diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7c71e01..8934a12 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ Resque\Resque::enqueue('default', 'My_Job', $args);
 Each job should be in its own class, and include a `perform` method.
 
 ```php
-class My_Job
+class My_Job extends \Resque\Job\Job
 {
     public function perform()
     {
@@ -132,9 +132,9 @@ defined, it will be called before the `perform` method is run. The `tearDown`
 method, if defined, will be called after the job finishes.
 
 ```php
-class My_Job
+class My_Job extends \Resque\Job\Job
 {
-    public function setUp()
+    public function setUp(): void
     {
         // ... Set up environment for this job
     }
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class My_Job
         // .. Run job
     }
 
-    public function tearDown()
+    public function tearDown(): void
     {
         // ... Remove environment for this job
     }
diff --git a/lib/Job/Factory.php b/lib/Job/Factory.php
index 13c5277..05b0bf6 100644
--- a/lib/Job/Factory.php
+++ b/lib/Job/Factory.php
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ class Factory implements FactoryInterface
 	 * @param $className
 	 * @param array $args
 	 * @param $queue
-	 * @return \Resque\Job\JobInterface
+	 * @return \Resque\Job\Job
 	 * @throws \Resque\Exceptions\ResqueException
 	 */
-	public function create($className, $args, $queue)
+	public function create(string $className, array $args, string $queue): Job
 	{
 		if (!class_exists($className)) {
 			throw new ResqueException(
@@ -21,12 +21,6 @@ public function create($className, $args, $queue)
 			);
 		}
 
-		if (!method_exists($className, 'perform')) {
-			throw new ResqueException(
-				'Job class ' . $className . ' does not contain a perform method.'
-			);
-		}
-
 		$instance = new $className();
 		$instance->args = $args;
 		$instance->queue = $queue;
diff --git a/lib/Job/FactoryInterface.php b/lib/Job/FactoryInterface.php
index fc92941..c4f2d3a 100644
--- a/lib/Job/FactoryInterface.php
+++ b/lib/Job/FactoryInterface.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ interface FactoryInterface
 	 * @param $className
 	 * @param array $args
 	 * @param $queue
-	 * @return \Resque\Job\JobInterface
+	 * @return \Resque\Job\Job
 	 */
-	public function create($className, $args, $queue);
+	public function create(string $className, array $args, string $queue): Job;
 }
diff --git a/lib/Job/Job.php b/lib/Job/Job.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34b7aee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Job/Job.php
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Resque\Job;
+
+use Resque\JobHandler;
+
+/**
+ * Base Resque Job class.
+ *
+ * @package		Resque\Job
+ * @author		Heinz Wiesinger <pprkut@liwjatan.org>
+ * @license		http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php
+ */
+abstract class Job
+{
+	/**
+	 * Job arguments
+	 * @var array
+	 */
+	public $args;
+
+	/**
+	 * Associated JobHandler instance
+	 * @var JobHandler
+	 */
+	public $job;
+
+	/**
+	 * Name of the queue the job was in
+	 * @var string
+	 */
+	public $queue;
+
+	/**
+	 * (Optional) Job setup
+	 *
+	 * @return void
+	 */
+	public function setUp(): void
+	{
+		// no-op
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * (Optional) Job teardown
+	 *
+	 * @return void
+	 */
+	public function tearDown(): void
+	{
+		// no-op
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Main method of the Job
+	 *
+	 * @return mixed|void
+	 */
+	abstract public function perform();
+}
diff --git a/lib/Job/JobInterface.php b/lib/Job/JobInterface.php
deleted file mode 100644
index b92a99f..0000000
--- a/lib/Job/JobInterface.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Resque\Job;
-
-interface JobInterface
-{
-	/**
-	 * @return bool
-	 */
-	public function perform();
-}
diff --git a/lib/JobHandler.php b/lib/JobHandler.php
index 184f462..3279f0a 100755
--- a/lib/JobHandler.php
+++ b/lib/JobHandler.php
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 
 namespace Resque;
 
-use InvalidArgumentException;
 use Resque\Job\PID;
 use Resque\Job\Status;
 use Resque\Exceptions\DoNotPerformException;
 use Resque\Job\FactoryInterface;
 use Resque\Job\Factory;
+use Resque\Job\Job;
 use Error;
 
 /**
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class JobHandler
 	public $endTime;
 
 	/**
-	 * @var object|\Resque\Job\JobInterface Instance of the class performing work for this job.
+	 * @var Job Instance of the class performing work for this job.
 	 */
 	private $instance;
 
