Up to half a million short-term casual workers in industries worst-hit by the pandemic could access JobKeeper if the federal government expanded the scheme to include workers employed at their workplace for fewer than 12 months.
As the government faces calls to widen its wage subsidy program,new research claims the young and poor –"those least able to cope"– will experience the most pronounced financial hit due to the economic downturn.
The analysis from Melbourne University's Household,Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey suggests 28 per cent of the nation's workforce,or about 3.5 million workers,worked in industries where businesses were forced to close,like hospitality,aviation and the arts,or those that experienced steep declines in turnover,including the real estate,apparel and automotive sectors.
Of these workers,about 500,000 are casuals who have not worked for the same business for more than 12 months,meaning they are ineligible for the $1500 fortnightly payment.
Some of these workers may not have been stood down and may not work for an employer that lost a significant proportion of its revenue,meaning the number who would apply for the program would likely not be 500,000.
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However,the figures provide a guide as to the expected number of workers who may be a JobKeeper candidate if they become eligible.
Last Friday,Treasury revealed a"significant error"in its estimates meant JobKeeper would be paid to only 3.5 million people instead of 6.5 million and cost $70 billion over a six-month period,representing a $60 billion saving that the Labor opposition has argued should be used to include short-term casuals in the scheme.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said the saving could allow the government toextend support for badly-affected industries but has not flagged extending the scheme to short-term casuals.