The government has made changes to JobKeeper which will come into effect on 1 October. It’s important you are aware of these changes if you are currently receiving JobKeeper payments. All you need to know can be found in the updated MBA JobKeeper Factsheet.

The content of this publication has been prepared based on material available to date (27 July 2020). The material in this guide is of a general nature and should not be regarded as legal advice or relied on for assistance in any particular circumstance or situation. In any important matter, you should seek appropriate independent professional advice in relation to your own circumstances. Master Builders Australia or any of its State or Territory Association Members (collectively ‘Master Builders’) accepts no responsibility or liability for any damage, loss or expense incurred as a result of the reliance on information contained in this guide.

The Government has passed legislation that gave effect to its “JobKeeper” wage subsidy package announced in March 2020. The package of legislation makes changes to a series of existing laws, including significant changes to the Fair Work Act 2009.

On 22 July 2020, the Government announced it would extend the JobKeeper wage subsidy, albeit in a slightly different form. The JobKeeper 2.0 Fact Sheet addresses the initial announcement, and any changes foreshadowed or actual to the function of the framework.

Readers should note that the current JobKeeper framework allows the Minister to extend JobKeeper payments until 31 December 2020. This means that, to give effect to the Government’s intended finalisation date of 28 March 2021, a Bill will need to be prepared, debated, and pass the Parliament. This means that at this stage, as with the Fair Work Act flexibilities, the changes are neither guaranteed to pass either at all, or in their presently proposed form beyond 2020.

Employers should always be conscious of their particular circumstances, legal obligations applicable under the Fair Work Act 2009, respective State and Territory WHS legislation and workers compensation legislation, as well as enterprise agreements, awards, contracts and policies and should seek further advice where necessary. Please contact the Master Builders Tasmania office for more information.