We know that many of our client’s businesses continue to be impacted by lockdown and we all look forward to the easing of restrictions in the coming weeks. The NSW Government has further announced the extension of JobSaver and the Micro-Business Grant, however, to ensure that only businesses in genuine need continue to receive the funding, they have introduced a fortnightly reconfirmation requirement.

Fortnightly Eligibility Review

If you have already applied for the JobSaver payment scheme or Micro-Business Grant you may have recently received an email from Service NSW regarding your business’ ongoing eligibility for payments.

Businesses will need to reconfirm eligibility to continue to receive payments at the end of each fortnight, commencing

• 13 September to 26 September 2021 for JobSaver.
• 20 September to 3 October 2021 for Micro-Business Grant.

If you have not yet applied for the JobSaver payment scheme or the Micro-Business Grant, we recommend you do so as soon as possible.

Ongoing Eligibility

To remain eligible, you must be currently receiving the JobSaver payment or Micro-Business Grant and you must confirm that:

• you have continued to experience a decline in turnover of 30% or more, compared to:
• the same fortnight period in 2019, or
• the same fortnight period in 2020, or
• the 2-week period immediately before lockdown started in your area.
• you are maintaining your employee headcount stated in your application, if you are an employing business.

What you need to do

Following the end of every fortnight you will need to assess if your business is still experiencing a 30% downturn.
You will also need to confirm that you have maintained your employee headcount by providing service NSW with your head count each fortnight.
This will be lodged in your ‘Business Profile’ through Service NSW. 
Please note that this is not a once off test. Due to eligibility being reconfirmed each fortnight, you can exit and re-enter the JobSaver and Micro-Business grant multiple times. This does not require a reapplication.

Your Comparison Period

When assessing your decline in turnover, you must use the same comparison period as was used in your original application, however, there are a couple of options when assessing:

• If your initial comparison period was in 2019 or 2020, use the same year but the corresponding fortnight as the current fortnight (rolling comparison period).
• For example, if you initially compared the period 26 July to 8 August 2021 to 26 July to 8 August 2019, and you are now testing 13 September to 26 September 2021, then your comparison period is 13 September to 26 September 2019. You cannot use 13 September to 26 September 2020 as your comparison period for this example.
• If your initial comparison period was in 2019 or 2020, use the same comparison period that was used in the initial application (static comparison period).
• For example, if you initially compared the period 26 July to 8 August 2021 to 26 July to 8 August 2019, and you are now testing 13 September to 26 September 2021, then your comparison period remains 26 July to 8 August 2019. This comparison period will remain fixed for all future periods.
• If you used the two weeks prior to lockdown: 12 June to 25 June 2021 as your initial comparison period, you must use that same period that was used in the initial application (static comparison period).
• For example, if you initially compared the period 26 July to 8 August 2021 to 12 June to 25 June 2021, and you are now testing 13 September to 26 September 2021, then your comparison period remains 12 June to 25 June 2021. This comparison period will remain fixed for all future periods.

Note, that once you select your comparison period option, you must retain this option for all reassessments.

Your Options for your fortnightly reconfirmations:

 1. You would like to handle the reconfirmation process yourself.

If you would like to handle the reconfirmation process yourself, you will need to compare your turnover each fortnight to assess if your business is still experiencing a 30% or more decline. You must ensure that you use the correct comparison period, being:

• the same fortnight period in 2019, or
• the same fortnight period in 2020, or
• the 2-week period immediately before lockdown started in your area.

Please refer to the accountant’s letter we previously provided you to confirm what comparison period was used.
There is no obligation to upload any evidence or documentation when reconfirming eligibility, however you must retain sufficient records to show evidence of your eligibility, if required.

2. You would like our assistance to determine if your business is still experiencing a decline in turnover of 30% or more.

At the end of each fortnight, you will need to ensure that your accounting software is reconciled and up to date. We will remind you of this. If you could please notify us once this is done.
We will then review your ongoing eligibility and provide you with an email detailing if your business has continued to experience a decline in turnover of 30% or more over the past fortnight.
As you may not have processed your payroll during this time, you will need to input your employee headcount figure into the reconfirmation application. Please note, your headcount includes employees who have been stood down.

If you would like our ongoing assistance with this process for JobSaver, please click here.
 
For more information about JobSaver and the Micro-Business Grant, including the reconfirmation requirements please click the link.

Should you have any questions, as always, please do not hesitate to contact us.