As of the 14th of March 2022, the Victorian Government introduced a paid sick leave scheme to help support vulnerable and vital workers across the state.
The 2-year scheme is funded by the Victorian Government and guarantees up to 5 days/38 hours of paid sick and/or carer’s leave per year to eligible casual and contract workers.
Am I eligible for the Sick Pay Guarantee?
As a casual employee of Sidekicker, you may be eligible if you meet all of the following criteria:
Have the right to work in Australia
Physically work in Victoria
Not be entitled to paid leave in any of your jobs
Work an average of 7.6 hours per week (find out how to calculate your average hours here)
Work in an eligible occupation
If you meet this criteria, you may still be eligible, even if you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Eligible occupations currently include:
Hospitality workers
Food trade and food preparation assistants
Supermarket workers and supermarket supply chain labourers
Sales support workers
Aged care and disability care workers
In addition to this criteria, you will also need to:
Ensure that you submit your claim within 60 days of the absence from work
Confirm that you were unable to work due to illness or injury that affected you, or you had to care for and support an immediate family member, or a member of your household
Not have been receiving other income or earnings during the claim period (including paid work, worker's compensation, Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, Covid-19 Disaster Payment, or JobSeeker Payment)
For the most up-to-date information surrounding eligibility criteria, please visit the Victorian Government website.
How much am I eligible to receive?
All claims are paid by the Government at the national minimum wage for absences from 1 July 2022, regardless of whether you claim for a weekday, weekend or public holiday.
How can I apply for paid sick and/or carer's leave?
Eligible workers can submit their applications to the Government here. While employers are not involved in the application process, you will be required to prove that you are employed to support your application.
The quickest and easiest way to demonstrate that you are an employee of Sidekicker is by providing one of the following documents:
A payslip received in the last month, or
If you have not received a payslip in the last month, an Employment Verification Letter
How can I access my payslips from Sidekicker?
Payslips are sent via email (by [email protected]) every Thursday for work completed in the week prior. If you are unable to locate a particular payslip, let us know and we’ll find it for you.
How can I obtain an Employment Verification Letter?
Employment Verification Letters include the following information:
Date of verification
Employer name and contact information
Confirmation of employment
Confirmation of contract type
Confirmation of first shift date and number of shifts completed
You can request a letter from Sidekicker at any time by following these steps:
Log in to your Sidekicker account
Click on your profile photo in the upper right-hand corner
Click on Account settings > Employment details
Scroll down the page until you see 'Employment Verification Letter’
Click on the 'Request Letter' button
Check your email inbox to find your Employment Verification Letter
Still have questions?
As Sidekicker is not involved in the application process, we recommend visiting the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee FAQs page or contacting the Government directly if you have further questions.
However, if you're still in need of assistance, feel free to get in touch with us via the blue chat bubble on Sidekicker and we will see if there is anything we can do to help.