If you’re a business, sole trader or not-for-profit organisation in NSW and you've been impacted by the recent COVID-19 restrictions, you may be eligible for the 2021 COVID-19 JobSaver payment.

JobSaver will provide cash flow support to impacted businesses to help maintain their NSW employee headcount on 13 July 2021.

Eligible businesses and not-for-profit organisations with employees will receive fortnightly payments backdated to cover costs incurred from week 4 of the Greater Sydney lockdown (from 18 July 2021 onwards).

The payment will be equivalent to 40% of the weekly payroll for work performed in NSW:

• minimum payment will be $1,500 per week

• maximum payment will be $10,000 per week.

Weekly payroll should generally be determined by referring to the most recent Business Activity Statement (BAS) provided to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) before 26 June 2021 for the 2020-21 financial year.

If you’re a non-employing business, such as a sole trader, you may be eligible to receive a payment of $1,000 per week.

Eligible businesses can use JobSaver to cover business costs incurred from 18 July 2021. These costs may include:

• salaries and wages

• utilities and rent

• financial, legal or other advice

• marketing and communications

• perishable goods

• other business costs.

Applications will close at 11:59pm on 18 October 2021.

Eligibility

To be eligible for JobSaver you must:

• have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)

• demonstrate your business was operating in NSW as at 1 June 2021

• have had a national aggregated annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million (inclusive) for the year ended 30 June 2020

• have experienced a decline in turnover of 30% or more due to the Public Health Order over a minimum 2-week period within the Greater Sydney lockdown (commenced 26 June) compared to the same period in 2019

• for employing businesses, maintain your employee headcount on 13 July 2021 while you continue to receive JobSaver payments

• for non-employing businesses, such as sole traders, show that the business is the primary income source for the associated person. If you have more than one non-employing business, you can only claim payments for one business.

Ineligible businesses

Certain entities, such as those earning passive income (rents, interest, or dividends), government agencies, local governments, banks, and universities are not eligible for JobSaver. See the full list of ineligible businesses in the guidelines.

Non-employing businesses are not eligible for the JobSaver payment if anyone associated with the business or who derives income from it, has received a Commonwealth COVID-19 Disaster Payment since 18 July 2021. 

What you need

• a MyServiceNSW Account – you can create one when you start your JobSaver application

• your proof of identity

• your valid ABN/ACN number

• your business banking details for payment

• evidence of your annual turnover and loss of income

• Australian income tax return or Notice of Assessment

• qualified accountant, registered tax agent or registered BAS agent details, where required.

Evidence to support eligibility

If your business is on the highly impacted industries list, you’ll be required to:

• declare that you meet the eligibility criteria

• declare your employee headcount at 13 July 2021

• if you have employees, declare that you will maintain your employee headcount on 13 July 2021 for the period for which you will receive JobSaver payments. Service NSW must be notified if the headcount declines over the payment period

• if you do not have employees, declare that the business is the primary income source for the owner of the business

• submit an Australian income tax return, Notice of Assessment or other documentation demonstrating the business had a national aggregated annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million (inclusive) for the year ended 30 June 2020

• provide details of your qualified accountant, registered tax agent or registered BAS agent

• provide evidence of weekly payroll

• lodge other supporting documents as required to demonstrate you meet the eligibility criteria.

If your business is not on the highly impacted industries list, in addition to the evidence requirements outlined above, you'll need to:

• submit a letter from a qualified accountant, registered tax agent or registered BAS agent, using the template provided, to demonstrate that you experienced a decline in turnover over a minimum 2-week period within the Greater Sydney lockdown (commenced 26 June) compared to the same period in 2019.

See the guidelines for more information.

Alternative circumstances

If your business does not meet all the eligibility criteria, you may be able to apply for JobSaver if you can provide evidence to support the alternative circumstances outlined in the guidelines.

Auditing requirements

Successful applications may be subject to an audit.

A public reporting channel will be established to allow people to report businesses not adhering to JobSaver guidelines.

Service NSW can request a combination of the following documents to support its determination of eligibility and use of funds in accordance with JobSaver Terms and Conditions including:

• accountant’s letter

• prior BAS statements

• income tax declarations

• audited profit and loss statements.

You'll need to keep all documentary evidence relied upon in your application for a minimum of 5 years.

Proof of identity

Two proof of identity documents are required. They may include:

• Australian driver licence

• Medicare card

• Australian passport

• Australian birth certificate

• Australian travel visa

• Australian citizenship certificate

• Australian certificate of registration by descent

• Australian ImmiCard.

If you can’t verify your identity, you can call a Business Concierge on 13 77 88 to help with your application. 

Apply Online

For more information please don’t hesitate to contact us directly via email or call the office on 02 9221 7022.

Stay safe and we will continue to keep you informed.

Source: NSW Government website - https://www.nsw.gov.au/