Employer obligations when hiring overseas workers amid the reopening of Australia’s international borders
Australia’s national cabinet has maintained that Australia will continue with its plans to reopen its borders to international travellers, despite the recent discovery of the new omicron COVID-19 variant. An increase in arrivals of international workers looking to fill critical skill vacancies is expected, in the hopes of aiding Australia’s ongoing recovery from the impact […]
ReadmoreCOVID-19 | Fair Work Commission finds lack of consultation means Mt Arthur Mine vaccine mandate unreasonable
A recent decision of the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission has found that a failure by BHP to adequately consult with its workforce before requiring workers to have received a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of entry to the Mt Arthur open cut coal mine (Mt Arthur Mine) was unreasonable. The case, (Construction, […]
ReadmoreCOVID-19 | Insight for employers – rapid antigen tests and collection of vaccination information
The COVID-19 pandemic has required employers to stay across ever emerging issues to ensure compliance with requirements and the implementation of best practice approaches. This update covers two evolving issues: the use of rapid antigen testing, and the collection of vaccination information, specifically, individual healthcare identifiers. What is rapid antigen testing? Rapid antigen testing can […]
ReadmoreCOVID-19 | Mandatory vaccination in Victoria
The Chief Health Officer has issued amendments to the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Workers) Directions (No. 6) (Workers Directions) and COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specified Facilities) Directions (No.11) (Specified Facilities Directions) as well as introduced the COVID-19 Mandatory (General Workers) Directions (General Workers Direction) (collectively, Directions) in response to reopening Victoria at the 80% vaccination rate and […]
ReadmoreCOVID-19 | NSW RoadMap to Reopening – Work requirements in phase 2 (80% vaccination rate)
This article has been updated to take into account amendments made to the Public Health (COVID-19 General) Order 2021 (NSW) on 19, 20, 21, and 26 October 2021, and 1 November 2021. The Public Health (COVID-19 General) Order 2021 (NSW) (Order) is part of the roadmap for easing restrictions when 80% of the population of […]
ReadmoreCOVID-19 | Mandatory vaccination in the education sector in Victoria – medical exemptions
The Chief Health Officer has received reports from some general practitioners that they are facing significant pressure from a small minority of people who do not want to be vaccinated for reasons other than the limited medical exemptions that exist. There have also been patients who are attending multiple clinics seeking an exemption. In response, […]
ReadmoreWorkplace Investigations – Is your house in order?
Workplaces have changed considerably over recent years. Compliance is increasingly complex, there are multiple avenues for complaints and the costs involved continue to rise. As a consequence, it is inevitable that complaints will be raised in the workplace, irrespective of the number of employees or the industry. Complaints regarding bullying, discrimination, harassment, unprofessional or unethical […]
ReadmoreASIC calls on companies to review and renew their whistleblower policy
After having first introduced a corporate whistleblowing regime in 2004 and subsequently expanding that regime in a piecemeal way, the Federal government introduced new whistleblowing laws with effect from 1 July 2019. In simple terms, under those laws an eligible whistleblower (which includes a current or former officer, employee or contractor, or their relative, dependant […]
ReadmoreCOVID-19 | NSW RoadMap to Reopening – Work requirements in phase 1 (70% vaccination rate)
The Public Health (COVID-19 General) Order 2021 (NSW) (Order) is part of the roadmap for easing restrictions when 70% of the population of New South Wales who are over 16 years of age are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Order was amended on 8 October 2021 to take into account the most recently announced changes […]
ReadmoreCOVID-19 | Mandatory vaccination for Victorian authorised workers
The Acting Chief Health Officer has issued long awaited directions making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for authorised workers in Victoria (the Directions). Who do the Directions apply to? The Directions apply to the ’employers’ of ‘workers’ in Victoria who are authorised to leave home for work under the Authorised Worker list. Specifically, it applies to workers […]
ReadmoreCOVID-19 | Mandatory vaccination in the healthcare sector in Victoria
The Acting Chief Health Officer has issued updated directions making mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations a requirement for staff to work in healthcare facilities in Victoria (the Directions). Who do the Directions apply to? The Directions apply to ‘healthcare operators’, being those who own, control or operate a healthcare facility, whether public, private or denominational. A ‘healthcare […]
ReadmoreCOVID-19 | Mandatory vaccination in the education sector in Victoria
Updated as at 8 October 2021 Directions have been made by the Acting Chief Health Officer making mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations a requirement for staff to work in schools (including school boarding premises), childcare and early childhood services in Victoria. Who do the Directions apply to? The Directions apply to ‘education operators’, being those who own, […]
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