@@ -83,19 +83,13 @@ public function __construct($queue, $payload)
 	 * @param string $prefix The prefix needs to be set for the status key
 	 *
 	 * @return string
-	 * @throws \InvalidArgumentException
 	 */
-	public static function create($queue, $class, $args = null, $monitor = false, $id = null, $prefix = "")
+	public static function create($queue, $class, array $args = [], $monitor = false, $id = null, $prefix = "")
 	{
 		if (is_null($id)) {
 			$id = Resque::generateJobId();
 		}
 
-		if ($args !== null && !is_array($args)) {
-			throw new InvalidArgumentException(
-				'Supplied $args must be an array.'
-			);
-		}
 		Resque::push($queue, array(
 			'class'	     => $class,
 			'args'	     => array($args),
@@ -183,7 +177,7 @@ public function getStatus()
 	 *
 	 * @return array Array of arguments.
 	 */
-	public function getArguments()
+	public function getArguments(): array
 	{
 		if (!isset($this->payload['args'])) {
 			return array();
@@ -194,10 +188,10 @@ public function getArguments()
 
 	/**
 	 * Get the instantiated object for this job that will be performing work.
-	 * @return \Resque\Job\JobInterface Instance of the object that this job belongs to.
+	 * @return \Resque\Job\Job Instance of the object that this job belongs to.
 	 * @throws \Resque\Exceptions\ResqueException
 	 */
-	public function getInstance()
+	public function getInstance(): Job
 	{
 		if (!is_null($this->instance)) {
 			return $this->instance;
@@ -212,9 +206,8 @@ public function getInstance()
 	 * Actually execute a job by calling the perform method on the class
 	 * associated with the job with the supplied arguments.
 	 *
-	 * @return bool
-	 * @throws Resque\Exceptions\ResqueException When the job's class could not be found
-	 * 											 or it does not contain a perform method.
+	 * @return mixed
+	 * @throws Resque\Exceptions\ResqueException When the job's class could not be found.
 	 */
 	public function perform()
 	{
@@ -225,15 +218,12 @@ public function perform()
 			$this->startTime = microtime(true);
 
 			$instance = $this->getInstance();
-			if (is_callable([$instance, 'setUp'])) {
-				$instance->setUp();
-			}
+
+			$instance->setUp();
 
 			$result = $instance->perform();
 
-			if (is_callable([$instance, 'tearDown'])) {
-				$instance->tearDown();
-			}
+			$instance->tearDown();
 
 			$this->endTime = microtime(true);
 
@@ -343,7 +333,7 @@ public function setJobFactory(FactoryInterface $jobFactory)
 	/**
 	 * @return Resque\Job\FactoryInterface
 	 */
-	public function getJobFactory()
+	public function getJobFactory(): FactoryInterface
 	{
 		if ($this->jobFactory === null) {
 			$this->jobFactory = new Factory();
diff --git a/lib/Resque.php b/lib/Resque.php
index 4e8ce60..384dfec 100644
--- a/lib/Resque.php
+++ b/lib/Resque.php
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ public static function size($queue)
 	 *
 	 * @return string|boolean Job ID when the job was created, false if creation was cancelled due to beforeEnqueue
 	 */
-	public static function enqueue($queue, $class, $args = null, $trackStatus = false, $prefix = "")
+	public static function enqueue($queue, $class, array $args = [], $trackStatus = false, $prefix = "")
 	{
 		$id         = Resque::generateJobId();
 		$hookParams = array(
diff --git a/test/Resque/Tests/JobHandlerTest.php b/test/Resque/Tests/JobHandlerTest.php
index 7cd9470..4b376ec 100644
--- a/test/Resque/Tests/JobHandlerTest.php
+++ b/test/Resque/Tests/JobHandlerTest.php
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 use \Resque\Redis;
 use \Resque\JobHandler;
 use \Resque\Stat;
-use \Resque\Job\JobInterface;
+use \Resque\Job\Job;
 use \Resque\Job\FactoryInterface;
 use \Test_Job_With_SetUp;
 use \Test_Job_With_TearDown;
@@ -68,15 +68,6 @@ public function testQeueuedJobCanBeReserved()
 		$this->assertEquals('Test_Job', $job->payload['class']);
 	}
 
