Sick pay guarantee: What does it mean for casual workers

The Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee scheme will provide casual workers five days of paid sick leave.

Jurgen Molina, casual worker in Melbourne welcomes the paid sick leave scheme. Source: Jurgen Molina

Highlights

• The Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee scheme is a first in Australia
• Getting paid sick leave is a welcome change for casual workers
• Visit the Service Victoria website to register and to check if you are eligible

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Sick leave para sa mga casual worker, hiling na ipatupad sa buong sa Australia

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07:58Filipino

For disability care casual worker Jurgen Molina, he can't afford to take a day off or miss work. It's a difficult choice between working or taking an unpaid sick day. 

Under the two-year pilot scheme, casual workers will be provided up to 38 hours a year of either sick or carers pay at the national minimum wage currently set at $20.33 an hour. This means workers can claim a total of $772.54 of paid sick/carer's leave in a year. Workers can claim for a minimum of three hours and a maximum of 12 hours per day. 

To make a claim, casual workers need to register via the Service Victoria website. 

The first phase will include jobs from hospitality, food trades and food preparation, supermarket, retail and sales, aged and disability care, cleaners, laundry workers and security guards.