Officeworks has joined Target, Kmart and Woolworths in committing to pay casual workers who are required to self-isolate due to COVID-19, also known as coronavirus.

The national stationery chain will pay casual team members who are required to be quarantined or care for a loved one due to COVID-19 for up to 14 days at the same rate as their rostered shifts, inclusive of penalty rates and loadings.

Target and Kmart are also providing an additional two weeks of paid leave to permanent employees who have not accrued enough personal leave to cover an absence connected to COVID-19.

The decisions have been lauded by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) as a sign of “corporate leadership and community responsibility” in the midst of a “significant threat” to the nation’s health.

“It is incredibly important for all workers to be able to access sick leave so that they can self-isolate to protect themselves and the community from the spread of COVID-19,” Gerard Dwyer, national secretary of the SDA, said in a statement over the weekend.

Health experts have been advising Australians to practice good hygiene, social distancing and in some cases self-isolation to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. And on Sunday, the Morrison Government implemented a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving in Australia from overseas.

But for casual workers, who don’t get paid if they call in sick, these precautionary measures often mean losing a significant source of their income.

“No Australian should be forced to choose between a pay-cheque to feed their family and endangering fellow workers and members of the community,” Dwyer said.

The SDA was among those calling on the government last week to support businesses in providing paid sick leave to casual workers, but the stimulus package unveiled by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday did not include such a provision.

Instead, the Morrison Government is allowing casuals forced to self-isolate to access financial support through Centrelink’s Sickness Allowance, and is waiving the waiting period. In just few days, Sickness Allowance recipients will reportedly be transferred to Jobseeker, Age Pension or Carer payments.

This falls short of the two-week special paid leave policy the Australian Council of Trade Unions wants for all workers – permanent, casual and contract – who are impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, either because they are forced to self-isolate or because of a business downturn or shutdown.

The SDA is encouraging more retailers to follow the lead of Woolworths, Target, Kmart and Officeworks, though Dwyer acknowledged that this may not be feasible for smaller businesses.

“Small and medium retailers, who have done it tough in recent months, should not be forgotten,” he said.

“They need support, perhaps in the form of wage subsidies, to help them weather difficult times, support their staff and the communities they serve.”

Master Grocers Australia, which represents IGA, FoodWorks and Mitre10, has called for a one-year freeze on the retail and timber industry awards, in a submission to the Fair Work Commission’s annual minimum wage review, according to The Australian.