Australian firms urged to study impact of staff vaccination incentives

Offering vaccination incentives for workers to receive their jobs could expose them to compensation claims should staff experience adverse reactions, cautions a business group in Australia.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) published advice to its members as part of an ongoing debate on the role of employers with regards to their employee’s vaccination status, boosting calls for employers to be indemnified should they encourage vaccination.

Industrial Relations Minister Michaelia Cash has since called a meeting of employer associations and unions on the vaccine rollout with regards to workplaces, as some businesses have been pushing for mandatory vaccinations. 

Unions will also be pushing for universal paid vaccination leave during the meeting, so that all workers, including casual staff, will not have to lose income or take official time off to receive their jabs.

“Vaccination is free and voluntary, but we strongly recommend that everyone gets vaccinated as soon as they can,” said Cash, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. 

READ: Australia proposes four-tier system for vaccination

Earlier, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that “the vaccination service is free and it is not mandatory. That’s an important principle. We are not going to seek to impose a mandatory vaccination program by the government by stealth”.