ACAPMA Daily COVID-19 Roundup | as at 17:00 31/3/2020
Hi All,
This is another great summary from Elisha to keep us up todate
Another day closer to the family BBQ J
Take care, Keep Calm, and Keep Positive
Steve
Daily COVID-19 Roundup | as at 17:00 31/03/2020
This is a short message to capture the items of change and interest for businesses in the downstream petroleum industry in light of the COVID-19 situation.
This message has been sent to the Principle for each business as per the ACAPMA Member Register. Please feel free to forward through your business as required.
Follow ACAPMA on LinkedIn for articles and resources as they are released; https://au.linkedin.com/company/australasian-convenience-and-petroleum-marketers-association-acapma-
Whats New - Changes and Items of Interest;
- JobKeeper Subsidy
There is more information coming out on how the JobKeeper Subsidy will work, including clarification on the date of commencement. The subsidy will be based on the payroll as at 1/3/2020, and will be paid in May 2020, backdated to 30/3/2020. The big message is – if you are effected or likely to be effected by a 30% or more downturn in revenue – REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS FOR THE SUBSIDY NOW – see; https://acapmag.com.au/2020/03/wage-subsidy-what-you-need-to-know/ for more information and to register
- Roadhouses Open for Dine In – but for Heavy Vehicle Drivers only
There has been (yet another) change in the operation of Roadhouse dining. In recognition of the role of roadhouses in keeping Truckies sane and functional they are now able to open dining to heavy vehicle drivers, provided heightened social distancing and cleaning requirements, see; https://acapmag.com.au/2020/03/roadhouses-open-for-dine-inagain/ for more information and posters
Q & A with ACAPMA;
Q: Will the JobKeeper Subsidy apply to Student Visa Holders?
A: At this point the subsidy only is available to; staff that are an Australian citizen, the holder of a permanent visa, a Protected Special Category Visa Holder, a non-protected Special Category Visa Holder who has been residing continually in Australia for 10 years or more, or a Special Category (Subclass 444) Visa Holder. ACAPMA is actively pursuing proposals to bolster support for this staff group, further detail to follow as appropriate.
Q: Will the JobKeeper Subsidy count as wages for Workers Compensation?
A: ACAPMA has received this question and has escalated to Treasury, we anticipate an answer shortly and will communicate once received. This question will remain in the Q & A section in the coming days until answered.
Q: Will the JobKeeper Subsidy count as revenue for the business?
A: ACAPMA has received this question and has escalated to Treasury, we anticipate an answer shortly and will communicate once received. This question will remain in the Q & A section in the coming days until answered.
Q: Will the JobKeeper Subsidy count as payroll for payroll tax? (Noting that there has been a deferral of payroll tax liability in most jurisdictions, but it will still need to be paid)
A: ACAPMA has received this question and has escalated to Treasury, we anticipate an answer shortly and will communicate once received. This question will remain in the Q & A section in the coming days until answered.
Q: With the JobKeeper Subsidy our business wants to walk back some redundancies that were implemented last week – can we?
A: Yes, but what that looks like, and the special requirements are being nailed down now. Reach out to employment@acapma.com.au and we will help you through the process.
Q: Do staff still get the JobKeeper Subsidy even if they choose not to work, when we are open and have work for them?
A: No…but it requires information, caution and compassion upon implementation. It is clear that if the business is subject to a government directive to shut down, then all staff are on stand-down and should receive the full payment. However, where the business is trading the basic principles of employment would apply. That is that the employee offers labour, and the business, where the offer matches the need, offers to pay for the labour of the employee. Where an employee is unable to attend work due to illness or to take a holiday, they must apply for leave (paid or unpaid). However, where an employee wishes to remove themselves from the workplace, and they have not applied for and been granted leave, and failed to present for rostered shifts, the employee would be taken to have abandoned their employment. This area can be tricky, and it would be considered harsh if the business terminated an employee for abandonment without appropriate communication and option to remedy. If your business is facing this situation please reach out to employment@acapma.com.au, however the principle is clear – the subsidy is for those employees that are; working (including on approved leave), or stood down from work at the direction of the business.
Q: If staff are terminated, for poor performance or abandonment, do they still get the JobKeeper Subsidy?
