The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) and Safe Work Australia (SWA) have released updated guidance about the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in the workplace for use by employers and employees.
Attorney-General Christian Porter said the guidance provided by FWO and SWA reinforced the broader vaccine policy that vaccination should be voluntary.
“As a guiding principle, both the FWO and SWA have stressed that the overwhelming majority of employers should assume they will not be able to require their employees to be vaccinated,” Mr Porter said.
“Similarly, it is unlikely in the majority of circumstances that employees could refuse to come to work because, for instance, a colleague had not been vaccinated,” he said.
“That said, employers should be aware of any public health orders that may have been issued by relevant State and Territory Government Health Agencies that could require certain workers to be vaccinated in some high-risk industries.”
Mr Porter said the Commonwealth expected that the majority of Australians would want to be vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones, and so they could get on with their lives without disruption.
He said the guidance was developed after a series of roundtable meetings with employers and unions.
“While it aims to be comprehensive, every workplace will be different and anyone still unsure about their obligations is urged to seek independent advice,” he said.
The FWO workplace guidance can be accessed at this PS News link and the SWA’s industry-specific guidance, at this link.
