News & Views

Following yesterday’s update on Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, NECA received several requests for clarification on workers who are eligible to receive it.

Who can access the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment

The following workers can access the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment (subject to meeting other eligibility criteria):

1. workers who are directed to self-isolate and who are not sick (and therefore are not entitled to and cannot access paid personal leave entitlements); and
2. workers who are directed to self-isolate and who are entitled to personal leave (e.g. where they are sick during the isolation period) but do not have available paid personal leave entitlements.

Workers who are directed to self-isolate but are not sick are not entitled to receive paid personal leave entitlements. Accordingly:

1. workers who are directed to self-isolate but are not sick may be eligible to access the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, subject to being eligible under all of Services Australia’s eligibility requirements set out below (as they will satisfy the criteria about having “no appropriate leave entitlements” set out below); and
2. workers who are directed to self-isolate and are entitled to personal leave during the self-isolation period (e.g. if they become sick during this period):
   • will not be eligible to access the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment if they have accrued paid personal leave entitlements available; 
   • will be eligible to access the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment if they do not have accrued paid personal leave entitlements available (as they will satisfy the criteria about having “no appropriate leave entitlements” set out below).

The Services Australia website provides the following in respect of a Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment:

Who can get it

You need to meet eligibility requirements to get the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment - New South Wales.

You may be eligible if NSW Health has told you to self-isolate or quarantine. They need to give you these directions for any of the following reasons:

• you have coronavirus (COVID-19)
• you’ve been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19
• you care for a child, 16 years or under, who has COVID-19
• you care for a child, 16 years or under, who’s been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19.
• You may also be eligible if you're caring for someone who has COVID-19.

You must also meet all of the following:

• you’re at least 17 years old and live in New South Wales
• you’re an Australian resident or hold a visa that gives you the right to work in Australia
• you're unable to go to work and earn an income
• you have no appropriate leave entitlements, including pandemic sick leave, personal leave or leave to care for another person
• your period of quarantine is after 17 September 2020.

Who can't get it

Not everyone who lives in New South Wales can get the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment. To get this payment you need to meet the eligibility rules.

You won’t be eligible if, during your 14 day isolation period, you get or got:

• any income, earnings or salary from paid wor
• any income support payments, ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Paid Parental Leave or Dad and Partner Pay
• JobKeeper Payment.

Reminder on Fairfield testing requirements

Workers who live or are staying in Fairfield have until the end of today (Friday 16 July 2021) to get tested so they can work outside the Fairfield local government area.

These workers must have a COVID-19 test once every 72 hours (3 days) in order to be allowed to enter a workplace.

To manage this process, workers required to get tested can:

• Get tested on Wednesday afternoon and Sunday afternoon, which will give 6-day coverage (Monday to Saturday) for working on construction sites.
• Attend any testing clinic – it doesn’t need to be in Fairfield.