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NSW Premier’s ‘thank you’ cash bonus reduced by tax as nurses work overtime during COVID-19

Two healthcare workers put on personal protective equipment

New South Wales nurses say the tax office has claimed much of their $3,000 pandemic “thank you” payment after many were pushed into a higher tax bracket by working extra shifts during the latest COVID-19 wave.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrotet announced in June that public healthcare workers would receive the bonus to thank them for their increased workload due to COVID-19.

It came four months after thousands walked off the job to protest staffing levels that had pushed an already stretched system to its limit during the pandemic.

But according to Diane Lang, NSW Nurses and Midwives Association’s delegate at Bega’s South East Regional Hospital, the promised $3,000 had since been cut in half for many staff.

She said the reduced payment came at a time when many nurses were doing overtime and extra shifts to cover staff shortages caused by the latest wave of infections.

A close up of a woman wearing sunglasses.
Diane Lang says the thank you payment has been taxed significantly for some nurses.(ABC South East NSW: Adriane Reardon)

“For many nurses, completing overtime and ensuring the health system did not collapse during a wave of COVID and influenza cases placed them in a higher tax bracket than usual,” Ms Lang said.

“All those people who have done all those extra shifts and all that overtime have paid a lot of tax.

“We knew we had to pay tax, but we were under the impression it was going to be paid separately to our wages, so there’s a lot of angry nurses out there at the moment.”

NSW Health has been contacted for comment.

Taxed for hard work

Genevieve Stone is the secretary of the union’s branch at Wollongong Hospital where nurses were “heartbroken” after the full amount failed to land in their bank accounts.

“What we found is the nurses who worked overtime in that pay period were the ones who were taxed the most, and got the least amount of money,” she said.

“The pandemic has been dragging on for a ridiculous amount of time, and I think we were all hoping for a morale boost in the way of this payment.

“We were hoping to be more heard and appreciated, but that hasn’t happened.”

The front of a building with a sign saying Wollongong Hospital
The union says those who worked hardest were taxed the most and earned less.(ABC Illawarra: Tim Fernandez)

Ms Stone said a pay rise in line with inflation would be “much more beneficial” to the workforce than a one-off payment, with both senior and junior staff leaving the profession in waves.

“We’re always called martyrs and angels, but that overshadows that we are highly skilled workers,” she said.

“We go to university, we’ve got medical knowledge, we do manual labor and we deserve to be valued.

“We are haemorrhaging nurses.”

a man wearing glasses standing behind a microphone
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet had planned to thank employees for their hard work during the pandemic.(abcnews)

Industrial action planned

A nurse for more than 40 years, Jill Telfer is the secretary of the union’s branch at Tamworth Hospital.

She said that while some of the tax could be returned next financial year, many nurses were still “very disappointed”.

“I wasn’t the greatest thank you I’ve ever received,” Ms Telfer said.

“What dropped into our pay was $2,700 as we had super taken out automatically and we were also taxed, so I received about $1,700, but many received much less than that.

“The payment was just like a pat on the head, because we are desperate to change our situation in our public hospitals.

“We would prefer we were offered a fair pay rise.”

Ms Telfer said further industrial action was planned and many, including herself, were considering an early retirement.

“I know good friends who have got positions elsewhere because they didn’t want to keep doing this,” she said.

“We were short staffed before COVID, but now it’s even worse and it’s just got to be fixed.”

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Categories
Australia

NSW Health issues alert for meningococcal disease after Splendor in the Grass attendee dies, another positive test

The silhouette of a punter is framed by lasers over the mainstage of Splendour In The Grass 2022

People who attended Splendor in the Grass last month have been advised by NSW Health to stay alert for symptoms of meningococcal disease after the death of a Sydney man who attended the festival and another case.

All ticket holders of the event at the North Byron Parklands from July 21 to 24 received an email on Friday.

“NSW Health has been notified of two cases of meningococcal disease in people who attended the 2022 Splendor in the Grass festival,” the email said.

Authorities warn while the disease is uncommon, it can be severe and people need to act immediately if they see any symptoms, as they can appear suddenly and become serious very quickly.

Authorities were notified on Thursday after the man in his 40s was identified to have had the infection following his death.

Symptoms are nonspecific but include a sudden onset of fever, neck stiffness, or a red-purple spotted rash.

There have been 15 cases recorded so far this year in New South Wales with the disease tending to increase in late winter and early spring.

Dr Jeremy McAnulty from NSW Health said people who were at the festival should watch for symptoms, which include a rash and nausea.

“We think the risk is low, but we don’t know for sure, so we’re just asking people to keep in mind the symptoms so in the unlikely event you get them to seek medical attention,” Mr McAnulty said.

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