Save COVID protections for essential workers

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet

In May last year, emergency protections were introduced to support essential workers who contract COVID-19.

The protections ensured that for the first 21 days, a sick worker didn't have to go through bureaucratic hoops to prove they contracted the disease at work. This is critical because we know essential workers are most likely to contract COVID-19 at work.

Imagine being hospitalised with COVID, even put on a ventilator, and then during your recovery having to go back and jump through bureaucratic hoops to prove you deserve income support.

Now, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet wants to repeal section 19B of the Workers Compensation Act which provides this protection.

It's an awful way to treat people. The Government says it's cheaper but any savings will be tiny compared to the impact on individuals who are already suffering.


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To: NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet
From: [Your Name]

I call on you to support workers compensation protections for essential workers who contract COVID-19.

This protection ensures essential workers don't have to jump through bureaucratic hoops to receive support if they contract COVID-19.

It also gave us the confidence and certainty as we re-open to know that the workers in retail, schools, healthcare, emergency services and more are protected.

Now is the worst time to attack health protections and undermine confidence.

We should be proud that NSW led the way in introducing this protection for essential workers and removing bureaucratic hoops. Instead, we have to now fight to protect what we already have.

Premier Perrottet, do the right thing and abandon your repeal bill.