The Government has published a proposed criterion that employers can use to help them decide whether to require their staff to be vaccinated.
The Government is requiring around 40% of the workforce to be vaccinated. This includes the likes of health workers, teachers, hospitality staff, hairdressers, gym employees, port workers, people who work at big events and gatherings, etc.
Some employers of the remaining 60% of the workforce may see merit in requiring their staff to be vaccinated too.
To help these employers assess whether to introduce a vaccination requirement, the Government is creating an “assessment tool” through regulations via an amendment to the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act 2020. This amendment will be passed under urgency this week.
The idea is for the tool to provide a legal framework for decision-making.
The tool is quite simple, and suggests if three of four key factors are met, it would be reasonable for an employer to require employees to be vaccinated. These factors include:
- Working in an indoor space of less than 100 metres squared
- Working within a metre of other people
- Being in proximity to other people for more than 15 minutes
- Providing services to those vulnerable to Covid-19 (under-12, those medically exempt from being vaccinated, those at higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19)
The tool builds on guidance provided by WorkSafe and has had input from BusinessNZ and the Council of Trade Unions.
The tool doesn’t override risk assessments businesses have already done under existing health and safety guidelines. Employers can choose whether they stick to any work they’ve already done to establish how to handle vaccination in the workplace, or whether they use the criterion provided by the Government.
Workplace Relations Minister Michael Wood hoped the tool would provide businesses with certainty.
Hospo workers have 10 days to get vaccinated
Separately, Wood reminded those who work in hospitality, events, churches, close contact businesses, gyms and tertiary education, to get vaccinated. Note, retail isn’t included in this list.
When the country moves to the traffic light system on December 3, businesses involved in these sectors will be able to operate under looser Covid-19 restrictions if they require customers to present their vaccine certificates.
If customers have to be vaccinated, it makes sense for staff to be vaccinated too. Hence, the reason the Government a month ago announced staff in these sectors need to be vaccinated.
They need to have had their first dose of the vaccine by December 4 and their second dose by January 17 to keep their jobs.
NZ Verifier app ready
Onto another issue - businesses can from today download an app they can choose to use to verify customers’ vaccine certificates from December 3.
Minister for Covid-19 Response Chris Hipkins said, “For customers entering a business requiring proof of vaccination status, their My Vaccine Pass will be scanned by the verifier app. The verifier will show a green tick recognising the official QR code that is embedded into the customer’s pass.
“It will show quickly that the person is fully vaccinated or has the appropriate exemption and can enter their premises. Importantly, the verifier app does not store a person’s data or see any information other than a person’s name and date of birth.”
The NZ Verifier app can be downloaded from the Apple and Google Play app stores. Businesses can integrate the technology into their existing ticketing processes or systems.
Hipkins said, “Further work is being undertaken to accommodate events that expect large volumes of people at a time - such as stadiums, festivals, or large tourism operators…
“Essential services such as supermarkets, access to health and disability services and primary and secondary education facilities cannot ask for proof of verification status and will not require a NZ Pass Verifier.”
Nearly 1.4 million people have already downloaded their My Vaccine Pass.
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