Employers could benefit from a new Victorian Government pilot programme for eligible casual and contract employees. The three-year programme allows employers to encourage their casual and contract staff to register for government funded sick leave. There are clear benefits to employers notifying their eligible employees of this new pilot. There are additional benefits for employers if their employees access sick leave rather than attend work unwell. EQ People say that the initiative is not well known amongst small and medium clients.
EQ People offer a summary of the pilot below, along with links with full details.
Overview of the New Legislation
The Sick Pay Guarantee is an Australian-first that provides up to 38 hours of sick and carer pay per year to Victorian casual and contract employees in some sectors and eligible roles.
- The Victorian Government is funding the Sick Pay Guarantee pilot program. There is no cost to employers.
- It will last three years, from 14 March 2022 to 13 March 2025.
- The national minimum wage is used to calculate payments.
Eligibility
Claims are based on when employees are rostered to work but can’t attend because they are ill or injured. Employees can also claim if they need time off to care for or support immediate family or household members, as defined in the National Employment Standards. The employee cannot make a claim if employee has access to paid personal or annual leave entitlements or have exhausted their paid leave entitlements.
Calculation of entitled hours.
The specific details may vary, but in general, employees will accrue paid sick leave based on their hours worked or as specified in their employment contract.
Date of the anniversary
Claimable hours balance is reset on employee’s anniversary date. Unclaimed hours do not transfer over from one year to the next. The anniversary date is one year after the employee joined the Sick Pay Guarantee.
Full details
For information see the Sick Pay Guarantee Program Guidelines.
Appendix 1: Eligible jobs lists the sectors / jobs the pilot programme covers.
Additional help
EQ People are a HR Advisory firm who provide support on the Sick Pay Guarantee and other HR areas of your business. Angie Jones or Julie Quinlan from EQ People can be reached on info@eqpeople.com.au.
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