• In short: Thousands of casual, contract and self-employed workers across industries including childcare, tourism and hairdressing are now eligible for a Victorian trial offering 38 hours of sick and carer's pay each year
• What's next? The scheme has been extended by a year and will run until March 2025. Businesses have urged the government to rule out a business levy to fund the program after that time

Thousands of casual workers in childcare, tourism and other industries are eligible for up to 38 hours of taxpayer-funded sick and carer's pay each year, under a Victorian government trial. 

The state government has also extended the policy to run until March 2025 and has previously indicated that any ongoing scheme would likely be funded by an industry levy.

The trial, which was initially set to run for two years at a cost of $245.6 million, has already been open to roughly 150,000 workers across industries including hospitality, retail, aged care, cleaning and security.

According to the government, more than 76,000 casual, contract and self-employed workers have signed up since its launch in March last year.

In a statement, Employment Minister Ben Carroll said the scheme had covered more than 1.8 million hours of sick and carer's pay during that time.

Under the changes, the scheme will now be available to more industries including community support workers, taxi and rideshare drivers, arts workers, childcare and early childhood workers, fitness instructors, tourism and outdoor recreation workers, factory workers, fruit pickers and hairdressers.

Opposition accuses government of wasting taxpayer dollars on federal issue

When the program was announced, the state opposition and then-Coalition federal government questioned how the scheme would be funded once the trial period ended.

On Saturday, the Victorian opposition said the policy made no sense given casual work was a different type of employment that offered greater flexibility, and carried extra loading (more pay) to compensate workers for not receiving annual or sick leave.

"For the Andrews government to be stepping into what is a federal space now with workplace relations, doesn't seem to make any sense and they're using taxpayer dollars to boot," Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto said.

"So, we're concerned that the Andrews government is leaving Victoria broke.

"Daniel Andrews is not really explaining why he's spending taxpayer dollars on something that's not really a trial and, secondly, something that really should be regulated at the federal level."

Businesses urge government to 'rule out another levy'

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Paul Guerra backed the opposition's argument that casual workers were already paid a loading in lieu of entitlements such as leave.

"As the Victorian Chamber has previously stated, casual and contract workers have their sick and care leave entitlements factored into their higher take-home pay," he said.

"Interestingly, the guarantee has been under-utilised, supporting our position that it is not needed.

More information on the scheme can be found on the government's website or in the Service Victoria phone app.

The scheme is open to those 15 years or older who are legally working in Victoria for 7.6 or more hours per week without access to sick or carer's leave.

The following jobs are listed as eligible:

• Food, hospitality and accommodation
• Retail, sales and supermarkets
• Factories, manufacturing and supermarket supply chains
• Administration, clerical and call centres
• Cleaning and laundry
• Beauty, fitness, tourism and outdoor recreation
• Taxi, rideshare and delivery driving
• Security
• Carers, aides, health and welfare support
• Farm, agriculture, forestry, gardening and animal care
• Arts and creative industries