Pandemic leave payment extension draws mixed reactions from Filipino workers in Australia

Some Filipino workers in Australia welcomed the government’s move to extend pandemic leave disaster payment but others want a broader reach of information dissemination.

Filipino workers in Australia: (from left) Jan Paul Sevilla, Kritza Mae Aninag & Bryan Vince Soriano.

Key Points

• The government will extend pandemic leave payments indefinitely, for as long as states and territories continue to enforce mandatory isolation periods.
• An additional limit will be put in place on the payments, to stop people from taking advantage of the system.
• The payment now sits at a maximum of $540 for five days of isolation.

How to listen to this podcast Source: SBS

30th of September was the supposed end to pandemic leave disaster payment before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced its extension.

The Prime Minister said there would be an additional limit that will be put in place on the payments, to stop people from taking advantage of the system.

The disaster payments were first implemented in August 2020, to provide for people forced to isolate with no sick leave entitlements.

They were initially capped at $1500 a fortnight, for the 14 days of mandatory isolation.

That dropped to $750 for 7 days of leave for those on full-time salaries, and $450 a week for those on part-time wages.

It now sits at a maximum of $540 for five days of isolation.

Paul Sevilla

One of the beneficiaries casual employee Paul Sevilla who works as a warehouse store person in Melbourne welcomed the extension.

"Until negative [of COVID], I'm not allowed to work so that time I applied for pandemic leave disaster payment and before there are lot of questions but I eventually got the payment,' Paul stated.

Another casual employee Bryan Vince Soriano said that the payment is a significant support for those who are under no work, no pay scheme like himself.

"I applied for pandemic leave disaster payment financial assistance, and I received $750 which is a big help," Bryan shared.

Bryan Vince Soriano

Part-time worker Kritza Mae Aninag, however, is dismayed that she has not used the said payment during the time she needed it as her sick leave entitlements were not enough.

She works as a personal care assistant in an aged care facility and appeals to the government to spread this information widely.

My wish for the government is to broaden the reach of information dissemination. I was not informed of this extension and even our employer didn't advise us.

Kritza Mae Aninag

Kritza Mae Aninag