1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: Big Holidays Act shake up coming today. They're looking to 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: simplify the law, reduced compliance burdens, move to an OW 3 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: based a crual model for leave. Allen McDonald as the 4 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: Employer's Manufacturer's Association head of Advocacy and is with us. Ellen, 5 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 1: very good morning. 6 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 2: To you morning, Mike. 7 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: Are you hopeful today? 8 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 2: I think we are and just rarely looking forward to 9 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 2: getting this out of the way. It's been a long 10 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 2: two years trying to get this thing done. 11 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:24,159 Speaker 1: Do you think it will be done? Do you have 12 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: a sense of what's coming. Have you been given a 13 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: heads up or no? 14 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 2: Oh. I think a couple of the key things that 15 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 2: we're after we'd like to see will come in and 16 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 2: that day will be the hour of your cruel that 17 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 2: you referred to earlier, which just simplifies everything for employers 18 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 2: and takes the thing out of the back pay issue 19 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 2: that we've got at the moment. And also I think 20 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: the reduction certain moment part and casual workers part time 21 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 2: and casuals get ten days sick leave that came in 22 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,240 Speaker 2: at the end of COVID and we've been asking since 23 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 2: then all before then for pro rata for part and 24 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 2: casual workers and I think we'll get that too. 25 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: So when that's announced, will you have twenty four hours 26 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: at the union screaming and that'll be that? 27 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 2: I don't know. I think there will be some political 28 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 2: trade off, but actually both employees and employers benefit from this. 29 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,960 Speaker 2: There's a couple of little swings and roundabouts where employees 30 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 2: will get a slight list in one of the part 31 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 2: payments they get. Also they get their sickly, even their 32 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 2: annual even toitlements from day one. At the moment you 33 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:21,839 Speaker 2: have to wait for twelve months. 34 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: I look, I'm completely out of touch with this because 35 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: I've only ever been employed on a contract and I 36 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: get X number of dollars a year to turn up 37 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: and talk to people like you and that's the beginning 38 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: of the middle and the end of it. And I've 39 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: always enjoyed that because it's incredibly simple and you know 40 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: where you are. Is employment in this country too complex? 41 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 2: I think the holiday's actors and I think everybody agrees, 42 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 2: because it's cost some businesses tens of millions of dollars, 43 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 2: it's cost others tens of thousands of dollars, and of 44 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,919 Speaker 2: course the government's got two point two billion set aside 45 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 2: from back pay on holiday pay in the public sector 46 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 2: and both in education and the health sector. 47 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: And so does that flush through today with time with 48 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: the changes. In other words, you will solve that problem 49 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: as of today or the changes, yeah, or or whenever. 50 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, but it'll take time. It's about probably two years 51 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 2: away from getting the legislation in place because you've got 52 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 2: to rewrite software and all that kind of stuff. And 53 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 2: then there's a transition issue. So what actually happens with 54 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 2: all those historical claims because you can go back six years, 55 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 2: so I would imagine that might be where some of 56 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 2: the tension comes from. Well, I don't think they'll do 57 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 2: away with the six years' ability to claim back though, 58 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: so but we'll see. 59 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: All right, let's see what happens to day two o'clock 60 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:35,679 Speaker 1: this afternoon, I'm told Allen McDonald excuse me, Employers and 61 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: Manufacturers Association, head of advocacy. 62 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 2: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 63 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: news talks that'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 64 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.