Enrolled in JobKeeper?

You must ‘declare’ before payments can flow.

A timeline of so-called ‘JobKeeper fortnights’ is now available on the ATO website, including a list of key dates for employers over the life of the program.

Meanwhile, the ATO has also published new guidance on how firms accepted into JobKeeper can make their mandatory monthly declarations.

Businesses accepted into the JobKeeper program are required to make monthly declarations to the ATO, updating their current and projected turnover calculations and reconfirming their eligible employees.

The ability to make these declarations through the ATO business portal opened Monday (May 4), and this is an important step, because businesses will need to make this declaration before receiving their first payments.

These declarations will need to be reaffirmed every month for the duration of the scheme.

Why are businesses being asked to provide their current and projected turnover again?

The ATO said on its website the reconfirmations are not a “retest” of eligibility. The monthly report is really a reaffirmation you are still eligible for the scheme and that will trigger the payments again in the subsequent months.

Key dates for JobKeeper

The JobKeeper scheme works in dedicated “fortnights”, although businesses are not required to change their individual payroll cycles to fortnightly ones, so long as they comply with the dates listed below.

• Fortnight 1: March 30 – April 12; employees must be paid by May 8.
• Fortnight 2: April 13 – April 26; employees must be paid by May 8.
• Fortnight 3: April 27 – May 10; employees must be paid by May 10.
• Fortnight 4: May 11 – May 24; employees must be paid by May 24.
• Fortnight 5: May 25 – June 7; employees must be paid by June 7.
• Fortnight 6: June 8 – June 21; employees must be paid by June 21.
• Fortnight 7: June 22 – July 5; employees must be paid by July 5.
• Fortnight 8: July 6 – July 19; employees must be paid by July 19.
• Fortnight 9: July 20 – August 2; employees must be paid by August 2.
• Fortnight 10: August 3 – August 16; employees must be paid by August 16.
• Fortnight 11: August 17 – August 30; employees must be paid by August 30.
• Fortnight 12: August 31 – September 13; employees must be paid by September 13.
• Fortnight 13: September 14 – September 27; employees must be paid by September 27.