Extension to unpaid pandemic leave in schedule X
22 December 2021
On 20 and 21 December 2021, the Fair Work Commission (Commission) issued decisions to extend the operation of the unpaid pandemic leave provision of Schedule X—Additional measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in 73 awards until 30 June 2022. The provision to take twice as much annual leave at half pay of Schedule X is due to expire on 31 December 2021 in the 73 awards. In the Mobile Crane Hiring Award 2020, Schedule X had expired on 29 March 2021, however the unpaid pandemic leave provision of Schedule X was reinstated separately.
The Commission notes that this further extension is a necessary step given the evolving status of the COVID-19 pandemic and the remaining ‘regulatory gap’ impacting employees who must self-isolate because they have been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19 but have not tested positive to COVID-19, consequently preventing them from working and not able to access paid sick leave. This will support the vital public policy objective of encouraging those who are required to self-isolate to do so, thus helping businesses to remain open and limit the transmission of COVID-19 in workplaces. This is particularly important whilst various COVID-19-related restrictions are lifting, resulting in a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 infections, and thus the demand for COVID-19 testing increasing.
List of modern awards impacted
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020
- Aged Care Award 2010
- Airline Operations-Ground Staff Award 2020
- Airport Employees Award 2020
- Alpine Resorts Award 2020
- Aluminium Industry Award 2020
- Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award 2020
- Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020
- Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020
- Aquaculture Industry Award 2020
- Architects Award 2020
- Asphalt Industry Award 2020
- Banking, Finance and Insurance Award 2020
- Building and Construction General On-Site Award 2020
- Business Equipment Award 2020
- Car Parking Award 2020
- Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award 2020
- Cemetery Industry Award 2020
- Children's Services Award 2010
- Cleaning Services Award 2020
- Contract Call Centres Award 2020
- Corrections and Detention (Private Sector) Award 2020
- Cotton Ginning Award 2020
- Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award 2020
- Fast Food Industry Award 2010
- Fitness Industry Award 2020
- Food, Beverage and Tobacco Manufacturing Award 2020
- Funeral Industry Award 2020
- Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020
- General Retail Industry Award 2020
- Graphic Arts, Printing and Publishing Award 2020
- Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2010
- Health Professional and Support Services Award 2020
- Horse and Greyhound Training Award 2020
- Horticulture Award 2020
- Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020
- Joinery and Building Trades Award 2020
- Labour Market Assistance Industry Award 2020
- Legal Services Award 2020
- Local Government Industry Award 2020
- Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2020
- Meat Industry Award 2020
- Medical Practitioners Award 2020
- Mobile Crane Hiring Award 2020
- Nursery Award 2020
- Nurses Award 2020
- Pastoral Award 2020
- Pest Control Industry Award 2020
- Pharmaceutical Industry Award 2020
- Pharmacy Industry Award 2020
- Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020
- Poultry Processing Award 2020
- Premixed Concrete Award 2020
- Professional Diving Industry (Recreational) Award 2020
- Professional Employees Award 2020
- Racing Clubs Events Award 2020
- Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award 2020
- Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2020
- Restaurant Industry Award 2020
- Salt Industry Award 2020
- Seafood Processing Award 2020
- Security Services Industry Award 2020
- Silviculture Award 2020
- Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010
- State Government Agencies Award 2020
- Storage Services and Wholesale Award 2020
- Sugar Industry Award 2020
- Supported Employment Services Award 2020
- Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Associated Industries Award 2020
- Timber Industry Award 2020
- Waste Management Award 2020
- Water Industry Award 2020
- Wine Industry Award 2020
- Wool Storage, Sampling and Testing Award 2020
When will the changes come into effect?
The change will come into effect on
1 January 2022.
To view the decisions in full click
here and
here.
To view the determinations in full click
here.
Further information
To view the varied awards from the operative date above, click
here.