COVID Update - June 2021 (PDF version)

The PSA would like to acknowledge the efforts of Service NSW in keeping your union informed as to how it is handling the current COVID-19 situation across NSW. As an essential service, both Service Centres (SCs) and Contact Centres (CCs) remain open providing important services to the NSW community.

Service NSW been able to very quickly return to the full COVID-19 measures which were in place during the last lockdown in 2020, for those areas the following protocols have been implemented:

• SCs in the Greater Sydney area (including Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong & Shellharbour areas) have reverted to COVID hours:
  • Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm
  • Saturday finish 12:30pm (Note: any SC that does not normally operate on a Saturday will not be opening)
• All driving tests scheduled for an SC in the Greater Sydney area to be rescheduled at no fee, (There are a couple of extremely rare circumstances where a customer may be approved to sit their driving test, these have typically been for essential services)
• All other SCs will be checking all driving tests booked between 28 June and 9 July and if a customer has an address in a ‘red area’, then the test is to be rescheduled at no fee
• All change of addresses outside of the Greater Sydney Area requires additional proof
• Cost of Living is by phone appointments only
• No outreach activities
• All sites to have security guards to manage store capacity (1:4 square metres)
• All sites to have hygiene officers (wipe down screens, keypads, counter tops etc., between each customer)
• Driver Knowledge tests to be reduced (every second screen or equivalent)
• Masks to be worn in centres for all staff and customers
• Protective screens at counters
• All team members to work at their normal locations
• Any team member with vulnerable health conditions to be given alternate duties.

In addition to the above two more additional measures have been put in place as of Monday 28 June which are:

• Temperature checks are now mandatory for SCs in the Greater Sydney area and optional for all other sites.
• Customers who attend sites outside of the Greater Sydney area are required to answer two questions before entry.

1. Do you have any symptoms associated with COVID, including fever, coughing sore throat or shortness of breath?
2. Have you been instructed by NSW Health to self-isolate?

Regional NSW SC have been asking customers if they have been in the Greater Sydney area within the past 14 days and informing them they are covered by the stay at home orders.

The PSA was also advised that SNSW is also working through leave provisions. However, it is currently anticipated leave (including where needed Pandemic Special Leave) will be applied as it was in 2020. We anticipate to be able to advise members as to any developments around this towards the end of the week.

The PSA is here to help

Our staff are still at work to assist you. Our members in frontline work at this critical time. We have suspended the in-person Organising Visits to Metropolitan and other Red Zone SCs but will make alternative visits available through Teams for members to connect with us.

If members do have any concerns with how their SC or CC COVID-Safe procedures are operating or difficulties in dealing with your immediate management then, please contact the PSA Member Support Centre by phone 1300 772 679 between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday or email .