Casuals Included in Support Package

Updated 07/05/2020
The Victorian Government has released a new Framework that outlines ways it can provide employment security for public sector workers affected by reduced hours or business closures as a result of Coronavirus.  The Framework also provides mechanisms for rapid deployment of employees to where they are needed most to assist with the Government’s response to the pandemic.  The Framework does the following:
  1. Applies to Victorian public service and public sector Employers
  2. Provides income support for public sector workers who are not eligible for the Commonwealth's JobKeeper scheme
  3. The period in which financial support will be provided commences on Monday 27 April 2020 and ends on 30 September 2020. 
  4. The financial support will be available to workers regardless of their age, whether they are an Australian Citizen or not.
  5. Public sector casual workers will be eligible for the payment regardless of their length of service.
  6. Takes pressure off the Working for Victoria scheme which is being rolled out for the private sector
  7. Enables workers to be redeployed to other work where they are needed
  8. Facilitate compliance with the directions of Victoria’s Chief Health Officer following Declaration of a State of Emergency on 16 March 2020
  9. Supplements and builds on support already being implemented by the Victorian Government
 

CPSU requested a Victorian specific support package for casual employees who were abandoned by the Federal Government’s JobKeeper restrictive arrangements
 
Who is Affected
  1.  The scheme provides for the temporary deployment of employees whose work has been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to undertake roles elsewhere in the public sector
  2.  Rights and entitlements under existing enterprise agreements including the Victorian Public Service Enterprise Agreement 2016 will continue to apply
  3.  Affected employees are able to elect to be deployed to another role
  4.  If an affected employee is offered deployment to another role they will need to decide within 24 hours whether to accept the role
  5.  If the employee believes that the redeployment offer is  unreasonable, the employee will need to submit reasons and evidence within 3 days 
  6.  CPSU will assist any member with these claims and is represented on the COVID-19 Specialist Workforce Advisory Group (SWAG) which is being established to monitor the scheme
  
Fixed term employees
  1. VPS Employers (other than DHHS and DJCS) will extend all VPS Fixed Term Employees (subject to some exclusions) whose contracts would otherwise expire after 20 April and before 30 September to 30 September 2020.
  2. DHHS and DJCS have made department-specific arrangements for extension of Fixed Term Contracts in light of the key role of those departments in the COVID-19 response.
 
Casual employees
Casual Employees will be required to meet specified criteria to be eligible for financial support of up to $1500 per fortnight. These will include that a Casual Employee:
  1.  agree to register for, and be deployed if required into, available public sector Surge Function work, as a condition of receipt of the financial support.
  2.  have performed work for a Public Sector Employer listed in Attachment 1 to this Framework in the last or second last completed fortnightly pay period immediately prior to the Declaration of a State of Emergency on Monday 16 March 2020;
  3.  have been employed on a regular and systematic basis, with a reasonable expectation of continuing employment with the public sector employer on a regular and systematic basis; and
  4.  have either ceased performing work or be working reduced hours for the Public Sector Employer compared to the last or second last completed fortnightly pay period immediately prior to 16 March 2020; and
  5.  the cessation or reduction in work is a direct result of changes to the Public Sector Employer’s operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
A list of public sector employers whose casual employees are covered follows.
  1. Australian Centre for the Moving Image
  2. Australian Grand Prix Corporation
  3. Docklands Studios Melbourne Pty Ltd
  4. Emerald Tourist Railway Board
  5. Falls Creek Alpine Resort Management Board
  6. Federation Square Pty Ltd
  7. Film Victoria
  8. Geelong Performing Arts Centre Trust
  9. Kardinia Park Stadium Trust
  10. Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust
  11. Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust
  12. Melbourne Recital Centre
  13. Mount Buller and Mount Stirling Alpine Resort Management Board
  14. Mount Hotham Resort Management Board
  15. Museums Victoria
  16. National Gallery of Victoria
  17. Parks Victoria
  18. Phillip Island Nature Park Board of Management
  19. Royal Botanic Gardens Board
  20. Shrine of Remembrance Trust
  21. Southern Alpine Resort Management Board
  22. State Library of Victoria
  23. State Sport Centres Trust
  24. The Wheeler Centre
  25. Victorian Arts Centre Trust
  26. Victorian Institute of Sport
  27. Visit Victoria
  28. Zoological Parks and Gardens Board

Further employers can be added should the need arise.  CPSU will monitor developments and advocate for further employers where necessary
 

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