ANMF has been contacted by numerous members over the last week regarding single-site employment.
We have sought confirmation from the Commonwealth Department of Health, but disappointingly we have not been advised of an end date as yet.
ANMF anticipate that the following may occur:
- at 80 per cent fully vaccinated (expected 11.59pm, Friday 29 October) private aged care will enter a short period in which the Commonwealth Department of Health will monitor private aged care outbreaks to ensure there is not a steep rise in cases within the Victorian aged care sector.
- If cases remain stable a two week ‘transition out’ period will likely commence.
We will inform members when and if these arrangements are confirmed.
If your secondary employer contacts you stating you are to return to work or are at risk of losing your job, as single-site employment is a voluntary arrangement you may resume working for multiple facilities. ANMF would hope this is not occurring with thousands of new cases occurring each day and over 24,000 active cases in the community.
However, the Victorian Chief Health Officer directive states that your employer in Victoria must not permit an employee or contractor to enter the care facility where:
(a) the employee or contractor has, on or after 4 October 2020, worked at another care facility; and
(b) at the time the employee or contractor worked at that other care facility, a confirmed case was present at that other facility,
unless:
(c) at least 14 days have elapsed since the last time the employee or contractor worked at that other facility while a confirmed case was present; and
(d) the employee or contractor:
(i) has undertaken a test for SARS-CoV-2 on or after 13 days from the day that the employee or contractor last worked at that other facility while a confirmed case was present; and
(ii) received confirmation that the results of the test undertaken pursuant to (i) were negative; and
(e) the employee or contractor has provided evidence of the negative test result pursuant to subclause (d) to the employer prior to commencing work at that care facility.
Note 2: the effect of the above is that, in the event of a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak at a care facility, an employee or contractor present during the outbreak must only work at that facility, and cannot be permitted to work at other care facilities. Such employees or contractors must wait a minimum period of 14 days from when they last worked a shift while a confirmed case was present at the facility and test negative for SARS-CoV-2, before moving from that care facility to commence work at another care facility. No test is required if it has been 28 days or more since the employee or contractor last worked a shift while a confirmed case was present at the facility.
ANMF will provide a further update when able.
What if I need further advice or support from ANMF (Vic Branch)?
Contact Member Assistance via our online form.
Do you believe you are being disadvantaged and require assistance?
If you require individual assistance because you believe you are being disadvantaged by the requirements restricting you to working at a single workplace, please fill in our dual employment form.
Please raise any concerns with management in the first instance in addition to seeking assistance from ANMF.
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