What we do Projects Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee Neighbourhood Houses Victoria and the Victorian Government have partnered to help community members apply for the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee. The Sick Pay Guarantee provides up to 38 hours a year of sick and carer's pay to eligible casual and contract workers in certain jobs. Workers can sign up and claim the Sick Pay Guarantee online, however we understand that many people in our communities either lack access to devices or internet or lack confidence and skills in using technology. To ensure no one gets left behind, Neighbourhood Houses across the state are ready to help people sign up and access the Sick Pay Guarantee. Frequently asked questions Find a Neighbourhood House that can help you What is the Sick Pay Guarantee? The Sick Pay Guarantee provides eligible casual and contract workers with up to 38 hours a year of sick and carer's pay. It helps workers when they’re rostered on but they need to take time off because they’re sick or need to take care of a loved one. Victoria is the first state in Australia to have this program. It is a two-year pilot program, fully funded by the Victorian Government. You can sign up for free. Workers must sign up before they can start claiming sick and carer’s pay. Which jobs are included in the Sick Pay Guarantee? Jobs currently included are: Hospitality workers Food trades and food preparation assistants Supermarket workers and supermarket supply chain workers Retail and sales assistants Aged care and disability workers Cleaners and laundry workers Security guards. See the full list of eligible jobs. Who is eligible for the Sick Pay Guarantee? The program is open to casual and contract workers, including independent contractors and sole traders with no employees. To be eligible, you must meet the following eligibility requirements: Do not have access to paid annual, personal, sick or carer’s leave entitlements in any job. Aged 15 years or older. Physically work in Victoria. Have the right to work in Australia. Work an average of 7.6 hours per week or more in an eligible job. Can I sign up if I am not an Australian citizen or permanent resident? Yes. If you meet the eligibility requirements, including having the right to work in Australia, you can sign up. How do I know if I am eligible? Our Neighbourhood House Partners can help to check if you are eligible. You can also do a quick eligibility check online. How much will I be paid? Payments are made at the national minimum wage ($21.38 per hour), regardless of whether you claim for a weekday, weekend or public holiday. Can I claim sick pay on the same day that I sign up? You must sign up to the Sick Pay Guarantee before you can make a claim. After your application is approved (which can take up to five business days from when you sign up), you can start making claims. You can backdate claims up to 60 days, but no earlier than the date you signed up. For example, if you signed up on 15 January 2023, the first date you can claim sick and carer’s pay for is 15 January 2023. How do I sign up for the Sick Pay Guarantee? You can sign up by getting in contact with one of our Neighbourhood House Partners. You can also sign up online at vic.gov.au/sickpayguarantee or on the Service Victoria app. What do I need for the sign-up process? When you come to us to sign up for the Sick Pay Guarantee, there are a few things you should bring with you: ID document(s) Proof of work document(s) ABN of your employer (or ABN of your own business if you are self-employed) Address and phone number of your employer (or address and phone number of your own business if you’re self-employed) Bank details of where you want to receive payments. If you don’t have these items available, please get in contact with one of our Neighbourhood House Partners. We can still help you sign up. ID documents Please bring two* current forms of ID from this list: Medicare card Australian birth certificate Australian driver licence Current or recently expired Australian passport ImmiCard current or less than 3 years expired Foreign passport with a valid Australian visa with working rights Australian citizenship certificate. *People aged over 15 and under 18 only need to bring one ID document from the list. *If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident and you only have one form of ID, please bring the one form of ID that you do have. We can still help you sign up. Proof of work documents Casual workers – please bring one proof of work document from this list: recent payslip letter of offer current employment contract letter from your employer, or statutory