Services Australia employee tests positive to Covid after working at Caroline Chisholm Centre in Tuggeranong

The worker received the positive test result on Thursday after working at the Caroline Chisholm Centre in Tuggeranong earlier in the week.

Health authorities declared level four of the building a casual exposure site for the periods between 8am and 5pm on Monday, August 23, and between 8am and 2pm on Tuesday, August 24.

ACT Health also said Services Australia staff should monitor for symptoms if they had worked anywhere in the Caroline Chisholm Centre during the same time periods.

Health authorities also listed Calypso Cafe, in the Caroline Chisholm Centre, as a casual exposure site for the period between 12pm and 2pm on Monday, August 23.

Services Australia spokesman Hank Jongen said the affected parts of the building were deep cleaned before it reopened to staff who needed to work from the office on Friday.

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Staff determined to be close or casual contacts would be tested, and the agency anticipated many of them would return to work on Monday or Tuesday, he said.

"The number of staff currently working in Caroline Chisholm Centre is very low due to restrictions in the ACT," Mr Jongen said.

"All staff working from Caroline Chisholm Centre have designated desks and follow Covid safe workplace practices, including wearing a mask while in the office."

Community and Public Sector Union national president Alistair Waters said in a letter to staff that employees who were not close or casual contacts should be able to continue working from home or the workplace as normal.

"My thoughts and solidarity are with the poor worker who has contracted COVID-19 and with all of you, your colleagues and your families. I know how anxious it can be waiting for a test result," he said.

Services Australia staff have been delivering Covid disaster payments to people in lockdown after a surge of demand.

The Covid case follows an urgent plea to the federal government earlier this month from Services Australia staff to be supplied with technology to let more employees work from home during lockdowns.

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