About four weeks ago we posted about the changes in law that is to come in to effect in Victoria.
The day has come!
As of today (October 30, 2019), all businesses that provide labour hire need to be licensed to do so by the Labour Hire Authority in Victoria, and all businesses that hire labour, such as a locum pharmacist, are required to use a licensed agency to do so.
Pharmacy SOS is happy to announce that it’s license was granted and you can view the licence here.
What does this mean to community and hospital pharmacies needing locum?
Community and hospital pharmacies that use a locuming agency (or even ones that don’t use an agency!) to hire a locum pharmacist need to consider some important issues such as the following:
- How will the locum pharmacist be paid – on pay roll, invoice, or through an agency?
- Are they an employee or a contractor?
- In most cases (if not all), the locum pharmacist is considered an employee by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). That means if they give you an invoice, you (the business) will have PAYG and superannuation obligations. This is a huge headache and a very large amount of paper work that will simply eat up more of your already depleted time!
- The alternative? Use a licensed locuming agency that can provide labour hire in Victoria, such as Pharmacy SOS, where the pay roll for the locum pharmacist can be looked after. You no longer need to be concerned with preparation of pay slips, payment of salaries and other benefits, calculation and payment of superannuation, WorkCover, Pay Roll Tax etc… but rather, do what you do best – manage your business.
So next time you need a locum pharmacist, ask this question: Is my locuming agency licensed for labour hire in Victoria?
We have our own locums and just need a pay roll service! Can Pharmacy SOS help?
Yes! Pharmacy SOS can now offer a pay roll only service for Victorian pharmacies to help them with the changes that have come in to effect and to help ease the paperwork headache.
If you would like to use the Pharmacy SOS pay roll service without having to pay a finder’s fee, for example because you have your own bank of locums, you can do so, and is available for a small administration fee! Find out more here.
What does this mean to the locum pharmacist?
Locum pharmacists can continue to do what they are doing right now, which is to provide an important and critical service to the industry in filling in the gaps where they are needed most and, in some cases, where they are needed urgently. As a locum pharmacist, you are a very important part of the industry and without you, there would be plenty of times where businesses would simply not be able to operate.
When accepting locum jobs, be sure that you are being paid correctly and according to the rules set by the ATO and the Labour Hire Authority in Victoria.
By being paid through a licensed agency, you can rest assured that all of your entitlements will be paid and on time! Pharmacy SOS prides itself on paying on a regular, fortnightly basis and all of its obligations towards the locum pharmacist are met in a timely and speedy manner.
All the best and happy locuming.
(Last Updated on September 8, 2023)