-	public function testObjectArgumentsCannotBePassedToJob()
-	{
-		$this->expectException('InvalidArgumentException');
-
-		$args = new stdClass();
-		$args->test = 'somevalue';
-		Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', $args);
-	}
-
 	public function testQueuedJobReturnsExactSamePassedInArguments()
 	{
 		$args = array(
@@ -168,10 +159,10 @@ public function testJobWithSetUpCallbackFiresSetUp()
 	{
 		$payload = array(
 			'class' => 'Test_Job_With_SetUp',
-			'args' => array(
+			'args' => array(array(
 				'somevar',
 				'somevar2',
-			),
+			)),
 		);
 		$job = new JobHandler('jobs', $payload);
 		$job->perform();
@@ -183,10 +174,10 @@ public function testJobWithTearDownCallbackFiresTearDown()
 	{
 		$payload = array(
 			'class' => 'Test_Job_With_TearDown',
-			'args' => array(
+			'args' => array(array(
 				'somevar',
 				'somevar2',
-			),
+			)),
 		);
 		$job = new JobHandler('jobs', $payload);
 		$job->perform();
@@ -410,7 +401,7 @@ public function testUseFactoryToGetJobInstance()
 		$factory = new Some_Stub_Factory();
 		$job->setJobFactory($factory);
 		$instance = $job->getInstance();
-		$this->assertInstanceOf('Resque\Job\JobInterface', $instance);
+		$this->assertInstanceOf('Resque\Job\Job', $instance);
 	}
 
 	public function testDoNotUseFactoryToGetInstance()
@@ -422,11 +413,11 @@ public function testDoNotUseFactoryToGetInstance()
 		$job = new JobHandler('jobs', $payload);
 		$factory = $this->getMockBuilder('Resque\Job\FactoryInterface')
 			->getMock();
-		$testJob = $this->getMockBuilder('Resque\Job\JobInterface')
+		$testJob = $this->getMockBuilder('Resque\Job\Job')
 			->getMock();
 		$factory->expects(self::never())->method('create')->will(self::returnValue($testJob));
 		$instance = $job->getInstance();
-		$this->assertInstanceOf('Resque\Job\JobInterface', $instance);
+		$this->assertInstanceOf('Resque\Job\Job', $instance);
 	}
 
 	public function testJobStatusIsNullIfIdMissingFromPayload()
@@ -505,7 +496,7 @@ public function testJobHandlerSetsStartAndEndTimeForFailedJob()
 	}
 }
 
-class Some_Job_Class implements JobInterface
+class Some_Job_Class extends Job
 {
 
 	/**
@@ -524,9 +515,9 @@ class Some_Stub_Factory implements FactoryInterface
 	 * @param $className
 	 * @param array $args
 	 * @param $queue
-	 * @return Resque\Job\JobInterface
+	 * @return Resque\Job\Job
 	 */
-	public function create($className, $args, $queue)
+	public function create($className, $args, $queue): Job
 	{
 		return new Some_Job_Class();
 	}
diff --git a/test/Resque/Tests/JobPIDTest.php b/test/Resque/Tests/JobPIDTest.php
index f9c66c9..365d778 100644
--- a/test/Resque/Tests/JobPIDTest.php
+++ b/test/Resque/Tests/JobPIDTest.php
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public function testQueuedJobDoesNotReturnPID()
 		$this->logger->expects($this->never())
 					 ->method('log');
 
-		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', null, true);
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', [], true);
 		$this->assertEquals(0, PID::get($token));
 	}
 
@@ -43,14 +43,14 @@ public function testRunningJobReturnsPID()
 		// Cannot use InProgress_Job on non-forking OS.
 		if(!function_exists('pcntl_fork')) return;
 
-		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'InProgress_Job', null, true);
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'InProgress_Job', [], true);
 		$this->worker->work(0);
 		$this->assertNotEquals(0, PID::get($token));
 	}
 
 	public function testFinishedJobDoesNotReturnPID()
 	{
-		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', null, true);
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', [], true);
 		$this->worker->work(0);
 		$this->assertEquals(0, PID::get($token));
 	}
diff --git a/test/Resque/Tests/JobStatusTest.php b/test/Resque/Tests/JobStatusTest.php
index 827447f..32d1735 100644
--- a/test/Resque/Tests/JobStatusTest.php
+++ b/test/Resque/Tests/JobStatusTest.php
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 use \Resque\Job\Status;
 use \Resque\JobHandler;
 use \Resque\Resque;
+use \stdClass;
 
 /**
  * Status tests.
@@ -30,30 +31,49 @@ public function setUp(): void
 		$this->worker->setLogger($this->logger);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Unit test data provider for potential return values from perform().
+	 *
+	 * @return array
+	 */
+	public static function performResultProvider(): array
+	{
+		$data = [];
+
+		$data['boolean'] = [ true ];
+		$data['float']   = [ 1.0 ];
+		$data['integer'] = [ 100 ];
+		$data['string']  = [ 'string' ];
+		$data['null']    = [ null ];
+		$data['array']   = [[ 'key' => 'value' ]];
+
+		return $data;
+	}
+
 	public function testJobStatusCanBeTracked()
 	{
-		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', null, true);
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', [], true);
 		$status = new Status($token);
 		$this->assertTrue($status->isTracking());
 	}
 
