More than 728,000 organisations across Australia have enrolled for the JobKeeper scheme, covering around 4.7 million workers.

Minister for Industrial Relations Christian Porter told Ray Hadley by and large the scheme is working, with only 212 JobKeeper disputes to the Fair Work Commission, many of those jurisdictional in nature.

However, Ray has received a flood of emails from people concerned about how the scheme works when employees refuse to come to work while still claiming the JobKeeper payment.

Mr Porter clarified that nothing about the JobKeeper scheme changes the employer or employees’ requirements in their existing employment.

“The first rule is that employees still have to turn up to work to get the $1500, and if they don’t turn up to work then they can suffer the consequences that they would have suffered in January had they not turned up to work.”

Employers can direct employees under reasonable circumstances to work less hours to meet the $1500 amount, but can’t force them to work more hours, the Attorney General explains.

“Generally speaking there are consequences in any employment relationship that flow from someone simply refusing to attend work… and in many instances that can result in dismissal.”

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Mr Porter says those concerned should contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94.

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