Last week both South Australia and Tasmania introduced paid pandemic leave for eligible workers who are required to self-isolate as a result of a positive test or a public health direction.

In South Australia, eligible recipients will receive a payment of $1500 for being unable to attend work during the quarantine period. There is also a separate ‘testing’ payment of $300 for eligible workers in an identified COVID-19 cluster who are required to self-isolate while awaiting test results.

The payments are targeted towards casual employees and employees who do not have available leave entitlements to cover the 14-day quarantine period. Eligible recipients can apply to the Department of Human Services which is responsible for administering the payment.

Employers will also receive confirmation that an employee has received a pandemic leave payment to ensure that person does not return to the workplace during the quarantine period.  

Originally, the South Australian scheme was expected to be self-funded unlike the Victorian scheme which is partly funded by the Commonwealth due to the declared state of emergency.

However, State Treasurer Rob Lucas is seeking clarification from the Commonwealth after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the Tasmanian scheme would join Victoria in receiving federal funding.

Eligible workers in Tasmania will also receive a $1500 Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment if they cannot work because they are required to quarantine or self-isolate.

The Federal Government has extended the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment to include Tasmania which applies from 22 August.

Eligible Tasmanian workers will receive the disaster payment if they are not receiving income, earnings or salary maintenance from work, receiving the JobKeeper Payment or other forms of Australian Government income support.

As of 26 August, more than $8.8 million had been paid to Victorians for almost 6,000 granted claims since 6 August.

Last Friday (28 August), the Prime Minister announced that people living in New South Wales and South Australia border communities but work in Victoria are also eligible for the $1500 Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment if they need to self-isolate or quarantine.

Both Queensland and the ACT have already introduced self-funded payments for COVID-19 related financial hardship.

Queensland introduced a hardship payment of $1,500 for casual workers and eligible employees back in June.  The ACT established a hardship fund for casual and part-time workers unable to work if they have been directed to isolate.