Territory public servants anger over confusing travel edict

NT public servants are angry over confusing instructions that indicate they will have to foot quarantine bills if they travel interstate for government business to a location declared a hotspot while they are there.

NORTHERN Territory public servants are angry over confusing instructions that indicate they will have to foot any quarantine bill if they travel interstate for government business to a location declared a hotspot while they are there.

However, all may not be what it seems.

The source of the anger is an email sent by the NT Commissioner for Public Employment Vicki Telfer, which was in response to questions from employees and managers about their work and leave arrangements during periods of quarantine or self-isolation.

In her email to public servants Ms Telfer says: “If an employee travels to a location that is subsequently declared a hotspot, and the employee is required to undertake mandatory supervised quarantine, this will be at the employee’s own cost.”

Public servants are now asking why should they have to foot the bill if it’s the government’s fault that they are away doing business on its behalf.

“This is absolutely outrageous that they expect us to pay if we have to quarantine after going away for work purposes,” a furious public servant told the NT News.

“We are being told in this email that if this situation occurs we will need to use either recreation leave, long service leave or leave without pay.

“There will be no special leave with pay available.

“How absurd is that. It is farcical that workers are being told this.

“What type of government sends public servants away on business and then expects them to have to pay thousands of dollars in quarantine costs out of their own pocket.

“It’s the government’s fault and it should pay the bill if this situation should happen.”

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However, a spokesman for the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment has cleared up the confusion created by the email.

“NTPS employees are expected to cover the cost of any quarantine requirements, including those that may arise from being unable to work, if they relate to travel of a personal nature,” the spokesman said.

“Interstate travel is heavily restricted for NTPS staff due to Covid-19.

“Should staff be required to quarantine due solely to essential travel required by their employer, this cost would be met by the employer.

“Under these circumstances, they would also not be required to take leave.”

Education Minister Lauren Moss wound up in quarantine at Howard Springs last month.