declaration. Self-employed workers – please bring one proof of work document from this list: invoice issued by you business activity statement (BAS) latest pay as you go (PAYG) summary ASIC or ABR registration confirmation, or statutory declaration. How do I get help in another language? There is information in other languages on the Sick Pay Guarantee website. You can contact one of our Neighbourhood House Partners for help. You can also call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask for the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee hotline. List of Neighbourhood Houses that can help you The following Neighbourhood Houses are official Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee Partners. They are ready to help you sign up and access sick and carer’s pay. They are listed in alphabetical order according to local council area. Click on the organisation name to find their contact details. Ballarat City BALLARAT EAST Ballarat East Neighbourhood House SEBASTOPOL Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre Banyule City GREENSBOROUGH Diamond Valley Learning Centre IVANHOE Livingstone Community Centre ROSANNA Rosanna Fire Station Community House WATSONIA Watsonia Neighbourhood House Bass Coast Shire INVERLOCH Inverloch Community House WONTHAGGI Wonthaggi Neighbourhood Centre Baw Baw Shire WARRAGUL Warragul Community House Bayside City HIGHETT Highett Neighbourhood Community House Boroondara City KEW Kew Neighbourhood Learning Centre SURREY HILLS Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre Buloke Shire BIRCHIP Birchip Neighbourhood House CHARLTON Charlton Neighbourhood House SEA LAKE Sea Lake Neighbourhood House Campaspe Shire KYABRAM Kyabram Community and Learning Centre Casey City BERWICK Berwick Neighbourhood Centre Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House HALLAM Hallam Community Learning Centre Darebin City PRESTON Bridge Darebin - Preston RESERVOIR Reservoir Neighbourhood House THORNBURY Span Community House East Gippsland Shire BUCHAN Buchan Neighbourhood House SWIFTS CREEK Community Centre Swifts Creek Gannawarra Shire KERANG Kerang and District Community Centre Glen Eira City ORMOND Glen Eira Adult Learning Centre Golden Plains Shire MEREDITH Meredith Community Centre Greater Bendigo City HEATHCOTE Heathcote Community House LONG GULLY Long Gully Neighbourhood Centre Greater Dandenong City DANDENONG Dandenong Community and Learning Centre DANDENONG NORTH North Dandenong Neighbourhood House SPRINGVALE Springvale Neighbourhood House Greater Geelong City CORIO Cloverdale Community Centre Rosewall Community Centre HAMLYN HEIGHTS Vines Road Community Centre LARA Lara Community Centre Greater Shepparton City MOOROOPNA Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre Hindmarsh Shire NHILL Nhill Neighbourhood House Learning Centre Horsham Rural City HORSHAM Horsham Neighbourhood House Hume City SUNBURY Goonawarra Neighbourhood House Kingston City CHELTENHAM Cheltenham Community Centre Latrobe City CHURCHILL Churchill Neighbourhood Centre TRARALGON Traralgon Neighbourhood Learning House Macedon Ranges Shire WOODEND Woodend Neighbourhood House Manningham City PARK ORCHARDS Park Orchards Learning Centre Maribyrnong City YARRAVILLE Yarraville Community Centre WEST FOOTSCRAY West Footscray Neighbourhood House Maroondah City BAYSWATER NORTH Arrabri Community House Glen Park Community Centre Mildura Rural OUYEN Ouyen Neighbourhood House Moira Shire YARRAWONGA Yarrawonga Neighbourhood House Monash City NOTTING HILL Notting Hill Neighbourhood House Moorabool Shire BACCHUS MARSH Laurels Education and Training Moreland City COBURG East Coburg Neighbourhood House Newlands Neighbourhood House GLENROY Glenroy Neighbourhood Learning Centre PASCOE VALE Sussex Neighbourhood House Mount Alexander Shire CASTLEMAINE Castlemaine Community House Moyne Shire PORT FAIRY Port Fairy Community House Murrindindi Shire YEA Yea Community House Northern Grampians Shire ST ARNAUD St Arnaud Neighbourhood House South Gippsland Shire FOSTER Manna Gum Community House LEONGATHA Leongatha Community House Surf Coast Shire WINCHELSEA Winchelsea Community House Swan Hill Rural City SWAN HILL Swan Hill Neighbourhood House Wellington Shire SALE Sale Neighbourhood House Whitehorse City BLACKBURN NORTH Koonung Cottage Community House BLACKBURN SOUTH Avenue Neighbourhood House @ Eley BOX HILL Clota Cottage Neighbourhood House BOX HILL SOUTH Box Hill South Neighbourhood House VERMONT SOUTH Vermont South Learning Centre Whittlesea City WHITTLESEA Whittlesea Community House Yarriambiack Shire HOPETOUN Hopetoun and District Neighbourhood House WARRACKNABEAL Warracknabeal Neighbourhood House and Learning Centre