Casual worker's sick leave Guarantee

The Sick Pay Guarantee provides 38 hours a year of sick and carer's pay at the national minimum wage ($23.23 per hour) to eligible casual and contract workers in certain jobs. There is no cost to businesses. The Sick Pay Guarantee is fully funded by the Victorian Government. Workers who stay at home when they are sick help to protect the health of their work colleagues, customers, and all Victorians. The Sick Pay Guarantee is a three-year pilot program, running until 13 March 2025.

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Who is eligible?

Casual and contract workers, including independent contractors and sole traders with no employees, are eligible to sign up.

 

To be eligible, workers must:

• not have access to paid annual, personal, sick or carer’s leave entitlements in any job

• be aged 15 years or older

• physically work in Victoria

• have the right to work in Australia

• work an average of 7.6 hours per week or more in an eligible job.

 

The Sick Pay Guarantee is only available for missed work. The payments assist workers when they take unpaid sick or carer’s leave.

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Which types of jobs are eligible?

• Food, hospitality and accommodation

• Farm, agriculture and animal care

• Supermarkets and supermarket supply chains

• Factories, manufacturing and warehousing

• Administration, clerical and call centers 

• Cleaning and laundry

• Beauty, fitness and personal services

• Taxi, rideshare and delivery driving

• Security

• Health and welfare support

• Carers, aides and social assistance

• Arts and creative industries

• Forestry, horticulture and gardening

• Tourism and outdoor recreation

• Retail and sales

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Examples of eligible jobs: 

Hospitality

• Café worker

• Barista

 

Security

• Security guard

• Bouncer

 

Sales support

• Cashier

• Ticket seller

 

Farm and agriculture

• Fruit Picker

• Vineyard Worker

 

Animal care

• Zookeeper

• Veterinary Assistant

 

Carers, aides and Social assistance

• Childcare Aide

• Nanny Forestry

• Arborist

• Forestry Worker

 

Horticulture and gardening

• Florist

• Garden Laborer 

 

Factories, manufacturing and warehousing

• Coffee Roaster

• Recycling Worker

 

Sales assistant

• Retail sales assistant

• Fast food sales assistant

 

Arts and creative industries

• Actor

• Make Up Artist

 

Beauty, fitness and personal services

• Hairdresser

• Gym Instructor

 

Rideshare and delivery driving

• Fast Food Delivery Driver

• Taxi Driver

 

Health and welfare support

• Community Worker

• Youth Officer

 

Cleaning and laundry

• Domestic cleaner

• Commercial cleaner

 

Aged and disability care

• Aged or disability carer

• Personal carer

 

Supermarket supply chain

• Shelf filler

• Freight handler

 

Tourism and outdoor recreation

• Museum Attendant

• Travel Agent

 

Clerical and call centers 

• Receptionist

• Data Entry Operator

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For further information contact Swan Hill neighborhood house: (03) 5032 1459