What to tell staff

Any staff who have travelled internationally or been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) must remain isolated at home.

Read more on the coronavirus (COVID-19) website.

Instruct your workers that they must let you know if they develop symptoms during the isolation period, particularly if they have been in the workplace.

Consider what exposure may have occurred within your team and whether additional precautions are required such as:

• an increased cleaning regime
• work from home arrangements.

Any employee feeling sick should not attend work.

Encourage your employees to be vaccinated against preventable illnesses including influenza.

To get free advice from expert advisors, even if you aren't a member, contact the Chamber of Commerce NT.

Find out about other support and advice available to businesses.

Information for workers

If you have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19), you can access the following support.

Job Seeker allowance

If you don’t have a job, you can access the Job Seeker (Newstart) allowance of $550 per fortnight.

From 27 April 2020, you can also access an additional coronavirus allowance of $550 per fortnight if you receive any of the following:

• Jobseeker Payment
• Youth Allowance
• Farm Household Allowance
• Parenting Payment (partnered and single)
• Special Benefit.

There will be streamlined access to Services Australia, removal of some requirements, reduced means testing and waiving of waiting times.

Find out more about income support for individuals on the Australian Government's Treasury website.

Access your super

If you are eligible, you can access up to $10,000 from your superannuation balance before 30 June 2020, and up to $10,000 between July and October 2020.

Find out more about early access to superannuation on the Australian Government's Treasury website.

Territory Jobs Hub

Territory Jobs Hub is an online portal designed that will help Territory workers find a new job quickly.

Businesses that need workers can also use the portal to connect with those looking for work.

Read more about the Territory Jobs Hub.

Apprentices and trainees

If you are an apprentice or trainee, contact the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) to get help and advice.

For more information, go to the AASN website.

Visa holders

The Australian Government Department of Home Affairs is reviewing working hours and other requirements for working visa holders including skilled migration workers.

Find out more on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Permanent visa holders

If you are a visa holder on a permanent visa, for example, a Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (subclass 187), you are eligible for Centrelink payments such as the Jobseeker Allowance.

Some waiting periods have been waived.

Temporary sponsored employee

If you are a temporary sponsored employee, for example, a holder of subclass 457 or a Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482), you will have conditions on your visa that require you to be employed with your sponsoring employer in a nominated occupation.

The maximum number of days that you can be unemployed is 60 days before you are in breach of your visa condition.

Being in breach of these conditions can result in visa cancellation.

However, the decision to cancel visas is discretionary. The Department of Home Affairs may exercise some lenience in situations where temporary visa holders have lost jobs due to the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis.

If you are a sponsored worker, you can take approved unpaid leave for up to 12 months without breaching your visa condition.

For more coronavirus (COVID-19) information for temporary visa holders and sponsoring employers, go to the Department of Trade, Business and Innovation website.