Employees in New South Wales who are forced to self-isolate, quarantine or care for someone with COVID-19 can now access the $1,500 Pandemic Leave Disaster Payments. Such payments are already available in Victoria and Tasmania, and are particularly useful when employees have already exhausted their personal leave allocations.

If an employee is instructed to stay home from work, and does not have access to income such as paid leave or other Commonwealth Government payments, they may be eligible for the payment. They may also be eligible if they are the parent or guardian of a child aged 16 or under who is a close contact or has tested positive for COVID-19 or they are caring for someone with COVID-19.

Similar to other jurisdictions, NSW employees will not be eligible for the payment if they are:

• receiving income, earnings or salary maintenance from work;
• receiving JobKeeper payment; or
• receiving other forms of Australian government income support.

Eligible employees can claim the payment again if their self-isolation, quarantine or caring period is longer than 14 days.

To date, more than $13.3 million in disaster payments has been paid for some 9,000 granted claims since 6 August 2020.

It is in early childhood education and care services' interest to assist their eligible employees to receive this Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment so as to ensure any suspicions of possible positive COVID-19 cases are prevented from being present at their services and to their children.

To make a claim, please contact Services Australia on 180 22 66.

PUBLISHED: 22 SEPTEMBER 2020