Coronavirus (COVID-19) and your responsibilities

The Authority acknowledges that these are unprecedented circumstances. Some labour hire providers have lost business because of the economic impact of COVID-19. Other providers are experiencing an increased demand for labour hire workers and an increased supply of workers seeking work.

The Victorian Government has developed an Economic Survival Package to support businesses and workers through the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about help for businesses visit Business Victoria.

Businesses may also inform workers about the Victorian Government’s Working for Victoria Fund. Under the Fund, displaced workers are eligible to apply for different types of paid work to contribute to Victoria’s ability to manage this event and support the community. While some displaced workers will have skills that can be readily transferred to new roles, the Government can also assist skills development or help people in obtaining immediate accreditation to commence work. Businesses that need workers can contact Business Victoria.

The Authority advises that the responsibilities and obligations for both labour hire providers and hosts under the legislation remain in place.

As Victoria’s labour hire industry regulator, our actions continue to focus on the administration and enforcement of the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018 (Vic) and Labour Hire Licensing Regulations 2018 (Vic).

The Authority continues to assess labour hire licence applications and undertake compliance and enforcement activities to:

• prevent the exploitation of workers by labour hire provides and their hosts
• improve transparency and integrity in the labour hire industry.

Compliance with workplace laws including the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 is a requirement for a labour hire licence. During this pandemic, it is more important than ever for businesses to ensure the occupational health and safety of their workers.

If you have concerns or information about the mistreatment of workers, unlicensed labour hire providers or a host using workers supplied by an unlicensed labour hire provider, you should report this to the Authority by completing our online form.

The Authority is constantly monitoring the situation and is focussed on business continuity as the situation evolves every day.

How to stay up to date

The Victorian Government declared a State of Emergency as a result of the spread of the COVID-19.

It is important to follow the Department of Health and Human Services' advice and relevant advice from WorkSafe Victoria.

The Victorian Government has also launched a hotline for business dealing with significant challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak. Businesses across the state can access information by calling the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15 or visiting their website.