Unfortunately, even in COVID-19 under the Fair Work Act stand downs are lawful. Here is a list of steps you can take if you are stood down.   Clarify the nature of your employment and call your union. That means finding out whether you are being stood down and for how long, or whether you have lost your job. If you are being stood down, in some situations workers should still be paid, especially if the worker’s employer is eligible for ‘Jobkeeper-like’ government subsidies (including the recently announced COVID-19 Disaster Payment in NSW and other hotspots). If you are stood down call you union or delegate straight away. You should also check if you are employed under an enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA). Your EBA may say that an employer must first make best endeavours to find alternative work before standing you down. If you are not stood down but sent home during the lockdown, you could also push for special arrangements, like special leave or working at home arrangements.