OTR to shun cash payments, considers sick leave for casuals
South Australia’s largest private employer OTR will ask customers to avoid paying with cash, to minimise transmission risk in its stores, and consider providing sick leave to self-isolating casual employees that are in “genuine hardship”.
The convenience store and petrol station chain employs more than 3100 South Australians, many of them on a casual basis, at more than 150 stores across the state.
The company says it will consider giving compassionate sick leave to employees who are self-isolating because they have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has the COVID-19 coronavirus.
“OTR businesses have always had great safety and hygiene standards across our sites, and we are reinforcing these and where necessary, implementing additional measures to meet the current risks around this pandemic,” an OTR spokesperson said in a statement to InDaily this morning.
“OTR team members who report symptoms are encouraged to self-isolate in accordance with Health Department guidelines.
“The company will consider providing sick leave assistance on compassionate grounds to any team member suffering genuine hardship as a result of having little or no sick leave.”
OTR said it would consider “genuine hardship” on a case-by-case basis and that no applications for hardship have been made as yet.
The spokesperson said “normal sick leave entitlements will apply to genuine self-isolation” for those who already have sick leave.
OTR will also ask customers to use credit cards, mobile apps and drive thru facilities, as opposed handling cash.
“OTR businesses have always had great safety and hygiene standards across our sites, and we are reinforcing these and where necessary, implementing additional measures to meet the current risks around this pandemic,” the spokesperson said.
“Where possible, we encourage customers to make payment by card rather than cash to limit contamination risks to both customers and our team.
“Customers are also encouraged to use the OTR App to pay at the pump for their fuel or pre-order their C Coffee and supermarket essentials to collect in-store or via our Drive Thru (where available).”
The spokesperson added that the company was experiencing “exceptional demand” for a variety of its products and would restock shelves as quickly as possible where shortages occur, and manage staffing levels on a day-by-day basis.
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