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 because Victoria has restrictions and permit requirements for people under 15 years in relation to paid work. People under 18 will need your parent or guardian to consent to entering the terms and conditions within the Sick Pay Guarantee Program Guidelines on your behalf.
- Eligible contract workers include people who are self-employed with no other employees (and don’t hire contractors or pay anyone to do their work for them), such as a sole trader or an independent contractor.
- 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 .
For more information see the Program Guidelines.
Eligible jobs
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Providing general household assistance, emotional support, care and companionship for aged and people with a disability in their own homes.
When aged or disability carers are working in a person’s home, ‘home’ may include residential settings such as residential aged care, supported independent living, and specialist disability accommodation where a person lives.
- Aged or Disability Care Worker
- Aged or Disability Carer
- Disabilities Services Officer
- Personal Care Worker
- Personal Carer
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Cleaning vehicles, commercial, industrial and domestic premises, construction sites and industrial machines, and clothing and other items in laundries and dry‑cleaning establishments.
- Aircraft Cabin Cleaner
- Car Detailer
- Carpet Cleaner
- Chimney Sweep
- Commercial Cleaner
- Commercial Housekeeper
- Domestic Cleaner
- Domestic Housekeeper
- Drycleaner
- Folding Machine Operator
- Graffiti Cleaner
- High Pressure Cleaner
- Ironer or Presser
- Laundry Worker (General)
- Linen Sorter
- School Cleaner
- Swimming Pool Cleaner
- Upholstery Cleaner
- Vehicle Detailer
- Window Cleaner
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Preparing food in fast food establishments, assisting food trades workers and service staff to prepare and serve food, cleaning food preparation and service areas.
- Bakery Assistant
- Butcher’s Assistant
- Chef’s Assistant
- Cook’s Assistant
- Dishwasher
- Fast Food Cook
- Kitchen Steward
- Kitchenhand
- Pantry Attendant
- Pastrycook’s Assistant
- Sandwich Hand
- Short Order Cook
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Baking bread and pastry goods; preparing meat for sale; planning, organising, preparing and cooking food for dining and catering establishments.
- Baker
- Butcher or Smallgoods Maker
- Cake Decorator
- Chef
- Chef de Partie
- Commis Chef
- Cook
- Demi Chef
- Dough Maker
- Pastrycook
- Second Chef
- Sous Chef
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Providing services to patrons of hotels, bars, cafes, restaurants, casinos and similar establishments:
- Bar Attendant
- Bar Back
- Bar Steward
- Bar Useful or Busser
- Barista
- Cafe Assistant
- Cafe Attendant
- Cafe Worker
- Canteen Attendant
- Casino Gaming Inspector
- Cellar Hand (Hotel)
- Croupier
- Doorperson or Luggage Porter
- Drink Waiter
- Food and Beverage Attendant
- Formal Service Waiter
- Front Office Manager (Hotel)
- Gaming Pit Boss
- Gaming Worker
- Glassie
- Head Housekeeper
- Head Porter (Hotel)
- Hotel Concierge
- Hotel Office Manager
- Hotel Service Manager
- Hotel Service Supervisor
- Silver Service Waiter
- Sommelier
- Uniform Room Attendant
- Waiter
- Wine Steward
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Including workers who fill shelves and display areas in stores and supermarkets; load and unload trucks and containers; and handle goods and freight.
- Forklift Driver
- Forklift Operator
- Fork Truck Operator
- Freight Handler (Rail or Road)
- Freight Loader
- Janitor
- Night Filler
- Other Clerical and Administrative Workers who work in supermarket supply chains
- Customer Orders Clerk
- Delivery Clerk
- Internal Salesperson
- Inventory Clerk
- Logistics Clerk
- Mail Order Clerk
- Order Clerk
- Procurement Officer
- Production Clerk
- Production Recorder
- Purchasing Officer
- Sales Order Clerk
- Schedule Clerk
- Stock Clerk
- Stock Control Clerk
- Stores Clerk
- Supply Clerk
- Warehouse Administrator
- Shelf Filler
- Storepersons working in supermarket supply chains including:
- Chiller Hand
- Manufacturing Storeperson
- Order Picker/Assembler
- Storeperson
- Stores Assistant
- Stores Despatch Hand
- Warehouse Assistant
- Truck Driver’s Offsider
- Truck Driver (General)
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Providing assistance to retailers, wholesalers and sales staff by operating cash registers, modelling, demonstrating, selecting, buying, promoting and displaying goods.