 	public function testJobStatusIsReturnedViaJobInstance()
 	{
-		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', null, true);
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', [], true);
 		$job = JobHandler::reserve('jobs');
 		$this->assertEquals(Status::STATUS_WAITING, $job->getStatus());
 	}
 
 	public function testQueuedJobReturnsQueuedStatus()
 	{
-		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', null, true);
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', [], true);
 		$status = new Status($token);
 		$this->assertEquals(Status::STATUS_WAITING, $status->get());
 	}
 
 	public function testRunningJobReturnsRunningStatus()
 	{
-		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Failing_Job', null, true);
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Failing_Job', [], true);
 		$job = $this->worker->reserve();
 		$this->worker->workingOn($job);
 		$status = new Status($token);
@@ -62,7 +82,7 @@ public function testRunningJobReturnsRunningStatus()
 
 	public function testFailedJobReturnsFailedStatus()
 	{
-		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Failing_Job', null, true);
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Failing_Job', [], true);
 		$this->worker->work(0);
 		$status = new Status($token);
 		$this->assertEquals(Status::STATUS_FAILED, $status->get());
@@ -70,15 +90,37 @@ public function testFailedJobReturnsFailedStatus()
 
 	public function testCompletedJobReturnsCompletedStatus()
 	{
-		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', null, true);
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', [], true);
 		$this->worker->work(0);
 		$status = new Status($token);
 		$this->assertEquals(Status::STATUS_COMPLETE, $status->get());
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @param mixed $value Potential return value from perform()
+	 *
+	 * @dataProvider performResultProvider
+	 */
+	public function testCompletedJobReturnsResult($value)
+	{
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Returning_Job', [ 'return' => $value ], true);
+		$this->worker->work(0);
+		$status = new Status($token);
+		$this->assertEquals($value, $status->result());
+	}
+
+	public function testCompletedJobReturnsObjectResultAsArray()
+	{
+		$value = new stdClass();
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Returning_Job', [ 'return' => $value ], true);
+		$this->worker->work(0);
+		$status = new Status($token);
+		$this->assertEquals([], $status->result());
+	}
+
 	public function testStatusIsNotTrackedWhenToldNotTo()
 	{
-		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', null, false);
+		$token = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', [], false);
 		$status = new Status($token);
 		$this->assertFalse($status->isTracking());
 	}
@@ -94,7 +136,7 @@ public function testStatusTrackingCanBeStopped()
 
 	public function testRecreatedJobWithTrackingStillTracksStatus()
 	{
-		$originalToken = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', null, true);
+		$originalToken = Resque::enqueue('jobs', 'Test_Job', [], true);
 		$job = $this->worker->reserve();
 
 		// Mark this job as being worked on to ensure that the new status is still
diff --git a/test/bootstrap.php b/test/bootstrap.php
index 31f9402..76f7b7a 100644
--- a/test/bootstrap.php
+++ b/test/bootstrap.php
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ function sigint()
 	pcntl_signal(SIGTERM, 'sigint');
 }
 
-class Test_Job
+class Test_Job extends \Resque\Job\Job
 {
 	public static $called = false;
 
@@ -95,12 +95,20 @@ public function perform()
 	}
 }
 
+class Returning_Job extends \Resque\Job\Job
+{
+	public function perform()
+	{
+		return $this->args['return'] ?? NULL;
+	}
+}
+
 class Failing_Job_Exception extends \Exception
 {
 
 }
 
-class Failing_Job
+class Failing_Job extends \Resque\Job\Job
 {
 	public function perform()
 	{
@@ -114,7 +122,7 @@ public function perform()
  *
  * CAUTION Use this test job only with Worker::work, i.e. only when you actually trigger the fork in tests.
  */
-class InProgress_Job
+class InProgress_Job extends \Resque\Job\Job
 {
 	public function perform()
 	{
@@ -126,17 +134,12 @@ public function perform()
 	}
 }
 
-class Test_Job_Without_Perform_Method
-{
-
-}
-
-class Test_Job_With_SetUp
+class Test_Job_With_SetUp extends \Resque\Job\Job
 {
 	public static $called = false;
-	public $args = false;
+	public $args = [];
 
-	public function setUp()
+	public function setUp(): void
 	{
 		self::$called = true;
 	}
@@ -148,23 +151,23 @@ public function perform()
 }
 
 
-class Test_Job_With_TearDown
+class Test_Job_With_TearDown extends \Resque\Job\Job
 {
 	public static $called = false;
-	public $args = false;
+	public $args = [];
 
 	public function perform()
 	{
 
 	}
 
-	public function tearDown()
+	public function tearDown(): void
 	{
 		self::$called = true;
 	}
 }
 
-class Test_Infinite_Recursion_Job
+class Test_Infinite_Recursion_Job extends \Resque\Job\Job
 {
     public function perform()
     {