In a In a significant move aimed at bolstering workplacesignificant move aimed at bolstering workplace, over 400 categories of casual employment, including professions such as ride-share drivers, childcare w
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 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, an official press release said.
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 www.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.
Minister for Employment Ben Carroll, “We’re proud to be expanding the Sick Pay Guarantee, because we know how important it is to support Victorians.” He further emphasised that this expansion is a crucial step towards providing individuals with the necessary support to prioritize their well-being without the burden of insecure work.
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