A: Unlikely. The answer is unclear at the moment in terms of the mechanics of how the business would notify the ATO and if claim-back would be required. ACAPMA is seeking further clarification on this now, but it is unlikely that payment will continue as the point of the subsidy is to for people keeping their jobs. ACAPMA has received this question and has escalated to Treasury, we anticipate an answer shortly and will communicate once received. This question will remain in the Q & A section in the coming days until answered.
Q: Is there an order to stand-downs and what communication is required?
A: If the business is cutting back hours, or closing due to COVID-19 it is important to understand that there are responsibilities in terms of assessing if there has been a stoppage of work that is out of the businesses control, as well as exploring other ways the employee may be usefully employed (eg work from home). It must be noted that the JobKeeper Wage Subsidy will apply to any staff that the business stands down. Given this it would be responsible and reasonable for the business to make all efforts to allocate hours to the staff that may not be eligible for the subsidy, where cash flow allows, in order to minimise the impact on those staff. However, the process in implementing a stand down would be to notify the staff in writing that, due to circumstances out of the businesses control, namely COVID-19, that there has been a total or partial stoppage of work and as such the employee is being stood down from [date] to [date]. The business should also include a review and communication mechanism, to regularly review if the stand down is still appropriate and to stay in contact with the employee.
Q: Are there any other assistances for casual employees who have less than a year service?
A: Yes. If they have been stood down or terminated then they can access the Job Seeker and Coronavirus Supplements. If they have suffered reduced hours they can still access the Job Seeker and Coronavirus Supplements, but may require a letter from the business outlining the decline in usual (not guaranteed) hours, and that this decline is due to the impacts of COVID-19. See; https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/news/more-financial-support-people-affected-coronavirus for more on the supplement.
Q: With the border closures effecting the delivery/installation of stock, what is the implication on the Instant Asset Write Off?
A: The boarder closures may impact some of the operations of the businesses, on a case by case basis, but the IAWO is available for new or second hand assets, first used or installed for use before 30/06/2020 see; https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-03/Fact_sheet-Support_for_business_investment.pdf for more information. So now may be the time for businesses who can not effect installation due to closures, to contemplate partnering with local installers.
ACAPMA Consolidated COVID-19 Articles and Resources (updated daily);
EMPLOYMENT
- For general information on the situation and the implications for employing staff, including new sections on Payments and Leave, and considerations around business downturn see; https://acapmag.com.au/2020/03/hr-highlight-managing-covid19-risk-in-the-workplace/
OPERATIONS
- For information and resources on Keeping Customers and Staff Safe instore from a practical standpoint see; https://acapmag.com.au/2020/03/hr-highlight-covid-19-keeping-customers-and-staff-safe/
- For practical guidance on achieving Social Distancing in Retail, including guides and posters see; https://acapmag.com.au/2020/03/safe-distancing-in-retail-maximum-vs-practical-limits-and-communications-to-customers/
- For practical guidance on Roadhouses and the exemptions to allow Dine In for Heavy Vehicle Drivers, including guides and posters see; https://acapmag.com.au/2020/03/roadhouses-open-for-dine-inagain/
BORDER CLOSURES
- For information on Boarder Closures see; https://acapmag.com.au/2020/03/border-restrictions-what-you-need-to-know/
BUSINESS RELIEF MEASURES
- For information on the raft of support measures available to businesses, including the Job keeper Wage Subsidy see; https://acapmag.com.au/2020/03/wage-subsidy-what-you-need-to-know/
- For the one stop list of all COVID-19 Business Support Measures, including links and information see; https://acapmag.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Business-Assistance-COVID-19.pdf, note this document is current to 24/3/2020 and is being updated now, new release information will be included in future Roundups in the Whats New section.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Email employment@acapma.com.au and we will get you answers and fold those answers into these consolidated articles
STAY UP TO DATE
Follow ACAPMA on LinkedIn, so you get the daily updates - https://au.linkedin.com/company/australasian-convenience-and-petroleum-marketers-association-acapma-
We look forward to a time when we will not have to send out these daily updates, but for now the situation is changing so rapidly that these updates are seen as necessary to ensure that Members are updated. If you would like to be removed from the update list please reply to this email and request removal.
Stay safe everyone – long distance hugs and high fives for you all!
E
Should you require any further information or assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kindest Regards
Elisha Radwanowski