Many of Australia’s largest employers expect workers to stay home if they test positive for COVID or are experiencing any illness symptoms, despite the national cabinet’s decision to loosen mandatory isolation restrictions.

The mandatory five-day COVID-19 isolation period lifted on Friday, meaning the end to pandemic restrictions. However, big banks, supermarkets and retail giants are holding fast to current workplace policies that direct workers not to enter the workplace if they are unwell.

“All team members are advised to carefully monitor for symptoms and never attend work if they have any COVID or flu-like symptoms,” a Coles spokesperson said. Coles retail workers are still expected to inform managers if they test positive for COVID and stay away from the workplace for at least three days.

Similarly, Woolworths team members and office employees who feel unwell are expected to stay away from the workplace until they are asymptomatic.

“Team members who are unwell, regardless if it is COVID-19, flu, common cold etc ... are strongly encouraged to stay home to rest and recover,” a spokesperson said.

Mandatory reporting of positive rapid antigen tests in Victoria and NSW have been scrapped from Thursday and Friday respectively, although authorities are still recommending people do so voluntarily.

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A spokesperson for department retailers Kmart and Target said symptomatic or unwell team members will be asked not to attend the workplace, while David Jones employees will be encouraged to stay home.

Each of the big four banks expect COVID-positive employees to remain home if they are unwell, with Westpac the most emphatic in effectively retaining the isolation period.