Thomastown Workers Gain Access to Stress Leave and New Support Programs

Thomastown City Council adopted new workplace wellbeing rules on 15 June that oblige employers with more than 20 staff to offer at least two hours of paid mental health training each quarter.

The change arrives as local businesses report higher absence rates tied to stress, with many employees handling longer shifts in warehouses along the railway line and retail strips near High Street.

Thomastown Workers’ Rights Centre on Bridge Road has fielded 87 enquiries about these rights since the policy took effect. Staff there direct callers to the Thomastown Recreation Centre on Edward Street, which runs free lunchtime sessions every Tuesday for shift workers from the nearby industrial estate.

A Thomastown Chamber of Commerce survey from March 2026 found 62 percent of respondents experienced weekly stress symptoms, up from 41 percent two years earlier; the same study noted that firms providing employee assistance programs recorded 30 percent fewer sick days.

Knowing the rules on leave and adjustments

Under the new rules, employees can request flexible start times or short unpaid breaks without needing a doctor’s note for the first three requests per year. The Workers’ Rights Centre keeps a template letter on its website that workers can adapt when speaking with managers.

Where to find immediate local help

The Thomastown Public Library on Main Street stocks a dedicated wellbeing corner with printed guides and hosts a monthly drop-in on the last Friday of each month from 6pm to 8pm. For those preferring one-on-one support, the centre on Bridge Road books 30-minute confidential chats at no charge and can refer callers to the Recreation Centre program when longer courses are needed.

Residents who want to act on the new provisions should first check their employment contract, then contact the Workers’ Rights Centre at 45 Bridge Road or call the library desk to reserve a workshop spot before numbers fill.