- Cashier
- Checkout Operator
- Entertainment Usher
- Gatekeeper
- Merchandise Planner
- Merchandiser
- Mystery Shopper
- Office Cashier
- Other Sales Support Worker
- Personal Shopper
- Retail Buyer
- Sales Demonstrator
- Service Station Console Operator
- Telemarketer
- Ticket Collector or Usher
- Ticket Seller
- Turnstile Attendant
- Venue Attendant
- Visual Merchandiser
- Window Dresser
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Selling goods and services directly to the public on behalf of retail and wholesale establishments.
- Automotive Parts Interpreter
- Bottle Dealer
- Car Rental Sales Assistant
- Carpet Measurer
- Cash Van Salesperson
- Checkout Supervisor
- Clothing Sales Assistant
- Cosmetic Sales Assistant
- Door-to-door Salesperson
- Driveway Attendant
- Fast Food Sales Assistant
- Fleet Salesperson
- Hardware Sales Assistant
- Ice-cream Van Vendor
- ICT Sales Assistant
- Industrial Hire Sales Assistant
- Lotteries Agent
- Market Stall Vendor
- Materials Recycler
- Milk Vendor
- Mobile Phone Salesperson
- Motor Vehicle or Caravan Salesperson
- Motor Vehicle Parts Interpreter / Automotive Parts Salesperson
- Motor Vehicle Salesperson
- Optical Dispenser / Dispensing Optician
- Party Plan Salesperson
- Pharmacy Sales Assistant
- Rental Clerk
- Rental Salesperson
- Retail Sales Assistant
- Retail Supervisor
- Sales Assistant (General)
- Sales Department Supervisor
- Scrap Materials Buyer
- Service Station Attendant
- Street Vendor
- Swimming Pool Salesperson
- Video Library Assistant
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Providing security and investigative services to organisations and individuals, excluding armoured car escorts and private investigators.
- Bouncer
- Crowd Controller
- Mobile Patrol Officer
- Retail Loss Prevention Officer
- Security Guard
- Security Officer
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 vulnerable groups are overrepresented, such as people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, women and young people.
More jobs will be added as the pilot program progresses.
How to sign up
You can sign up for the Sick Pay 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
- Complete the eligibility .
- Log to your Service Victoria account, or create a new account if you don’t have one.
- Review and submit your details.
You can continue on to complete your application, or log out and return later.
We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible – don’t wait until you’re sick.
Complete your application to get approved
- Log to your Service Victoria account.
- Submit:
- ID
- Proof of work document(s)
- Bank details.
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.
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If you are over 18, you'll need to provide two forms of ID. You can use any of the following:
Australian driver licence
Medicare card
Australian passport
Australian birth certificate
Foreign passport (with a valid Australian Visa Grant Notice)
ImmiCard
Australian Citizenship Certificate
Under 18 years of age or not an Australian citizen or permanent resident
If you’re under 18 years of age or not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and don’t have two forms of ID, provide the one form of ID you have.During the online application in Service Victoria, we will ask you to provide two ID documents. In the second “Choose your ID” screen you can select “I don’t have this”.
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All applicants
All applicants need to provide the ABN of their employer or their own ABN if self-employed. An ABN is an 11-digit Australian Business Number.
If you're casually employed, you can find your employer's ABN on your payslip, letter of offer or by searching the Australian Business Register.
If your employer has a Withholding Payer Number (WPN), please contact sickpayguarantee@ecodev.vic.gov.au or call the Sick Pay Guarantee hotline on 1800 979 641.
Casual workers
If you are casually employed, you'll need to provide at least one of the following:
- a payslip from your employer no more than a month old
- your current employment contract that is less than 12 months old
- your current employment contract
- a letter or email from your employer.
If you don't have any of these, you can upload a Statutory Declaration .
Self-employed contract workers
If you are a self-employed contract worker, you'll need to provide at least one of the following:
- a Business Activity Statement no more than six months old
- your latest PAYG (Pay As You Go) summary
- an ASIC or ABR registration confirmation
- an invoice you've issued that shows your ABN and business name, no more than six months old.
If you don't have any of these, you can upload a Statutory Declaration .
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:
- contact
- call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask for the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee hotline
- read the information in languages other than
- contact your local neighbourhood house or visit .
Reviewed 16 February 2023