More casual and contract workers will now have access to sick and carer’s pay, after the State Government announced it was expanding and extending its Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee.
More than 400 new jobs are now eligible for the nation-leading Sick Pay Guarantee.
Casual, contract and self-employed workers including community support workers, taxi and rideshare drivers, arts workers, childcare and early childhood workers, fitness instructors, tourism and outdoor recreation workers, factory workers, fruit pickers and hairdressers can check their eligibility and sign up to the scheme.
Bass MP Jordan Crugnale encouraged community members living or working in the electorate to apply for the scheme, which has been extended to March 2025.
“People shouldn’t be forced to choose between going to work sick or putting food on the table – we’re proud to be expanding the Sick Pay Guarantee, because we know how important it is to support our casual and contract workers in Bass if they are sick or caring for a loved one,” she said.
“Now that we are expanding the sick pay guarantee I really encourage our community members that work in areas like community support, arts, early childhood, fitness, tourism, outdoor rec, factories, hairdressers and fruit pickers to check their eligibility and sign up to the scheme today.”
Newly eligible workers can apply for sick and carer’s pay from the day they sign up, and workers who were eligible in the first phase of the pilot will benefit from an additional year of the pilot.
The $245.7 million Australian-first initiative aims to reduce workplace illnesses and injuries and keep businesses safer and more productive.
Since the pilot launched in March 2022, more than 76,000 casual and contract workers have signed up.
In that time, the Sick Pay Guarantee has covered more than 1.8 million hours of sick and carer’s pay, giving workers the financial security to stay home when they’re sick or need to care for loved ones.
Workers can check their eligibility and sign up online at vic.gov.au/sickpayguarantee or in the Service Victoria app.
Neighbourhood Houses can also help people to sign up and access the scheme – visit nhvic.org.au to find a participating Neighbourhood House.
Information is available in 19 languages on the Sick Pay Guarantee website.
To speak to an interpreter, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask for the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee hotline.
