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Uber sent an email to its Australian drivers recommending they apply for the federal government's new JobKeeper wage subsidy

  • Uber has emailed its Australian drivers recommending they apply for the federal government's JobKeeper wage subsidy, if they are eligible.

  • The JobKeeper payment, which is available to sole traders if they have taken a hit to their income due to the coronavirus, is $1,500 per fortnight.

  • A spokesperson for Uber told Business Insider Australia that drivers are still entitled to apply for the company's COVID-19 compensation scheme if they are infected with the coronavirus or instructed to self-isolate.

  • Visit Business Insider Australia's homepage for more stories.


Uber has contacted its Australian drivers to encourage them to apply for the federal government's recently announced JobKeeper wage subsidy.

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In an email, seen by Business Insider Australia, Uber acknowledged that recent restrictions on movement to prevent the spread of the coronavirus have had a "particularly tough impact" on drivers, as they have led to significantly reduced demand.

"The Australian government is introducing a new payment for businesses and self-employed workers impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak – the JobKeeper payment," the email reads.

"You may be eligible to claim $1,500 a fortnight for up to 6 months under the new scheme."

The email contains a link to the Australian Tax Office website for drivers to register their interest in receiving the JobKeeper payment.

The JobKeeper wage subsidy, which was announced on Monday, is a $1,500 fortnightly payment from the government to Australian businesses. It is intended to keep Australians on payrolls through the coronavirus downturn, which has had a devastating impact on a variety of sectors.

While it is intended to prevent employers standing down or laying off their employees due to the coronavirus, it is also available to sole traders – as long as they can prove they have taken a 30% hit to turnover. Uber drivers are sole traders who work with the company as contractors, and are thus eligible.

In March, Uber announced its own coronavirus compensation scheme, agreeing to pay drivers for two weeks if they are diagnosed with COVID-19 or instructed to self-isolate by a health authority.

A spokesperson for Uber confirmed to Business Insider Australia the above scheme still applies in Australia regardless of whether a driver has applied for the JobKeeper payment or not.

Other rideshare platforms operating in Australia have also announced compensation schemes for drivers through the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March, DiDi announced it would pay a lump sum to drivers who had either contracted COVID-19 or been instructed to self-isolate.

"Driver-partners who have a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 will be paid a one-off payment of an amount equal to their net earnings from the DiDi Driver app up to the past 28 days, from the date they were last online," the company wrote on its blog.

A spokesperson for DiDi confirmed to Business Insider Australia that the above scheme was still active, as well as a reduction of DiDi's service fee to 5%.

Ola also announced a compensation scheme of up to 14 days for drivers who were either infected with COVID-19 or instructed to self-isolate.

However, Ola stipulated on its blog that its 'Driver Relief Fund' was only available to partners who "are not able to receive or participate in any financial assistance program offered by the Australian Federal or State or Territory governments" – which would preclude those who apply for the JobKeeper payment.