CORONAVIRUS — SCHOOLS — VULNERABLE
STAFF
375. Hon DONNA FARAGHER to the Minister for Education and
Training:
I refer to the minister's announcement today
regarding term 2 arrangements for schools.
(1) What are the alternative arrangements being put in
place for vulnerable teaching and school staff for term 2?
(2) Does the Department of Education intend to extend
the COVID-19 leave or alternative work arrangements to staff who are
under the age of 65 years with chronic medical conditions; and, if not, why
not?
Hon SUE ELLERY replied:
I thank the member for the question and for her continuing
interest in ensuring that education in Western Australia is sound during this
extraordinary time.
(1) The
Department of Education has issued alternative working arrangement guidelines
for its workforce. Arrangements for an individual employee will be specific to
their circumstances, role, ability to be deployed to other tasks in the school,
ability to work at another location—it is worth bearing in mind in
education that a lot of education-related work does not occur in a school—or
to undertake working from home arrangements on either their work or alternative
duties.
(2) Yes; when the medical condition meets health
guidance on vulnerability to COVID-19. If there are specific
circumstances that the member is aware of—she spoke to me behind the
Chair about one—I am happy to pursue those.