The ATO has given businesses an extension of time to pay their employees under the JobKeeper program.

Enrolments for the initial JobKeeper periods have been extended from 30 April 2020 until 31 May 2020.

For the first two fortnights (30 March – 12 April, 13 April – 26 April), ATO will accept the minimum $1,500 payment for each fortnight has been paid by a business, even if it has been paid late, provided it is paid by 8 May 2020. (If staff are not paid by 8 May, the business cannot claim JobKeeper for the first two fortnights.)

Businesses that enrol by 31 May can claim for the fortnights in April and May, provided they meet all the eligibility requirements for each of those fortnights.

Read more here.

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell says the extension gives businesses extra time to deal with cash flow pressures and urges them to contact the big four banks’ JobKeeper help lines if they need financial assistance to pay staff in advance of receiving JobKeeper payments.