The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) has extended paid leave to more than 8,000 casual employees who may be forced to miss work due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The APSC previously advised that permanent Government employees diagnosed with COVID-19 should be given access to sick leave to cover their time away from work.
It said anyone forced to self-isolate because of exposure to the virus, or in a household affected by COVID-19, should be paid discretionary leave if they were unable to work from home.
In a Circular this week, the APSC said that due to the current extraordinary circumstances of the outbreak and the potential widespread impact, paid arrangements should also be extended to casual employees who were required to isolate due to COVID-19 exposure or who contracted the virus.
The APSC said payment should be determined by agreed or accepted shifts that would have been carried out during the period of absence, or on the basis of previous or upcoming shifts.
“Work from home options should also be considered for casuals where possible,” it said.
However, the Commission stopped short of recommending paid leave for labour hire workers and contractors, saying that was a matter for the labour hire companies concerned.
National Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), Melissa Donnelly said paid leave for casual employees was a victory for the union.
“We are glad that the APSC has confirmed that all public sector employees will have access to paid leave entitlements, including paid miscellaneous leave or work-from-home arrangements if quarantined,” Ms Donnelly said.
She said the union remained concerned about the 23,000 contractors and labour hire workers who had been left out of the paid leave deal.
“The CPSU is calling on the Government to ensure that it takes the plight of these 23,000 workers seriously,” Ms Donnelly said.
“This is not just a matter of equity; it is about the essential public health response and ensuring Government service delivery,” she said.
