Thank Essential Workers- Don't Remove Support

Essential workers have continued to turn up to work throughout the pandemic.

Already there have been over 700 public servants and disability workers infected with COVID-19 at work with disability workers also infected.

Already we have seen PSA members in Disability group homes, Juvenile Justice, NSW Prisons, Private Prisons, transport, and now we are experiencing 100s of school closures and exposures.

From the start of the pandemic there has been presumptive legislation to support essential workers when they get COVID with workers compensation, without the impossible task of having to prove you got it at work. This protects the following workers:
-public health employees,
-disability facilities,
-educational institutions, including pre-schools, schools and tertiary institutions
-police and emergency services
-transport services,
-libraries,
-courts and tribunals,
-correctional centres and detention centres,
-places of public entertainment or instruction (including, museums, galleries, cultural institutions and casinos),

The government has introduced a Bill to repeal these laws, which will mean that if you get COVID at work, you have to prove that you got it at work. The NSW Government has said that this change may take over $600 million out of the hands of injured workers and cut 75% of these claims.

These cuts passed the lower house in November with all the Government members. The Bill has been referred to the Upper House Committee where it is likely to be voted on in February.