27 September 2023

PS Circular sets lockdown guidelines

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The Department of Mines, Industry Regulations and Safety’s Public Sector Labour Relations unit has issued a new Circular setting out workforce arrangements to apply during the current lockdown period.

Circular 2/2021 Short-term Workforce Arrangements for Week of 1 February 2021 applies only to the lockdown period which took effect on 31 January and will be in place until 6pm this Friday (5 February).

The Circular states that public sector employees whose work is essential, as defined in the Stay at Home Directions, are to attend work as usual unless there are extenuating circumstances and alternative arrangements are entered into with the employer.

“Employees whose work is defined as non-essential will be directed to work from home,” the Circular says.

“Some public sector employees whose work is defined as non-essential will be unable to work from home at all, or unable to work their regular hours while at home.”

It says that this could be for various reasons including the nature of the work, inability to access technology or appropriate equipment, or the need to supervise children.

“To support employees during the lockdown period, public sector employers are to pay all employees the amount they would otherwise be entitled to be paid (including allowances and penalties),” the Circular says.

“Employees are not required to access any form of leave, including COVID-19 leave, to cover absences from work during the lockdown period.

“Employees already on leave, or with leave approved to commence during the lockdown period, are to remain or proceed on that leave unless the employer agrees to reverse the leave booking.”

It said there should be no expectation that extended leave would be reversed unless there were convincing operational reasons.

The five-day lockdown, affecting Perth, Peel and the South-West, is in response to a quarantine worker returning a positive COVID-19 test.

The 2-page Circular can be accessed at this PS News link.

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