Employees working from home would face a pay cut under a bold proposal by a former Victorian premier.
Jeff Kennett has told 3AW Breakfast that individuals who work from home, especially public servants, should receive lower pay compared to workers like emergency service personnel and nurses who are required to be at their workplaces every day physically.
Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The Victorian Briefing – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:
Mr Kennett has said people working from home can save money and avoid the hassle of commuting to a physical workplace, and he believes that they should be paid a reduced salary.
“I worried about (the) divide that’s occurring between those who can productively work from home and those who have to go to work,” he said.
“It’s a divide we can’t quite understand yet,” he added.
Mr Kennett has claimed that the proposal is not affected by the amount of work produced by employees.
“I’m not suggesting that people who work from home are less productive, but I am saying there are increased costs for people who have to go to work”.
The Andrews Government has rejected the proposal, claiming it will not consider advice from the former Liberal leader. However, the idea of reducing salaries for those working from home would be seen as a bold strategy to get people back into the office.
Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on Listnr today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.