100 signatures reached
To: Department of Education and Training Victoria & Premier Daniel Andrews
Coronavirus: Sick & Closure Pay for Casual Teachers & ES Staff
We call on Premier Daniel Andrews and the Victorian Education Department to:
1) Provide sick pay and carer's leave for Casual Relief Teachers, Casual Education Support Staff, School Cleaning Staff and any affected Contract Staff, in the event that they are required to self-isolate and be absent from work because of coronavirus, or potential coronavirus.
2) Ensure that Casual Relief Teachers, Casual Education Support Staff, School Cleaning Staff, and any affected Contract Staff will be paid (at a minimum of their average weekly income for this year) in the event of schools being required to close by the Education Department because of coronavirus.
3) Indefinite extension of sick and carers leave for all school employees for the pandemic period.
4) Return to employing relief teachers and support staff on a full time or part time ongoing basis. This would form a pool of relieving staff to be deployed to schools as needed on short term basis.
Why is this important?
If Casual Relief Teachers or Casual Education Support staff are sick or required to self-isolate they will not get sick pay. This puts real pressure on our colleagues to come to work sick. If schools are required to close they will not be paid.
Public health is not an individual responsibility, it is a social responsibility.