From 1 March 2023, the Ballarat East Neighbourhood House will provide free assistance to help community members sign up and claim the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee. With over 200,000 people visiting neighbourhood houses each week in Victoria, the partnership between Neighbourhood Houses Victoria and the Victorian Government will mean thousands more casual workers will have the support they need to access sick and carer’s pay.
Register now to make an appointment with the Ballarat East Neighbourhood House team to help you register for the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee.
You can also contact us to make an appointment.
Neighbourhood Houses Victoria and the Victorian Government have partnered to help community members apply for the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee.
The Sick Pay Guarantee provides up to 38 hours a year of sick and carer's pay to eligible casual and contract workers in certain jobs.
Workers can sign up and claim the Sick Pay Guarantee online, however we understand that many people in our communities either lack access to devices or internet or lack confidence and skills in using technology.
To ensure no one gets left behind, Neighbourhood Houses across the state are ready to help people sign up and access the Sick Pay Guarantee.
What is the Sick Pay Guarantee?
The Sick Pay Guarantee provides eligible casual and contract workers with up to 38 hours a year of sick and carer's pay.
It helps workers when they’re rostered on but they need to take time off because they’re sick or need to take care of a loved one.
Victoria is the first state in Australia to have this program. It is a two-year pilot program, fully funded by the Victorian Government.
You can sign up for free.
Workers must sign up before they can start claiming sick and carer’s pay.
Which jobs are included in the Sick Pay Guarantee?
Jobs currently included are:
- Hospitality workers
- Food trades and food preparation assistants
- Supermarket workers and supermarket supply chain workers
- Retail and sales assistants
- Aged care and disability workers
- Cleaners and laundry workers
- Security guards.
See the full list of eligible jobs.
Who is eligible for the Sick Pay Guarantee?
The program is open to casual and contract workers, including independent contractors and sole traders with no employees.
To be eligible, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Do not have access to paid annual, personal, sick or carer’s leave entitlements in any job.
- Aged 15 years or older.
- Physically work in Victoria.
- Have the right to work in Australia.
- Work an average of 7.6 hours per week or more in an eligible job.
Can I sign up if I am not an Australian citizen or permanent resident?
Yes. If you meet the eligibility requirements, including having the right to work in Australia, you can sign up.
How do I know if I am eligible?
Our Neighbourhood House Partners can help to check if you are eligible. Register now for help from the Ballarat East Neighbourhood House team.
You can also do a quick eligibility check online.
How much will I be paid?
Payments are made at the national minimum wage ($21.38 per hour), regardless of whether you claim for a weekday, weekend or public holiday.
Can I claim sick pay on the same day that I sign up?
You must sign up to the Sick Pay Guarantee before you can make a claim.
After your application is approved (which can take up to five business days from when you sign up), you can start making claims.
You can backdate claims up to 60 days, but no earlier than the date you signed up. For example, if you signed up on 15 January 2023, the first date you can claim sick and carer’s pay for is 15 January 2023.
How do I sign up for the Sick Pay Guarantee?
You can sign up by getting in contact with one of the Neighbourhood House Partners. Register now for help from the Ballarat East Neighbourhood House team.
You can also sign up online at vic.gov.au/sickpayguarantee or on the Service Victoria app.
What do I need for the sign-up process?
When you come to us to sign up for the Sick Pay Guarantee, there are a few things you should bring with you:
- ID document(s)
- Proof of work document(s)
- ABN of your employer (not required if you are self-employed).
- Bank details of where you want to receive payments.
If you don’t have these items available, please get in contact with one of our Neighbourhood House Partners. We can still help you sign up.
ID documents
Please bring two* current forms of ID from this list:
- Medicare card
- Australian birth certificate
- Australian driver licence
- Current or recently expired Australian passport
- ImmiCard current or less than 3 years expired
- Foreign passport with a valid Australian visa with working rights
- Australian citizenship certificate.
People aged over 15 and under 18 only need to bring one ID document from the list.
If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident and you only have one form of ID, please bring the one form of ID that you do have. We can still help you sign up.
Proof of work documents
Casual workers – please bring one proof of work document from this list:
- recent payslip
- letter of offer
- current employment contract
- letter from your employer, or
- statutory declaration.
Self-employed workers – please bring one proof of work document from this list:
- invoice issued by you
- business activity statement (BAS)
- latest pay as you go (PAYG) summary
- ASIC or ABR registration confirmation, or
- statutory declaration.
How do I get help in another language?
There is information in other languages on the Sick Pay Guarantee website.
You can contact one of the Neighbourhood House Partners for help. Register now for help from the Ballarat East Neighbourhood House team.
You can also call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask for the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee hotline.
--
Sick Pay Guarantee overview
The Sick Pay Guarantee provides up to 38 hours a year of sick and carer's pay to eligible casual and contract workers in certain jobs.
It helps workers when they’re rostered on but they need to take time off because they’re sick or need to take care of a loved one. It is free to sign up, but workers must be signed up before they can start claiming sick and carer’s pay.
Victoria is the first state in Australia to have this program. It is a two-year pilot program, fully funded by the Victorian Government.
Workers can sign up and claim the Sick Pay Guarantee online. However, many people in our communities either lack access to devices or internet or lack confidence and skills in using technology and may need assistance.
You can sign up by getting in contact with one of the Neighbourhood House Partners. Register now for help from the Ballarat East Neighbourhood House team.
Eligible casual workers can sign up for 38 hours a year of sick and carer’s pay with direct support from a participating neighbourhood house. This community-based approach will make the nation-leading initiative more accessible, particularly for workers who may face technology or language barriers.
The Sick Pay Guarantee is delivering sick and carer’s pay to industries with the highest rates of casual and contract workers that do not have access to sick pay. More than 55,000 workers have signed up to the program. The $245.7 million two-year pilot is fully funded by the State Government until March next year.
“Neighbourhood Houses are the glue that holds together local communities, so we jumped at the chance to use our links to support casual workers, particularly those with language, technology or accessibility challenges" Neighbourhood Houses Victoria CEO Keir Paterson
The State Government is helping more casual and contract workers to access sick and carer’s pay through a partnership with Neighbourhood Houses Victoria. Minister for Employment Ben Carroll, says, “We want all casual and contract workers who are eligible for our Sick Pay Guarantee to sign up – whether that’s online, on the Service Victoria app, or through a neighbourhood house.”.
The Ballarat East Neighbourhood House can provide access to in-language support, computers and the internet and help casual workers understand and sign up to the scheme.
Eligible workers include casual and contract retail assistants, hospitality workers, aged and disability care workers, supermarket workers, supermarket supply chain workers, cleaners, laundry workers, security guards, food trades workers and food preparation assistants such as cooks, bakers, fast food workers, and kitchen hands.
Workers who want more information can contact their local Neighbourhood House, visit nhvic.org.au or sign up at vic.gov.au/sickpayguarantee. Information is available in 19 languages on the website or call 131 450.
Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, Lizzie Blandthorn, says “This is another example of the contributions neighbourhood houses make to local communities across Victoria.”
