Only some casual workers will be eligible for paid sick leave if they contract COVID-19 after mandatory isolation rules are relaxed across Australia. Though the country is shifting out of pandemic orders the virus is still prevalent in the community so there are fears many people will be forced to choose between staying home to rest and earning a crust.
Per the ABC, there is only a certain sector of casual workers nationally who will continue to get pandemic benefits from the Federal Government after Friday: those who work in high-risk health care.
Casuals who work in disability, aged care, Indigenous health care or a hospital setting where spreading COVID-19 could potentially affect vulnerable people are still able to claim the financial benefits if they contract the virus.
Workers in these specific high-risk spaces must have tested positive, so anyone who is a close contact or a carer will not be eligible for payments.
A person can claim between $450 to $750 three times in a six-month period, depending on how many hours the person generally works.
Victoria left its pandemic orders on Thursday — a day ahead of the rest of Australia — but has been running its own casual sick leave trial since March.
The two-year trial provides five days (or 38 hours) of sick or carer’s leave pay to eligible workers at the national minimum wage. That leave can be used for when you’re sick or if you need to care for immediate family members or people in your home, excluding housemates.
Workers in a range of industries like hospitality, supermarkets, retail, cleaning and security can apply for payments as part of the scheme. Up to a total of $772.54 of paid sick or carer’s leave can currently be claimed by an individual over a 12-month period.
Fingers crossed that the Victorian trial proves to be successful, other State Governments take notice and consider rolling out similar schemes for the rest of the country.
