You may be eligible if you usually work in a high-risk setting but you’re unable to work and earn income due to COVID-19.
If you get an income support payment, you won’t be eligible to get the High-Risk Settings Pandemic Payment.
What a high-risk setting is
A high-risk setting can be any of the following that involves frequent close contact:
- aged care, including home care with close personal care and support services
- disability care, including home care with close personal care and support services
- Aboriginal healthcare, including workers employed by National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (NACCHOs), community health care, Aboriginal drug and alcohol services and support services
- hospital care, including day hospitals and smaller facilities, paramedical, ambulance, patient transport and support.
For claims submitted from 11 November 2022, a high-risk setting also includes custodial settings, such as prison, youth justice and secure welfare services. These facilities may be either publicly or privately owned.
People who are employed as one of the following in a custodial setting may be eligible:
- state and territory government staff
- casuals and contractors, including health care staff who are employed by contracted health providers or agency staff
- operators of private facilities.
If you meet all the requirements
To be eligible, all of the following must apply. You:
- work in a high-risk setting
- can’t go to work because you’ve tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19)
- have registered your positive COVID-19 result with your state or territory authority
- are a casual employee or have no appropriate paid leave available
- have lost at least 8 hours or a full day’s work
- must submit a claim within 14 days of the first day you can’t go to work.
You’re not eligible for this payment if you’re able to work from home.
To be eligible, you must also meet all of the following. You:
- are at least 17 years old and live in Australia
- are an Australian resident or hold a visa that gives you the right to work in Australia
- are living in Australia during the 7 day period you’re claiming for
- are living in Australia when you submit your claim
- have no sick leave entitlements, including pandemic sick leave or personal leave
- have liquid assets of less than $10,000 on the first day of the period you’re claiming for
- you haven’t exceeded the claiming limits.
Liquid assets are any funds readily available to you in cash or savings, or assets that can easily be changed into cash. For example, money loaned to other people.
You may be asked to provide evidence before your claim can be assessed.
If you’ve claimed before
You can get HRSPP and Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment (PLPD) up to a combined total of 3 times in the 6 months, up to and including the first day you couldn’t work for your current claim.
Example one
Sam got PLDP for a 7 day period starting on 14 June 2022. She then got HRSPP for a 7 day period starting on 22 October 2022. She couldn’t work from 12 December 2022 and meets the eligibility rules.
Sam can make a claim for HRSPP for the period starting from 12 December 2022. This is because she has got HRSPP and PLDP less than 3 times combined in the 6 months up to and including 12 December 2022.
Example two
Alex got PLDP for a 7 day period starting on 1 July 2022. He got HRSPP for a 7 day period starting on 29 August 2022, and again for another 7 day period on 3 October 2022. He can’t work from 14 December 2022.
He’s unable to claim HRSPP again as he’s already got HRSPP and PLDP 3 times combined in the 6 months up to and including 14 December 2022.