Earn
1 million workers miss out on government protection
Casual workers will need to be employed for at least 12 months to be eligible to receive the government’s new coronavirus wage subsidy program, a government official has warned.
1 million workers miss out on government protection
Casual workers will need to be employed for at least 12 months to be eligible to receive the government’s new coronavirus wage subsidy program, a government official has warned.

Attorney-General and Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter has ruled out broadening the scope of the $130 billion scheme, which will see eligible workers receive $1,500 each fortnight.
“Even with expenditure of this extraordinary size, there has to be some definitions and some lines drawn,” he said
Under the JobKeeper scheme, which is designed to keep employees in work, employers are eligible for $1,500 a fortnight for six months.
While the ACTU wanted the government scheme to protect all workers, Mr Porter said it was too broad for the government to work with.

Secretary of the ACTU Sally McManus has previously welcomed the wage subsidy but wants it to go further.
“Firstly it should be backdated so all those who lost their jobs can be re employed. Secondly it needs to apply to all employers both big and small. Thirdly it must apply to all workers, whether they be casual workers, visa workers, contract workers or sole traders. Finally, if it is to be capped it should be capped at a generous level, no less than the median wage of $1,375 a week, Ms McManus previously said.
This definition could impact as many as 1.1 million casual workers who have not been working for their current employer for one year or more.
Mr Porter ruled out relaxing the requirement for a regular attachment to an employer over 12 months, saying the ACTU’s proposal was too broad.
“There has to be a line drawn,” he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
Legislation will be debated in Parliament on Wednesday as bureaucrats scramble to draft the laws.
The Morrison government wants to change the Fair Work Act to enable the temporary measures, but Labor and the unions fear unscrupulous companies could abuse the amendments.
About the author

About the author


Salary
The financial benefits of a diversified income stream
In today’s volatile economic environment, relying solely on a single source of income can be risky. Diversifying your income streams can provide financial stability, reduce the risk of financial ...Read more

Salary
Despite losing top spot, Elon Musk rakes in $400,000 hourly
Elon Musk, the entrepreneur known for his involvement in a wide range of innovative and technological businesses, has recently been dethroned as the wealthiest individual in the world, with Bernard ...Read more

Salary
Rising unemployment and skill shortages prompt Australian businesses to look globally for talent
Australia has witnessed its unemployment rate surging above 4% for the first time in two years, revealed by the latest Labour Force data. Read more

Salary
New findings link job mobility hurdles to stagnant wage growth
Recent research from the e61 Institute has unearthed significant links between slow wage growth in Australia and obstacles to job mobility, including non-compete clauses, complicated occupational ...Read more

Salary
Employers scrambling to prevent workplace brain drain
As workplace managers face a swiftly evolving employment market that’s increasingly favouring the demands of white-collar employees and jobseekers, bosses are falling under mounting pressure to ...Read more

Salary
Unions back Albanese’s pledge to close gender pay gap
An electoral promise from Labor to make gender pay equity an objective of the Fair Work Act has been hailed as a “watershed moment” from industry peak bodies who have traditionally advocated for ...Read more

Salary
Coles asked to disprove $115m in alleged wage theft
One of Australia’s biggest supermarkets faces allegations that it underpaid more than 7,500 employees a total of $115 million. Read more

Salary
Gen Z left behind in progress to gender equality
Women under 25 may emerge from the pandemic in a worse financial position than when it began, new research has shown. Read more

Salary
The financial benefits of a diversified income stream
In today’s volatile economic environment, relying solely on a single source of income can be risky. Diversifying your income streams can provide financial stability, reduce the risk of financial ...Read more

Salary
Despite losing top spot, Elon Musk rakes in $400,000 hourly
Elon Musk, the entrepreneur known for his involvement in a wide range of innovative and technological businesses, has recently been dethroned as the wealthiest individual in the world, with Bernard ...Read more

Salary
Rising unemployment and skill shortages prompt Australian businesses to look globally for talent
Australia has witnessed its unemployment rate surging above 4% for the first time in two years, revealed by the latest Labour Force data. Read more

Salary
New findings link job mobility hurdles to stagnant wage growth
Recent research from the e61 Institute has unearthed significant links between slow wage growth in Australia and obstacles to job mobility, including non-compete clauses, complicated occupational ...Read more

Salary
Employers scrambling to prevent workplace brain drain
As workplace managers face a swiftly evolving employment market that’s increasingly favouring the demands of white-collar employees and jobseekers, bosses are falling under mounting pressure to ...Read more

Salary
Unions back Albanese’s pledge to close gender pay gap
An electoral promise from Labor to make gender pay equity an objective of the Fair Work Act has been hailed as a “watershed moment” from industry peak bodies who have traditionally advocated for ...Read more

Salary
Coles asked to disprove $115m in alleged wage theft
One of Australia’s biggest supermarkets faces allegations that it underpaid more than 7,500 employees a total of $115 million. Read more

Salary
Gen Z left behind in progress to gender equality
Women under 25 may emerge from the pandemic in a worse financial position than when it began, new research has shown. Read more