Aged care workers limited to working at a single site- how it works

Workers will be paid for all the hours they would have worked across multiple sites so long as they work those hours at a single site.
No provider or worker will be financially disadvantaged as a result of these Guidelines.

Summary of what you need to know:

- to minimise the chances of spreading COVID-19 across multiple sites, workers who have more than one aged care employer will choose a primary employer. This must be the employer they work most hours per week with.

- that facility will employ them for at least their total normal hours by providing additional hours equal to or greater than the hours they were working elsewhere.

- if the employer does not have sufficient rostered hours to employ the worker for additional hours forgone at other aged care facilities, then they must employ them for supernumerary hours up to the foregone amount.

- The employer can then make a declaration to the Commonwealth for reimbursement of the supernumerary paid hours that have been worked by that worker.

- In order to protect workforce continuity, the Guidelines are not mandatory; however they have been developed by the aged care sector to protect residents and staff and are strongly recommended by both the Commonwealth and State governments.

- The expectation is providers in Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will adhere to these guidelines for the next 8 weeks.

Source: Dept Health

Main image: Zach Vessels