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ARTICLE · 23 APRIL 2020

Blanket changes to awards – COVID-19 temporary measures

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The Fair Work Commission varied many Awards to include a "pandemic" Schedule X for employees to consider extra leave.

AustraliaCoronavirus (COVID-19)
Murray Thornhill
Murray Thornhill
Gemma Wheeler-Carver
Gemma Wheeler-Carver
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In amongst the buzz of the JobKeeper legislation, the Fair Work Commission has varied many Awards to include a "pandemic" Schedule X, which operates from 8 April 2020, to 30 June 2020 (with the ability to extend if appropriate).

The full text of Schedule X is set out below, however, the main takeaways of these amendments are:

  • Employees may take up to 2 weeks' unpaid leave to self-isolate or if prevented from working by government or medical authority measures (or for a longer period if agreed between the employee or employer); and
  • Employees and employers may agree to the employee taking twice as much leave on half pay.

These entitlements are workplace rights and employees have the protection of section 340 of the Fair Work Act in relation to those rights.

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