Breaking News - Work Permits and Curfews Return

Morning Gurus

As Victorians process the latest news that the 6th lockdown will be extended for another 2 weeks, they also need to get their heads around tougher restrictons.

In yesterdays presser Dan Andrews lamented what he labelled many Victorians "shitty decisions" and blamed those who made them for the announcement of the return of tougher rules.

From last night, a curfew will run from 9pm to 5am. Essential workers will also need work permits, with staffing on big construction sites capped at 25 per cent of the usual numbers.

Playgrounds, skate parks and public excercise equipment will also close.

The clincher for many parents was the decision to close playgrounds, This it would seem is the last straw for many who are on a knifesedge desperately trying to remain positive whilst Melbournrians are experiencing the toughest lockdown restrictions globally once again.

So what does this mean for businesses? It means you have less than 24 hours to implement and issue work permits for your essential workers if you qualify. Fines and penalties apply. The Victorian Government Website states:

From 11:59pm Tuesday 17 August, workplaces in Melbourne must be closed unless:

• The workplace is an authorised provider or service, or
• All employees are working from home.

Visit this page to see a list of authorised providers and workers.

From 11:59pm on Tuesday 17 August, employers that require their staff to attend a work site must issue a worker permit to their employees – this is the employer’s responsibility. Advice on how to access the authorised worker permit is provided below.

Penalties of up to $21,808 (for individuals) and $109,044 (for businesses) will apply to employers who issue worker permits to employees who do not meet the requirements of the worker permit scheme or who otherwise breach the scheme requirements.

There will also be on-the-spot fines of up to $1,817 (for individuals) and up to $10,904 (for businesses) for anyone who breaches the scheme requirements. This includes employers and employees who do not carry their worker permit when travelling to and from work.

Eligibility
Employers can issue a worker permit to their employee if:

• The organisation is on the list of Authorised providers and authorised workers list 
• The employee is working in an approved category for on-site work, and
• The employee cannot work from home.

In rare circumstances an employee does not need a worker permit. This includes:

• if an employee is at risk at home, such as at risk of family violence
• law enforcement, emergency services or health care workers who carry employer-issued photographic identification, which clearly identifies the employer. The list of these exceptions is below.

An employee must not use a worker permit and must not attend work, even if they have been issued a permit, if:

• They test positive to COVID-19 and are required to self-isolate
• They are a close contact of someone who has tested positive and are required to self-isolate

Information employers will need
To issue a worker permit, employers will need:

• Name, ABN, company address and trading name
• The name and date of birth of the employee
• The employee’s regular hours and place of work
• To meet all eligibility criteria, including that the business is a permitted activity
• To meet all relevant legal obligations 
• To have a COVIDSafe Plan in place
• To authorise a person or people to issue the worker permit.

How to issue a worker permit
Each employee required to be on site must receive an individual worker permit with the required details.

Employers must:

• Download the Authorised Worker Permit and fill it out. 
  • Employers must use this template for all worker permits issued under this scheme.
• Sign the worker permit. You can print and sign or sign it electronically.
  • Businesses must get an authorised person to sign the worker permit. This person could be the CEO, a HR manager, or an operations manager. 
  • They must be accountable for the details they provide. 
  • They may be contacted by Victoria Police or other enforcement agencies to confirm the details.
• Ask the employee to sign the worker permit. They can print and sign or sign electronically.
  • You can email or text the worker permit to your employee.
  • An employee may travel to work without a worker permit once to get their first permit.

Carrying a worker permit
Employees must carry the worker permit and photo identification when travelling to and from the workplace.

A worker permit can be shown electronically to authorities such as a photo, or scanned copy, on a mobile device.

Downloading the permits

Can be done by using the following links:

Authorised Provider and Authorised Worker Permit
PDF 164.71 KB

Authorised Provider and Authorised Worker Permit
DOCX 62.13 KB

If you are confused about what this means for you and your business then reach out we would happy to assist you to execute a plan of attack.

With success.

Emily and Jessy