The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment will provide those who usually work more than 20 hours per week with a payment of $500 for each week of work missed, and $325 per week for those who normally do less than 20 hours of work.

The payment will be available from Tuesday, 8 June by applying through Centrelink and will be subject to eligibility criteria, including:

• Applicants must be 17 years old or older
• Must be an Australian citizen, resident or visa holder
• Applicants must self-declare that they have lost income
• Applicants must live or work in a declared federal hotspot
• Applicants must have “insufficient entitlements” such as pandemic sick leave, but does not include sick leave or annual leave.

While the $500 will be a welcome relief for many, the national minimum wage stands at $753.80 per week, meaning many workers will still struggle to make ends meet during lockdown.

The Federal Government’s support will be in addition to the State Government’s $460 million extended Circuit Breaker Business Support Package which features three key support initiatives for businesses:

Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two: All Victorian businesses impacted by the latest lockdown can access a grant of $2,500, and eligible Melbourne businesses can access a further $2,500, totaling $5,000.

Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021: Grants of $3,500 are available for businesses holding an eligible liquor license and food certificate. The grant will be doubled to $7,000 for eligible businesses in metropolitan Melbourne.

Victorian Events Support Package: Details on this $20 million support package are still to be announced.

For the latest information, eligibility criteria and directions on how to apply for grants from the Victorian Government, head to the Business Victoria website. Information, eligibility criteria and directions on how to apply for non-business support should be made via Services Australia.

The Victorian Chamber has been advocating for a wage subsidy type payment for workers to supplement their lost income since Victoria’s fourth lockdown was announced, and we are pleased to see this latest announcement by the Federal Government.

“This news is timely as reports of employers standing down staff without pay in Victoria emerge as Lockdown Four drags on. For so many, this will put food on the table during the business and worker emergency that is gripping Victoria. It is a welcome support from the Federal Government for Victorian workers,” said Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Paul Guerra.

“While the support for workers and their families is welcome, we are concerned that in some cases these payments won’t keep workers connected to their job. We encourage businesses and workers to come together and stay connected. We don’t want to see additional costs for businesses to rehire and train staff when restrictions are lifted, as we know this is already a challenging time for business."

More information and help

For more information about what requirements are in place and what resources are available for your business, visit the Victorian Chamber’s COVID-19 resources page here.

As always, the most up-to-date information about restrictions are available on the Victoria Government’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) website. For information about how restrictions affect your business, visit the Business Victoria website.

If you, as an employer or an employer’s representative feel unsure about what your organisation has in place or would like help in putting a plan in place, please do not hesitate to contact the Victorian Chamber’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW) team on 03 8662 5196.

Members can also call our Workplace Relations Advice Line on 03 8662 5222 to discuss their employment obligations and any issues that arise.