Main Content

COVID-19 urgent update – Aged care single-site restrictions extended – Private sector aged care facilities

COVID-19 urgent update – Aged care single-site restrictions extended – Private sector aged care facilities

Aged care single-site restrictions extended for Greater Melbourne, Moorabool Shire, City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliff and Surf Coast Shire AND extended into Golden Plains Shire

Greater Melbourne, Moorabool Shire, City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliff and Surf Coast Shire

ANMF received information today (Friday 6 August) from the Commonwealth Department of Health stating a further two-week extension of single-site employment for the following areas: Greater Melbourne, Moorabool Shire, City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliff and Surf Coast Shire.

The single-site rules scheduled to expire on 13 August 2021, have now been extended to 27 August 2021.

ANMF will advise members as soon as possible if a further extension occur.

This means that if you have taken approved leave from another residential aged care provider to consolidate your hours at one site, then that approved leave will need to be extended until 27 August 2021.

Members should check the details of their approved leave. If it has an end date of 13 August 2021, you are encouraged to notify your employer that, in accordance with the updated and extended Guiding Principles, that leave is required until 27 August 2021. If the leave was for the duration of the operation of the single-site arrangements, then no further action is required.

An employer must grant that leave and hold your position open for you until 27 August 2021 (or later if the Guiding Principles are extended).

Members are also advised that should you decide that you do not intend to return to one or more of your other positions, you must give those employers written “notice” that you will not be returning. The period of notice varies depending on the terms of your enterprise agreement, up to a maximum of four weeks’ notice. If in doubt, contact ANMF Member Assistance.

Golden Plains Shire

The Commonwealth Government has declared Golden Plains Shire local government area as a COVID-19 hotspot effective 5 August to 27 August 2021.

This declaration enables private aged care providers in Golden Plains Shire to access the Support for Aged Care Workers in Covid-19 (SACWIC) funding to implement single-site employment (SSE).

Members will be advised if these arrangements are extended longer than the nominated two-week periods.

What has changed?

Aged care providers will only receive additional Commonwealth funding if the employee chooses – as their primary worksite – the site at which they ordinarily work their most hours.

What does this mean for me?

The worksite where you work the most hours will become your primary workplace, rather than you getting to choose which site will become your primary workplace. Your ‘primary workplace’ will be the single site at which you will work all your shifts. That worksite will employ you for at least your total normal hours by providing additional hours equal to or greater than the hours you were working elsewhere.

If the employer does not have sufficient rostered hours to employ you for the additional hours, then they must employ you for supernumerary hours (shifts that are additional to the usual number of staff on a shift) up to the foregone number of hours. The primary employer can then make a declaration to the Commonwealth for reimbursement of the supernumerary paid hours that have been worked.

Who is impacted?

Employees (including casual employees) of residential aged care who work at more than one residential aged care site.

What happens with my other jobs in residential aged care?

Your other employer/s must:

1. grant you unpaid single site leave for the duration of the period.

2. preserve your accrued annual leave and personal leave

3. keep your job open for you to return to at the conclusion of the period

4. ensure that the period unpaid single site leave is treated as service for long service leave purposes.

Will I be financially worse off?

An impacted employee will not be worse off financially.

What about public sector aged care?

ANMF notes public sector aged care across Victoria will continue single site employment until 30 September 2021 as previously advised.

What if I need further advice or support from ANMF (Vic Branch)?

In the first instance, contact Member Assistance via our online form: www.anmfvic.asn.au/memberassistance

Do you believe you are being disadvantaged and require assistance?

If you require individual assistance because you believe you are being disadvantaged by the new requirements restricting you to working at a single workplace, please contact ANMF via www.anmfvic.asn.au/dualemployment

ANMF encourages members to raise any concerns they have with management in the first instance as quickly as possible in addition to seeking assistance from ANMF.

Got a colleague not receiving ANMF emails?

If you have an ANMF colleague who is not receiving these newsflash emails, please pass this on and let them know they can re-subscribe via anmfvic.asn.au/resubscribe

Encourage your colleagues to join ANMF

Please invite your aged care nursing and personal care worker colleagues to join their union so they have access to support, advice and information about their employment. Let them know they can join via anmfvic.asn.au/join

Related