What you need to know

• The Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee pilot has been extended until 13 March 2025.
• Over 400 roles can now access up to 38 hours of sick and carer's pay per year.
• To be eligible, workers must physically work in Victoria, not have access to paid annual, personal, sick or carer’s leave entitlements in any job, and work an average of 7.6 hours per week or more.

The Victorian government has recently announced an extension to Victoria’s Sick Pay Guarantee and widened the scope of eligible workers able to claim sick pay under the pilot.

The pilot program has significantly expanded with over new 400 roles now covered, meaning that thousands more people in casual and contract jobs can now access up to 38 hours a year of sick and carer’s pay.

The pilot has also been extended until 13 March 2025.

The Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee provides 38 hours a year of sick and carer’s pay at the national minimum wage ($23.23 per hour) to eligible casual and contract workers.

To be eligible, workers must physically work in Victoria, not have access to paid annual, personal, sick or carer’s leave entitlements in any job, and work an average of 7.6 hours per week or more.

Workers can sign up and make claims through the Service Victoria app or get more information online at Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee. Employers cannot sign up or claim on behalf of their workers.

NDS has previously expressed reservations about the scheme in our NDS Submission on the Victorian Secure Work Pilot Scheme, which warns of potential perverse impacts of the sick pay guarantee, including disincentivising part-time and full-time work.

We are also concerned that if the Scheme is extended beyond its government funded pilot phase, there may be consideration of an additional levy on employers to fund the initiative.