Government should fix COVID-19 leave loophole before summer seasonal work starts

Green Party Spokesperson for Workplace Relations Jan Logie is calling on the Government to extend the COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme to anyone awaiting a COVID-19 test result, as more people start summer jobs without sick leave available to them.

“Currently the general public can’t access COVID-19 sick leave while waiting for test results unless they meet strict criteria linking them to a confirmed case or high risk workplace. That means most people rely on their sick leave balance to take time-off work while waiting for a test result,” said Jan Logie.

“This won’t work for the thousands of casual and seasonal workers starting new jobs over summer in industries like horticulture, retail and hospitality. They will have little to no annual or sick leave accrued to fall back on.

“Many seasonal workers who get sick over summer will be put in the position of choosing between paying the bills or taking unpaid leave to self-isolate while they await a COVID-19 test.

“The recent community case in Auckland involved a retail worker going to work while waiting for a COVID-19 test. The August Level 3 restrictions in Auckland were necessary as a result of community spread at a workplace.

“The absence of guaranteed, paid sick leave risks a repeat of this situation. It makes casual workers much more likely to ‘soldier on’ and turn up before their results come back.

“The Government does not need to pass new legislation to extend the COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme. It’s a simple Cabinet decision that could happen before the House rises.

“While this would come at a small extra cost to Government, it would pale in comparison to the cost of community transmission and any heightened restrictions over summer,” said Jan Logie.

Note:

· The bill to extend general sick leave to ten days has been introduced in the house, and is set to pass next year.

· Jan Logie put questions to the Minister on this issue in the house, and can be found here: https://vimeo.com/486221128

ENDS

Action

RENAME, REWRITE, and REJECT the Regulatory Standards Bill

Submit your suggested changes to the Regulatory Standards Bill! Tell us how you'd change the bill and we could take it to the House!

Action

Anniversary of the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill Referendum

If we were to legally regulate cannabis in Aotearoa, what kind of rules would you want to see around access, possession, use, regulations on sale, ...

Action

Save our Polytechs: Campaign Packs

Want to see more supports for our Polytechs? Use these resources to support the campaign!

Action

Save Our Polytechs Petition

Sign our petition today and join us in calling on the Minister for Vocational Education, Hon Penny Simmonds, to Save our Polytechs!

Action

Protect our tamariki - Sign the open letter

Every child in Aotearoa deserves to grow up with safety and stability, wrapped in aroha. Sign our open letter today and help make that a reality!

Action

Stop Growing Homelessness

Sign our petition asking Luxon and Bishop to take action to stop homelessness increasing in Aotearoa.

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Workplace Relations and Safety Announcements

Story

Women to bear the brunt of sick pay changes

The Government’s move to strip back sick leave from part-time workers is yet another blow to women across Aotearoa.

Greens stand with our teachers in fight for fair pay

The Green Party supports the thousands of teachers striking for better pay and conditions today.

ERA changes hurt workers, pander to big business

The Green Party says proposed changes to the Employment Relations Act announced today by the Government will further undermine workers’ rights whil...

Concern over signs Govt will reduce sick leave for workers

The Green Party is calling on the Prime Minister to stand up for workers’ rights for once and rule out reducing sick leave entitlements.

Ban on engineered stone essential to protect workers

The Green Party has renewed its call for the Government to ban the use, supply, and manufacture of engineered stone products, as the CTU launches a...

Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards

The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the ...