On 6 October 2020, as part of the 2020–21 budget, the Government announced a new incentive for businesses to employ additional young job seekers.
Titled the ‘JobMaker Hiring Credit’ (JobMaker) and established by the Federal Government to help accelerate growth in the employment of young people during the COVID-19 economic recovery, JobMaker is to be administered by the Australian Taxation Office.
Under the scheme, eligible employers will have access to JobMaker for each new job they create over 12 months from 7 October 2020, for which they hire an eligible employee. The maximum claim period is 12 months (from the employee’s start date).
ATO Deputy Commissioner James O’Halloran has encouraged businesses to check their eligibility and take this first step to register for the scheme from this week. Employers will be ready to move to quickly make a claim in February 2021 when the first quarterly claim opens. Businesses cannot claim if they are not registered.
“There are some key dates to keep in mind, and simple steps employers can take now, but please remember that not everything needs to be done from next week,” O’Halloran told Business News Australia.
You can register for the JobMaker credit via the ATO BY clicking here.
JobMaker Cheat Sheet
| Employers | Employees |
|---|---|
| If eligible, can access the payment for up to 12 months for each eligible additional employee they hire between 7 October 2020 and 6 October 2021. | Be aged 16 to 35 years. |
| Can claim: • $200 per week for each eligible employee aged 16 to 29; and • $100 per week for each eligible employee aged 30 to 35. | Be in receipt of income support payments (e.g. JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance (Other), or Parenting Payment) for at least 1-3 months before they were hired. |
| Must hold an Australian Business number (ABN). | Need to have completed a minimum average of 20 hours (worked or paid) per week during the time they were employed within the JobMaker period. |
| Must be registered for PAYG Withholding. | |
| Must be reporting through Single Touch Payroll (STP). | |
| Is not claiming JobKeeper and JobMaker at the same time. |
