HOW DOES THE JOBKEEPER PAYMENT WORK?
* Businesses will receive $1500 every fortnight for all employees over six months
* Employers will be legally obligated to pass the money on to their workers
* The tax office will administer the payments, which are worth $130 billion
* The scheme is designed to maintain links between bosses and workers during the coronavirus pandemic
* An estimated six million jobs could be saved
* Changes to the Fair Work Act will allow employers to reduce people's pay to $1500 a fortnight, provided hours are adjusted accordingly
* The Fair Work Commission will be able to resolve disputes.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
* All full-time and part-time employees, along with casuals with a one-year link to their employer
* Sole traders and New Zealanders on 444 working visas are also included
* Businesses with at least a 30 per cent hit to turnover because of coronavirus
* If a company's turnover is more than $1 billion, a 50 per cent downturn is required
* Charities with a 15 per cent drop in turnover will be included
* Workers who normally earn less than $1500 a fortnight will still receive the full subsidy.
WHAT HAPPENED IN PARLIAMENT?
* A scaled-down group of MPs and senators backed the JobKeeper scheme, with a series of bills passing both chambers of parliament on Wednesday
* Labor tried to change the package to include temporary migrant workers and casuals not covered
* But the amendments failed in the lower house, prompting Labor to accept the bills as they were presented
* Greens and Centre Alliance centre tried to make changes to help charities, migrants and casuals but Labor voted against them after promising not to create a deadlock
Australian Associated Press
