CEO Update #10 - 14 April 2020
TO ALL EMPLOYEES
Hi Team,
Further to my previous communications, the Australian Parliament has passed new legislation to establish a new JobKeeper scheme.
The purpose of the JobKeeper scheme is specifically to assist employers to keep their businesses running and keep employees connected to their employers and working as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. As per our previous communications, we are committed to keeping our business operating and keeping our people productively employed where possible, whilst Australia and our Government put in place initiatives to slow the transmission of COVID-19.
We believe the JobKeeper initiative is a positive move that helps us to ensure you continue to have employment and stay connected to the business, and also for the business as it allows us to continue operating and keep us ready to return to business as usual as soon as possible. The JobKeeper program will see almost all of our employees receive at least the JobKeeper payment of $1500 per fortnight ($750 per week).
Unfortunately, JobKeeper does not apply to some types of employees including those on work visas (except for subclass 444 visa holders) and casuals who haven’t been employed for at least 12 months on a regular basis. We will talk to these employees separately.
Motorama has applied for the JobKeeper scheme and is currently in the process of finalising our business applications which allow us to then pay our employees under the JobKeeper scheme. We will be commencing the JobKeeper payments from the week beginning 20 April 2020. While we had hoped moving all of our employees over to the JobKeeper scheme would be easy, there are a few things that we need to cover off with you prior to being able to put JobKeeper into effect. A part of the JobKeeper program is the need to consult with all employees who are eligible for the payment about the payment, your work arrangements and obtain your confirmation that you consent to being included in our JobKeeper application. Your Manager or General Manager will be in contact with you sometime between Tuesday and Thursday to talk to you about these arrangements. This applies to all of our employees, including those who have been stood down from work.
A key element of the JobKeeper program is to help employers keep their employees engaged, connected to the workplace and working in the business where employees can be usefully engaged (including those employees who have already been stood down as a result of economic necessity). Over the course of the JobKeeper scheme, and beyond if necessary, we will be monitoring the demand for our business and adjusting the way we work throughout this time. However, to help keep our people working and engaged, we are looking at the options available to us to have as many employees as possible usefully employed in the business.
The JobKeeper scheme provides a number of guarantees for employees. These include:
1. A minimum payment guarantee which ensures you receive at least the minimum JobKeeper payment of $1500 per week $750 (gross) per week;
2. A guarantee that your base rate of pay, your hourly rate, will not change; and
3. Continuation of service as per your existing employment arrangements, including accrual of all leave entitlements.
However, in order to keep the business operational and employees working there are provisions in the JobKeeper scheme that your Manager or General Manager will be discussing with you on an individual basis in relation to your particular job role and Dealership or Department. These discussions may include job duties, location and days of work. We will be aiming to ensure that we keep our work areas safe from COVID-19 for our employees and guests, while also ensuring we are getting you back to work and meeting the needs of our customers. If you are one of our Team Members that has already been stood down, if you consent to being included in our JobKeeper application and you have already made a claim for the JobSeeker allowance, you must advise Services Australia (Centrelink) when you receive the first JobKeeper payment that you are being paid JobKeeper payments by your employer so that there is no duplication of benefits paid to you. Please ensure you notify Services Australia as quickly as possible. Please confirm by email to payroll@motorama.com.au as soon you have made the notification to Services Australia.
There is a lot of information here and it is a very fast paced change. We are working as quickly as we can to pass the JobKeeper payments on to our employees and get everyone back to work as soon as possible. However, as the JobKeeper legislation is still coming into effect and resources still being developed by the Government, we will continue to engage with you as necessary to ensure we maintain our eligibility for the scheme.
Finally, we’ll also be looking to maximise opportunities as time and meeting our customers’ requirements permit, including training and other development opportunities. I look forward to having everyone back to work as soon as possible.
Kind Regards,
Mark Woelders
Managing Director