JobTrainer for employers

Anthony Poole

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July 20, 2020

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What is JobTrainer?

JobTrainer is the latest employment support initiative in the ‘Job’ series after JobSeeker, JobKeeper and JobMaker were announced earlier this year to deal with economic impact of coronavirus.

The Australian Government has announced it will invest $2 billion to give hundreds of thousands of Australians access to new skills by retraining and upskilling them into sectors with job opportunities, as the economy recovers from COVID-19.

The JobTrainer package has expanded the number of businesses that can access the 50% apprentice wage subsidy and extends the subsidy until 31 March 2021 (from 30 September 2020).

Initially, only businesses with less than 20 employees or larger employers employing apprentices/trainees let go by a small business were able to access the subsidy (for wages paid to apprentices employed by them as at 1 March 2020).

Now, the businesses with under 200 employees can access the subsidy for apprentices employed from 1 July 2020.

Employers will be reimbursed 50% of an eligible apprentice’s wage up to a maximum of $7,000 per quarter per apprentice.

Employers will be able to access the subsidy after an assessment by the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network.

Eligibility

Small business Medium Business
  • Employ fewer than 20 people, or
  • A small business with fewer than 20 people, using a Group Training Organisation, and
  • the apprentice or trainee was undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship with you on 1 July 2020 for claims after this date. Claims prior to 1 July 2020, will continue to be based on the 1 March 2020 eligibility date.
  • Employ 199 people or fewer, or
  • A medium sized business with 199 people or fewer, using a Group Training Organisation, and
  • the apprentice or trainee was undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship with you on 1 July 2020.
Claims open now Claims open on 1 October 2020.

Things to Note;

You will need to provide evidence of wages paid to the apprentice. If the business subsequently is unable to retain the apprentice, another business can access the incentive if they then employ and pay wages to the apprentice.

Final claims for payment must be lodged by 30 June 2021.

How does the apprenticeship subsidy and JobKeeper work together?

They don’t. It is one or the other.

An employer will not be eligible to claim the apprentice wage subsidy for any period where they choose to claim the JobKeeper payment for the same apprentice.

An employer or Group Training Organisation will not be eligible for the JobKeeper payment where the employer is in receipt of an Australian Government wage subsidy for the same Australian Apprentice. Further information about these changes will be made available in the coming weeks.

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