Coronavirus: Unions on board with holiday leave tweaks

Bosses wanting workers to take annual leave during the coronavirus pandemic would need their agreement.

Bosses wanting workers to take annual leave during the coronavirus pandemic would need their agreement, but the employee would not be able to unreasonably refuse the request, under proposed changes to the $130bn JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme.

Detailing changes to the bill, Attorney-General Christian Porter said employers wanting workers to go on leave must ensure their leave balance did not fall below two weeks.

He said employers and employees could agree to change the days an employee worked, and businesses would be able to cut an employee’s hours if the employee could not be usefully employed during the pandemic.