Public Sector workplaces wrongly limit use of Statutory Declarations

Members’ ability to use statutory declarations as supporting evidence when taking personal leave is under attack again. The VHPA has recently been informed that a certain Public Sector workplace is not allowing Health Professionals to use statutory declarations as evidence to access personal/sick leave more than three times in a year. This breaches the Public Sector Agreement, which allows unlimited use of statutory declarations by Health Professionals to certify an illness or injury requiring personal leave.

This follows an incident last year where the VHPA intervened after Melbourne Health also tried to limit the use of statutory declarations. After consulting with the VHIA, Melbourne Health confirmed that Health Professionals are allowed to use an unlimited number of statutory declarations to certify an illness or injury.

If the VHPA is aware of these two incidents, it is possible that more members in other workplaces are being similarly misled. All the more reason to be aware of your entitlements under the Agreement and the importance of these entitlements in the next round of EA negotiations.

“This entitlement is also clearly one we will have to keep an eye on and may need to defend in the next round of Public Sector Agreement negotiations,” said Craig McGregor, VHPA Secretary.

If you are in the Public Sector and management at your workplace is trying to limit your use of statutory declarations to certify illness or injury to access personal leave, get in touch with VHPA Member Assist on 1300 322 917.