STP reporting changes from July
Changes to STP reporting from 1 July 2021 Employers should have already been reporting through Single Touch Payroll (‘STP’) unless they only have closely held payees, or they are covered by a deferral or exemption. From 1 July 2021, there have been changes to STP reporting for small employers with closely held payees and quarterly […]
JobMaker Hiring Credit – eligible additional employees
JobMaker employee eligibility criteria How to report eligible additional employees through Single Touch Payroll-enabled payroll software Employees are eligible if they: have received income support payments, including the JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance (other than on the basis that the individual was undertaking full-time study or was a new apprentice) or Parenting Payment for at least […]
JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme
Claims open from 1 February 2021 The JobMaker Hiring Credit is being administered by the ATO It provides a wage subsidy payment directly to employers as an incentive to employ additional job seekers aged 16 to 35 years. Registrations for the JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme opened on 7 December 2020, and claims for the first […]
Employers need to apply recent tax cuts as soon as possible
The ATO has now updated the tax withholding schedules They reflect the 2020/21 income year personal tax cuts. Updated schedules are available at ato.gov.au/taxtables. The ATO has said that employers now need to make adjustments in their payroll processes and systems in order for the tax cuts to be reflected in employees’ take-home pay. Employers […]
Tax treatment of JobKeeper Payments
Broadly, JobKeeper Payments received by an employer are assessable income to the employer Likewise, the payments an employer subsequently makes to an employee that are funded (in whole or in part by the JobKeeper Payment) are generally allowable deductions to the employer. The ATO has recently issued some guidance for employers in receipt of JobKeeper […]
SG amnesty ends 7 September 2020
Time running out for employers to apply for superannuation guarantee (SG) amnesty Catch up on past unpaid super without incurring a penalty or paying administration fees. The ATO is encouraging employers to apply for the amnesty and make payments as early as they can. Any amnesty amounts paid before 7 September 2020 are tax-deductible. For […]
JobKeeper 3.0
JobKeeper extension On 21 July 2020, the Government announced that the JobKeeper Payment (‘JKP’) would be extended until 28 March 2021 (i.e., for a further six months beyond its original end date of 27 September 2020). As a result, JKPs would now be made over two separate extension periods, being: Extension period 1 – which […]
1.75% increase to minimum wages
The Fair Work Commission has announced a 1.75% increase to minimum wages This will apply to all award wages. Increases to awards will start on 3 different dates for different groups of awards. See When will my award increase for information on when the awards will increase. Most employees are covered by an award. If you’re not […]
Guidance on JobKeeper reporting via STP
The ATO has issued guidance to help employers reporting eligible employees and JobKeeper top-up payments through Single Touch Payroll (STP). For each eligible employee, employers must notify the ATO: when an eligible employee started being paid JobKeeper payments; top-up payments to employees earning less than $1500 per fortnight; and when an employee is no longer […]
JobKeeper declaration due 14 June
June JobKeeper deadline Businesses that have enrolled in the JobKeeper Scheme and identified their eligible employees are reminded that they will need to make a monthly declaration to the ATO to ensure they continue to receive JobKeeper payments. The monthly declaration must be made by the 14th day of each month to claim JobKeeper payments […]