Dear Members,
We are deeply saddened to see the devastating flooding events impacting North Queensland, and our thoughts are with everyone in the affected areas. We understand how difficult and challenging this time must be for many businesses, their owners, and employees.
As your industry body, we want to ensure that you have the support and information you need to navigate through these challenging circumstances. Whether your business is directly affected or you’re dealing with disruptions, please know that we are here to assist you in any way we can. Together, we will work through the immediate concerns and look to rebuild as a community.
Workplace Relations Support
MTA Queensland’s Workplace Relations team is here to help with any workplace matters during this challenging period.
Where a business is required to close early, or not open, due to inundation, this may be considered a situation which an employer has no control over.
The Fair Work Act (2009) allows an employer to stand down employees in certain circumstances when the employee cannot be usefully employed because of a stoppage of work for which the employer cannot reasonably be held responsible.
For more information on stand downs, please visit the MTA Queensland Member Portal HERE.
An alternative to standing down employees without pay is for the employer to suggest employees request to take accrued annual leave until the premises or area of work affected is able to operate.
If an employer finds themselves in a position where they cannot find suitable alternative duties and so elects to stand down any employees, it is best practice to tell each of the affected employee(s), in writing, the following:
- the start and finish date of the stand down
- whether the employee will be paid or not paid
- the effect on other employment entitlements
- General inability to attend work due to flooding
If an employee is unable to attend work because of flooding, or other event that impacts the community, then in these circumstances being absent is unpaid leave. Of course they are able to request to be take annual leave either paid or unpaid depending on whether there is an accrual. In such circumstances there is no automatic entitlement to Personal or Carers’ Leave because the reason for not getting to work does not meet the criteria as stated in the National Employment Standards.
In other cases, an employee may need to stay home to look after school aged children whose school is damaged due to any number of reasons. Where this is an unexpected emergency, then Carers’ Leave may be appropriate.
For more information, visit the Fair Work website HERE.
Financial Assistance
As a tropical low continues to bring torrential downpours to north Queensland, the Australian and Queensland Governments have activated disaster payments for eligible residents in the Hinchinbrook and Palm Island LGAs, and targeted areas of Townsville and Gordonvale.
Assistance under the Personal Hardship Assistance Scheme will provide severely impacted residents with immediate payments of $180 per person, up to $900 for a family of five or more to cover the essentials of food, clothing and medicine.
Additional financial support includes:
- Essential Household Contents Grants: up to $1,765 for individuals and up to $5,300 for couples or families to replace destroyed essential household contents such as bed linen and white goods.
- Essential Services Hardship Assistance: $150 per person, up to $750 for a family of five or more to assist with immediate needs following the loss of essential services at home for more than five consecutive days.
- Structural Assistance Grants: up to $80,000 for uninsured, income-tested owner-occupiers towards the repair or replacement of a disaster damaged dwelling to return it to a safe and habitable condition.
- Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme: Income-tested grants to help uninsured residents reconnect damaged services like electricity, gas, water or sewerage. Up to $5,000 per household.
To check eligibility and apply visit www.qld.gov.au/disasterhelp or phone the Queensland Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.
Eligible small and family businesses can also apply for:
- Disaster Assistance Loans – Up to $250,000 to support essential recovery efforts
- Essential Working Capital Loans – Up to $100,000 to assist with immediate operational costs, including wages, rent, and creditor payments
To apply visit the QRIDA website at www.qrida.qld.gov.au or call 1800 623 946.
Emotional Wellbeing and Support Services
We understand that these events may be emotionally overwhelming. If you or your staff members are experiencing stress or need emotional support, please reach out to the following helplines:
- phone Lifeline’s crisis hotline on 13 11 14
- phone Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
- phone Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349
- or if you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person call 13 YARN.
The Queensland Government also provides valuable resources to assist with mental health support, family welfare, business assistance, and community recovery. These include:
- Managing stress after a disaster – This information outlines how to recognise reactions to a disaster and learn how to take care of yourself with advice on how to overcome stress and who to contact for help.
- Support Groups – This information lists not-for-profit organisations who provide post-disaster emotional support and crisis hotlines.
- Family relationships after a disaster – This information helps with understanding a family’s most common reactions after a disaster and what to do to help recover, including where to go for support.
- Business support – This information assists with disaster resilience and recovery for businesses.
If you need further assistance or have questions, please contact MTA Queensland’s Member Services team at (07) 3237 8777.
This information is general advice only. Please contact MTA Queensland’s Workplace Relations Advisors for more specific advice and assistance.
3 February 2025