Australia's first paid sick leave scheme for casual workers will be trialled in Victoria as part of a two-year pilot program, 9News reports.
The $245.6 million Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee is set to provide vulnerable casual or insecure job workers with a safety net to take time off when they're sick or need to care for loved ones.
Around one in five casual and contract workers work more than one job, with many without access to sick and carer's pay.
Prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many casual and contract workers had to choose between working or taking an unpaid sick day.
"When people have nothing to fall back on, they make a choice between the safety of their workmates and feeding their family," Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said.
"The last two years have shown just how difficult that choice can be for casual workers – so we're doing what we can to make sure it's a choice they don't have to make."
Now Victorian casual and contract workers are able to register for the two-year scheme and it's expected more than 150,000 workers will be eligible for the first phase.
Eligible workers will receive up to five days a year of sick or carer's pay at the national minimum wage.
Owners of several hospitality venues in Melbourne have backed the Victorian government’s $246m trial of paid sick leave for casuals, after taking it upon themselves to provide similar benefits to their workers, The Guardian adds.
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Victoria to trial first paid sick leave scheme for casual workers (9 News)
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Business owners who pay sick leave to casuals rally behind Victorian trial (The Guardian)
