‘Better for the entire country’: epidemiologists join growing calls to pay sick leave to casuals

‘No one should have to choose between their health and a day’s pay’: The Victorian government has unveiled early results of its sick leave for casuals trial. Photograph: Jozef Polc/Alamy

When the Albanese government unveiled its new domestic violence leave scheme this week, casual employees were front of mind.

“The principle is if someone is wanting to get out, we don’t want ‘do you lose your job’ or ‘are you going to lose money’ to be on the list of difficulties that that individual is facing,” the workplace relations minister, Tony Burke, told ABC radio on Tuesday.