SA Paid Pandemic Leave Scheme announced
The SA government has introduced a Paid Pandemic Leave Scheme in South Australia, offering ‘isolation’ payments of up to $1,500 for eligible workers who are required to quarantine.
The IEU believes this scheme is a good start but ideally should be offered to all workers not just those lacking leave entitlements. Ideally all employees should have access to at least a fortnight’s paid pandemic leave.
The leave can also be offered to those who care for someone required to quarantine, for up to 14 days following a positive COVID-19 test or as a result of a public health directive.
Eligibility criteria apply – such as:
- Recipient must be 17 years old and over
- Be a citizen, permanent resident or holder of necessary visa and work permits
- Be a casual employee or full-time or part-time employee who can demonstrate they would have ordinarily worked, and cannot as a result of the need to isolate, and has no or insufficient entitlement to necessary paid leave
- Is not receiving any other Australian Government payments such as JobSeeker or JobKeeper during the period of self-isolation.
Read the full announcement here:
https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/latest-news/new-sa-paid-pandemic-leave-scheme
