How to sign up for the Sick Pay Guarantee

Check your eligibility and sign up for sick and carer’s pay with the Sick Pay Guarantee.

Sick and carer’s pay for casual and contract workers

Sign up today, before you get sick. You must be signed up before you can claim sick and carer’s pay.

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Who is eligible

The Sick Pay Guarantee is for casual and contract workers who are not able to work because they are ill, injured or caring for someone, and do not have access to paid leave entitlements.

You can sign up if:

  • you have the right to work in Australia
  • you're 15 or older
  • you go to work in Victoria
  • you're working an average of 7.6 hours or more each week in at least one eligible job (see Eligible jobs)
  • you do not have access to paid leave entitlements at any job.

You must be aged over 15 years. If you are under 18 years old you will need your parent or guardian to consent to the terms and conditions on your behalf.

  • Eligible contract workers include people who are self-employed with no other employees, such as a sole trader or an independent contractor (see Contractors and sole traders).
  • Temporary residents, permanent residents, visa holders or New Zealanders can take part in the Sick Pay Guarantee pilot if you meet the eligibility criteria, including having the right to work in Australia.
  • People who live outside Victoria are eligible if you meet the eligibility criteria, including that you physically work in Victoria.
  • People who work for a company whose headquarters (or office) is in another state are eligible if you meet the eligibility criteria, including that you physically work in Victoria.

You can check your eligibility and sign up through Service Victoria.

For more information see the Program Guidelines.

Eligible jobs

Food, hospitality and accommodation

Retail, sales and supermarkets

Factories, manufacturing and supermarket supply chains

If you work in a supermarket your job may be listed under retail, sales and supermarkets.

Administration, clerical and call centres

Cleaning and laundry

Beauty, fitness, tourism and outdoor recreation

Taxi, rideshare and delivery driving

Truck drivers are eligible where they work as part of a supermarket supply chain. If you are a truck driver your job may be listed under factories, manufacturing and supermarket supply chains.

Security

Carers, aides, health and welfare support

Farm, agriculture, forestry, gardening and animal care

Arts and creative industries

The Sick Pay Guarantee pilot focuses on the industries with some of the highest rates of casual and contract workers who do not have access to sick pay, whose work hours are often unpredictable and low paid, and where people who are more likely to experience hardship are overrepresented

More jobs may be added as the pilot program progresses.

How to sign up

You can sign up for the Sick Pay Guarantee through Service Victoria.

You must sign up and be approved before you can claim sick or carer’s pay.

You only need to do this once.

Sign up

  1. Complete the eligibility checker.
  2. Log in to your Service Victoria account, or create a new account if you don’t have one.
  3. Review and submit your details.

You can continue on to complete your application, or log out and return later.

You should complete your application as soon as possible – don’t wait until you’re sick.

Complete your application to get approved

  1. Log in to your Service Victoria account.
  2. Submit:

After you complete your application, we will review it and email you the outcome. This takes up to five business days.

You can start claiming sick and carer’s pay when your application is approved.

ID and proof of work documents

You will need to provide ID and proof of work documents when you sign up for the Sick Pay Guarantee.

You do not need to provide information about the household income or work status of your parents, partner or other household members.

What happens after you sign up

After you sign up we will:

  • email you to confirm we have received your application
  • review your application
  • email you the outcome.

This takes up to five business days.

Your application may be audited by the Victorian Government or its representatives. You may need to give more evidence if asked. For more information see the Program Guidelines.

If we approve your application, we'll also email you instructions on how to make a claim.

For more information about claims and payments, see How to make a claim.

How to get help

To get help with signing up, you can:

Health & social supportBusiness

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