The Commission in Court Session (CICS) has reviewed the operation of the COVID-19 Flexible Leave Arrangements General Order and the JobKeeper General Order and has concluded that they will cease to have effect on 31 and 28 March 2021, respectively.

Leave Flexibility General Order

On 14 April 2020, the CICS issued a General Order amidst the COVID-19 pandemic to provide for flexible leave arrangements that allowed state system employees to take unpaid pandemic leave, annual leave on half-pay and annual leave in advance.

On 22 July 2020, the Commission reviewed the General Order of its own motion and extended its operation until 31 March 2020.

In mid-March 2021, the Commission further reviewed the General Order of its own motion and received responses from the parties. Except for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia, the parties considered that the General Order has served its purpose and ought not to continue in effect.

The CICS concluded that a further extension of the General Order is unnecessary at this time. It will cease to have effect on 31 March 2021.

This Statement can be read here.

JobKeeper General Order

On 15 May 2020, the CICS issued a General Order to provide employers with further flexibility to manage employment arrangements in a manner that supported the JobKeeper Scheme.

In mid-March 2021, the Commission reviewed the operation of the General Order of its own motion and sought responses from the parties. The parties reported that given that the General Order is directly linked to the Federal JobKeeper Scheme which ended on 28 March 2021, it was considered appropriate that the General Order cease to have effect in accordance with its terms.

It ceased to have effect on 28 March 2021.

This Statement can be read here.