Say goodbye – Victorian employers must destroy COVID-19 vaccination information
By 11 August 2023, Victorian employers must destroy all COVID-19 vaccination information collected, recorded, held and used under the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (COVID-19 Vaccination Information) Regulations 2022 (Regulations), unless the employer is permitted or required under other laws to collect, use, record, or hold the information. The Regulations allowed employers to continue to […]
ReadmoreCOVID-19 | Changes to COVID-19 isolation rules – impacts for businesses
More than two years on from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, National Cabinet announced on 30 September 2022 an end to mandatory COVID-19 isolation commencing 14 October 2022. From this date, individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will no longer be required to isolate for any mandatory isolation period (which was reduced from seven […]
ReadmoreNew psychological health regulations for Victorian employers
The Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Psychological Health) Regulations (Vic) (proposed Regulations) are expected to commence in mid-2022, subject to approval by the Minister, which is anticipated to occur shortly. Under Victorian OHS laws, an employer must, so far as is reasonably practicable, provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risks […]
ReadmoreVaccination mandates end for most workplaces in Victoria
Following the Victorian Government’s announcement that it would lift vaccination mandates other than for workers who interact with vulnerable persons, the Pandemic (Workplace) Order 2022 (No. 9) (Order) has now been made. Mandates ended for most workplaces As a result of the Order, from 11.59pm on Friday, 24 June 2022 the following workers are no longer […]
ReadmoreIt’s that time of the year again – Annual Wage Review 2021-22
The Fair Work Commission has just published its Annual Wage Review decision, which provides that the National Minimum Wage will increase by 5.2% from $20.33 per hour to $21.38. This translates to $812.60 per week, up from $772.60 per week. Modern award minimum rates will also increase by 4.6% for those who are paid more […]
ReadmoreWhat’s a contract got to do with it? (Absolutely everything): The High Court affirms approach to determining employment relationships in Personnel Contracting and Jamsek
Two recent decisions handed down by the High Court have stressed the primacy of contractual terms in determining employment relationships. In an approach that will provide certainty to some businesses, in Personnel Contracting the High Court held that where the parties have comprehensively committed the terms of their relationship to a written contract it was […]
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 | 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 […]
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