MINISTER for Workplace Safety, Ingrid Stitt, visited Federation University\u2019s Mount Helen campus to raise awareness for the State Government\u2019s Sick Pay Guarantee initiative on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The nearly $250 million trial endeavour will provide up to five days of sick leave for casual and contract workers.<\/p>\n
Ms Stitt said the program will be a great benefit to Ballarat\u2019s casual workforce over the coming colder months.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout one in five workers in Ballarat are casual so it\u2019s about 19 per cent of the workforce here. Now, that\u2019s a fairly high proportion,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe launched the scheme in March this year but really my message for people in Ballarat today is it\u2019s winter, you\u2019re going to get sick. If you need this safety net support, don\u2019t wait until you\u2019re sick. Register today.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two-year pilot program is expected to benefit more than 150,000 workers, with registrants eligible to receive up to 38 hours of paid sick leave.<\/p>\n
Louis Greene, a casual chef at Fed Uni\u2019s Murnong cafe and father of two is set to register for the scheme, and said he hopes it will provide the first steps towards a more flexible work-life balance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s beneficial in so many ways, just alone having young kids and them getting sick all the time and then you can\u2019t take them to day care,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf one of them is sick, we\u2019ve got to stay home and look after the kids so that\u2019s definitely going to take the sting out of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those eligible can register for the program at vic.gov.au\/sickpayguarantee or via the Service Victoria app.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MINISTER for Workplace Safety, Ingrid Stitt, visited Federation University\u2019s Mount Helen campus to raise awareness for the State Government\u2019s Sick Pay Guarantee initiative on Tuesday. The nearly $250 million trial endeavour will provide up to five days of sick leave for casual and contract workers. Ms Stitt said the program will be a great benefit […]<\/p>\n