Worker Winter Retention and Surge Payment: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the Worker Winter Retention and Surge Payment?
The Worker Winter Retention and Surge Payment (the payment) is a payment capped at $3,000 per employee and will be available to all eligible workers in public health services, including clinical and non-clinical staff.

2.  Who is eligible for the payment?
All employees who are directly employed by a public health service, Ambulance Victoria and Forensicare (including casual, clinical and non-clinical workers) as at 15 August 2022 will receive the first payment and those remaining employed as at 30 September 2022 will receive the second payment. Ambulance Victoria and Forensicare employees are eligible for the payment. Hospital Board Directors and those working in an honorary or volunteer capacity will not be eligible for the payment.

3. What is the eligible 3-month period?
1 July 2022 – 30 September 2022.

4. I have changed employers with the public health system during the eligibility period. Am I eligible for the payment?
Yes, as long as you remain employed as at 15 August 2022 for the first payment and as at 30 September 2022 for the second payment. Proof of employment will be required. This may be by way of certificate of employment from your previous employer including your hours worked or contracted FTE. Where you were employed on those two key dates will determine which employer pays the support payment. If evidence from your previous employer is not provided, you may not be eligible for payment for that part of the eligibility period.

5. My FTE has changed during the eligibility period. How is the payment calculated?
The payment is calculated based on hours worked. So, for any period you worked as either a part- time employee or casual, only the hours worked will contribute to your pro-rata payment. Similarly, if you are full-time but take a period of leave without pay, your payment will be pro-rated based on actual hours worked. The split payments will be calculated based on the hours worked in each of the two payment periods.

6. I have changed employers within the public health system during the eligibility period but had a period between jobs where I was not actively employed. Am I eligible for the payment?
So long as you are employed on one or both of the payment dates then the payment will be calculated pro rata on your length of employment, FTE and hours actually worked. You will be paid for hours worked from the health service that you are working for on each payment date.

7.  I started working in a public health service after 15 August 2022 but remained employed as at 30 September 2022. Am I eligible for both payments?
No. You will only be eligible for the second payment based pro rata on your FTE/actual hours worked, and length of time employed.

8. I was employed as at 15 August 2022 but left the public health service before 30 September 2022. Am I eligible for both payments?
No. You are eligible for the first payment, but you must be employed as at 30 September 2022 in the public health service to be eligible to receive the second payment.

9. I have resigned from the public health service but remain employed over the key payment dates; am I eligible for the payment?
Yes, if you are employed on 15 August 2022 you are eligible for the first payment, and if you are still employed on 30 September 2022 you are eligible for the second payment.

10. I am a casual public health employee, am I eligible for the payment?
Yes. You must have been employed as a casual and have worked at least one rostered shift between 1 July 2022 and 15 August 2022 to be eligible for the first payment and at least one shift between 16 August 2022 and 30 September 2022 to be eligible for the second payment.

Eligible casuals will have their payment calculated on their hours worked during the eligibility period measured as a percentage compared with an FTE. The payment is capped at $3,000 for all eligible workers.

11.  I moved from being a full-time or part-time employee in the public health system to a casual employee during the eligibility period, am I eligible for the payment?
Yes. Employees who remain employed within the public health system as at 15 August 2022 (first payment) and 30 September (second payment) are eligible. Your payment will be calculated pro rata based on hours worked as part-time/full-time worker and as a casual. Further, to be eligible for the second payment, if you are a casual during the relevant period, you must have worked at least one shift between 16 August 2022 and 30 September 2022.

12.  When will the payment be made?
Payments will be made as soon as practicable after the end of the pay cycle that includes the worked shift on 15 August 2022 (for the first payment) and 30 September 2022 (for the second payment).

13.  I am on paid leave. Will I be eligible for the payment?
Full-time and part-time employees on paid leave for part of or the full Eligibility Period are entitled to a payment based on their contracted FTE.

14.  I am on unpaid leave; will I be eligible for the payment?
Except for unpaid parental leave that commenced after 15 August 2021, if you are on unpaid leave from the health service for the entire eligibility period you will not be eligible for the payment. If you returned from unpaid leave for part of the eligibility period and resumed paid employment then you will be eligible to receive a prorated payment based on the time spent in paid employment or on paid leave.

Employees who commenced unpaid parental leave after 15 August 2021 are eligible.

15.  I am on WorkCover leave and have not been working; will I be eligible for the payment?
For the purpose of this payment, WorkCover is treated as a form of paid leave. If you are a current full-time or part-time employee and meet other eligibility criteria, then you are entitled to the payment prorated based on your contracted FTE. Casual staff in receipt of workers compensation payments on WorkCover leave will have their payment calculated based on their hours worked during the eligibility period.

16.  I am a new public health employee but commenced work after 1 July 2022. Am I eligible for the payment?
Yes, new employees that are either full-time, part-time or casual will be eligible for the payment if they commenced after 1 July 2022 and remain employed as at 15 August 2022 (for the first payment) and 30 September 2022 (for the second payment). The payment will be calculated pro rata based on the period of time that the employee has been employed for and based on their FTE or actual hours worked (as applicable).

17. I was employed within the public health system during the eligibility period but ceased employment prior to 15 August 2022. Am I eligible for all or part of the payment?
No, you must remain employed within the public health system as at 15 August 2022 to be eligible to receive the first payment and as at 30 September 2022 to be eligible for the second payment.

18.  I worked overtime during the eligibility period; am I entitled to a larger payment?
In all cases, the maximum amount payable is capped based on a 38 hour week. For full-time employees this means no overtime can count towards the payment.

For part-time employees, actual hours worked in excess of their contracted FTE may be counted but only to a maximum of 38 hours per week. This will generally include hours paid at ordinary rates but may include overtime depending on the terms of an applicable enterprise agreement.

19.  I was rostered to work an extra shift and/or was on-call, but I did not end up working that shift. Will those additional rostered/on-call hours contribute to the payment received despite not working them?
No. The payments for all employees (full-time, part-time and casual) are calculated based on actual hours worked or due to leave in accordance with the guidance note.

20.  I work at multiple public health services; will I be eligible for the payment from each health service?
Yes, the payment will be prorated against your actual hours worked at each health service provided you meet all other eligibility criteria and the maximum amount payable is capped based on a 38 hour week.