Nearly 200,000 employers have signed up for the federal government's $130 billion package to subsidise their workers' wages during the coronavirus pandemic but some businesses are still falling through the cracks.
Under the scheme, workers will receive a flat-rate payment of $1500 per fortnight through their employers.
It applies to full and part-time workers, sole traders, as well as casuals who have been on the books for at least 12 months.
New Zealanders on temporary working 444 visas and migrants eligible for welfare are also included.
Wage subsidies will flow to businesses in the first week of May, with workers stood down since March 1 able to access back-payments.
The Bridge owner Jason Hutchen, who has stood down all of his employees, is worried about cash flow with the new wage subsidy scheme.
"Although it is great that the government is helping us re-employ our staff, we aren't going to get our money back until May," Mr Hutchen said.
"I'm not sure how many businesses have the cash flow to pay four weeks of staff wages and wait for that four weeks to get it back."
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There is also rising concerns for casuals who have worked for the same employer for less than 12 months and most employees on a visa as they are not covered by the scheme.
"We have some employees on visas who have been with us for four years and they can't go back home and they can't get any funding from the government either," Mr Hutchen said.
As a result of COVID-19, Mandurah Hiab and Crane Truck Hire director Josh Melling has shut down his business and let employees go.
Mr Melling is concerned how he will support his staff as he is ineligible for the JobKeeper payment.
"I have a full time job with Alcoa and this is just one of my businesses I run so I'm not eligible for any subsidy whatsoever," he said.
"But my businesses and my employees are still affected.
"There are loopholes in the system that the government doesn't see."
Parliament could sit as early as next week to pass legislation related to the new JobKeeper payment, with Labor likely to back the overall package, with unions and business groups support.
The $1500 per fortnight payment amounts to about 70 per cent of the median wage.
