19 Worker Support Payment
The Victorian Government is providing one-off payments to financially support Victorian workers, including parents and guardians, who are required to self-isolate or quarantine due to coronavirus (COVID-19).
A one-off $300 payment to support Victorian workers, including parents and guardians, who are required to self-isolate while waiting for coronavirus (COVID-19) test results.
A one-off $1500 payment to support Victorian workers who:
For more details regarding eligibility refer to the following website where you can express your interest to receive the payment: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/covid-19-worker-support-payment
JobKeeper Payment program extended
The government is expanding the JobKeeper Payment program until 28h March 2021. Currently JobKeeper Payments for all eligible employees are paid $1500 per fortnight until 27th September 2020. There are no changes to eligibility or payments until this time.
The payment will be tiered for all eligible staff from September onwards and will require business to retest eligibility.
| 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021 | 4 January to 28 March 2021 | |
| Eligibility | Using actual GST Turnover for both June & September 2020 Quarters relative to comparable 2019 periods | Using actual GST Turnover for both June, September & December 2020 Quarters relative to comparable 2019 periods |
| Decline in Turnover | No change to current testing, must be either:
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No change to current testing, must be either:
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| Change to pay amount |
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Sole Traders & Eligible Business Participants
New Recipients of JobKeeper
VICTORIA – Business Support Fund Expansion
The Business Support Fund in Victoria is offering an expansion of the original $10,000 grant. Register your interest below if you are a business that has been forced to close due to the return of Stage 3 restrictions:
You may be eligible for a one-off $5,000 grant even if you have already received the Business Support Fund.
Applications close on 19th August 2020
NSW – Small Business COVID-19 recovery grant
The NSW Government is offering between $500 – $3000 grants for eligible businesses impacted as a result of COVID-19
https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-small-business-covid-19-recovery-grant
Applications close Sunday 16th August 2020