Workers and employers are being urged to review their options
The Fair Work Ombudsman has outlined workplace entitlements and employer obligations as extreme weather and bushfires affect parts of Australia.
Employers may stand down employees without pay when businesses temporarily close due to severe weather, equipment breakdowns, or work stoppages beyond the employer’s control. During stand-down periods, employees continue to accrue leave and are paid for public holidays.
Before implementing stand-downs, employers must consider alternatives, including working-from-home arrangements, changes to duties or rosters, and access to paid or unpaid leave.
Employees affected by severe weather can access several leave entitlements. Annual leave can be taken when employers and employees agree, with employers only able to refuse requests if the refusal is reasonable. In some cases, employers may direct employees to take annual leave under rules set out in awards and registered agreements.
Full-time and part-time employees can take paid sick leave for personal illness or injury caused by severe weather. Those who exhaust paid sick and carer’s leave are entitled to two days of unpaid carer’s leave per occasion. Casual employees can also access unpaid carer’s leave.
Employees can take carer’s leave to support immediate family or household members who are sick, injured or affected by unexpected emergencies, such as school closures due to severe weather.
Community service leave is available to employees, including casual workers, engaged in voluntary emergency management activities. The leave is unpaid and has no limit on duration. It covers time spent in the activity, plus reasonable travel and rest time.
Defence reservists called to assist with natural disasters and extreme weather have additional protections under the Defence Reserve Service (Protection) Act 2001, including the right to be released from work and to continue employment upon return.
Employers and employees can negotiate flexible working arrangements to manage natural disaster disruptions, including changes to hours, patterns, or location of work.
The Fair Work Ombudsman advises affected individuals to check the Bureau of Meteorology website for warnings and alerts. State authorities also maintain their own alerts and incidents pages.
Emergency financial assistance is available through Australian Government Disaster Assist, while the Disaster Health Care Assistance Scheme provides help with health-related out-of-pocket expenses resulting from natural disasters.
