Jobkeeper Ends 28 March 2021

The Federal Government’s Jobkeeper scheme ends on 28 March 2021. After this date, no further JobKeeper payments will be available to employers. The date is also significant for members that may have in place temporary workplace arrangements, utilising JobKeeper directions (or Legacy Employer directions) under the temporary Fair Work Act JobKeeper provisions. These arrangements may include JobKeeper related stand-downs, reductions in hours of work, changes in hours or days of work, or work location, and changes in duties. As the temporary Fair Work JobKeeper provisions cease to apply after 28 March 2021, JobKeeper related directions have no effect after that date.

Members should be aware that, in the absence of any other workplace arrangements replacing the temporary arrangements, an employee’s employment status would revert to its pre-JobKeeper directions status. For example, a full-time employee who had been given a JobKeeper direction to reduce their hours to 15 hours per week would revert to full-time, effective 29 March 2021. It is important that members clearly communicate with their employees that have been the subject of JobKeeper (or Legacy Employer) related directions, the arrangements that will apply after 28 March 2021, particularly where such arrangements may be other than pre-JobKeeper arrangements.

In circumstances where pre-Jobkeeper employment is not available to any employees, members need to consider the options carefully, including whether further stand down would be permitted, redundancy, or other changes in employment status. Members should note also that changes in workplace arrangements and employment status that do not rely on the JobKeeper Fair Work Act provisions are not necessarily affected by the end of JobKeeper on 28 March 2021.