Tuesday, 7 June 2022

Ministers statements: sick pay guarantee

Ms STITT (Western Metropolitan—Minister for Workplace Safety, Minister for Early Childhood) (11:45): Last Tuesday I had the pleasure of visiting Federation University in Ballarat with local members Michaela Settle and Juliana Addison—great local members they are—where I spoke with workers and students about the Victorian sick pay guarantee. Nearly one in five workers in the Ballarat region do not have access to sick or carers pay. That means when they are sick they face that impossible choice between going to work sick or staying home to recover and missing out on a day’s pay.

During my visit I spent time with Louis, a casual chef at Federation Uni. He has worked for many years in the hospitality industry. He is also a father of two. Louis’s wife works as a nurse, which means that when their children are sick and they cannot go to child care Louis has to stay home, missing out on a day’s pay. Now Louis is eligible for the Victorian sick pay guarantee, which provides up to 38 hours a year of sick and carers pay to eligible workers at the national minimum wage. In his words, that support will ‘take the sting out of the whole situation’, meaning he can stay home and look after his children without worrying about making ends meet.

I am proud that the Andrews Labor government is funding this $245 million pilot scheme providing workers with the safety net they need to take time off when they are sick or need to care for a loved one. It is not just good for families, it is good for the Victorian economy, and I encourage all casual and contract workers, whether they are in Ballarat or other parts of the state, to check their eligibility and sign up for the scheme today.