No jab no work: PVCA to run jab mandate webinar
Employers association PVCA will run a webinar on Friday morning where printers will be able to dig into the hot topic of mandatory vaccinations and liability with the association’s IR experts.
Walter Kuhn, president of the association said, “Our HR people will be online to answer any question that a printer may have. The situation with mandatory vaccination is complex, and to a certain extent depends on which jurisdiction you are based in.
Kuhn said, “We thought the webinar would be the best way to address the issues, it will give print businesses the opportunity to find out what is relevant to them.”
The webinar will run at 9.30am Easten Time, and will be repeated next week. Email sgp@pvca.org.au to request registration. PVCA is also preparing an updated fact sheet to further inform members, and says it will be made available as soon as possible.
PVCA says it apologises to WA members that the time is an early start for them, but says it is the only time it can bring the team together. The session will be recorded and made available shortly following the live event.
Mandatory workplace vaccination is the biggest IR story in print at present. Printers in Victoria have a fairly clear path, with the state government mandating vaccinations, which takes liability off the individual print business. If an anti-vaxxer on staff wants to challenge the decision in the courts they are challenging the state government.
However in other states where there is no government mandate, print businesses who instigate a no jab no work policy may be opening themselves up to a court case on grounds of discrimination. So far News Ltd in Chullora, Sydney, is the biggest print business to mandate no jab no work.
PVCA said, "The Victorian government has mandated compulsory vaccinations for authorised workers. Other States have adopted different approaches. Members are understandably struggling to understand what they can implement and what their employees are entitled to expect.
Our current advice is general and it's important for members to be sure they regularly check on their local authority health orders. The definition of authorised workers is unchanged from the advice we provided to all members throughout the course of the pandemic."
Food packager and printer SPC in Victoria mandated no jab no work, and has made its Vaccine Response Plan available to all businesses to download, however print trade associations PVCA and TRMC have urged printers to be cautious in using it.
Anti-discrimination laws which may be used ot challenge mandatory workplace vaccinations were brought in to protect staff from being discriminated against on the basis of areas such as gender, skin colour, religion, sexual orientation and the like – whether wilful non-vaccination would count as a basis for discrimination has not yet been tested in the courts.
Email sgp@pvca.org.au to request registration for the webinar.