Based on recommendations from the Victorian Government’s Inquiry into the Victorian On-Demand Workforce, the Victorian Government recently released a Fair Conduct and Accountability Standards Consultation Paper seeking feedback on a set of standards to provide fairer conditions for non-employee or ‘gig’-style on-demand workers.

NDS developed a submission on the proposed standards based on feedback from members.

This expressed concerns that the growth in the on-demand disability support workforce poses some risks to the safety and wellbeing of NDIS participants as a result of the number of unregistered providers who are subject to limited quality and safeguarding checks. NDS called for mandatory worker screening for all workers providing NDIS funded supports.

NDS also raised concerns around significant risks faced by on-demand workers in the disability sector. The submission called for greater education for on-demand workers around the difference between contracting and employment, and the potential risks and liabilities of conducting gig-style work in the disability sector.

NDS also raised concerns about the level of safety protections provided by platforms, and called for strong standards to support sufficient training of workers to eliminate or minimise occupational health and safety risks.