Retailing giant Woolworths Group has extended paid leave entitlements from two weeks to four weeks for employees who are covered by an Enterprise Agreement (EA) and are volunteering for rural fire services. They are already eligible for uncapped paid leave for volunteer rural firefighting duties, which are subject to approval after four weeks.
“The ferocity of this year’s bushfire season has been visible to us all, and has tragically taken the life of one of our own team. Against the backdrop of our busiest time of the year, a number of our team have been serving as volunteers in rural fire brigades across Australia,” Woolworths Group CEO, Brad Banducci, said.
“In support of their community spirit, and with the inevitability of more challenges in the weeks and months ahead, we have made the decision to extend paid leave entitlements for our EA team members volunteering in the rural fire services.”
The supermarket giant’s latest move comes after the Prime Minister’s announcement that federal public servants would be allowed to have 20 working days paid leave to support volunteer firefighting duties.
Banducci added in a statement that they are proud of their long term partnership with The Salvation Army as they help affected communities recovering from the devastating fires. They raised almost A$1.3 million to support the Salvos bushfire recovery efforts.
