Vaccine Mandate Removed!

The NT government has recently made a decision which will be a relief for both employers and employees alike in many circumstances - there is no longer a requirement to be fully vaccinated to work in the Northern Territory.

The Public Health Emergency Declaration in the NT ceased at 11.59pm on Wednesday, 15 June 2022, with the majority of Chief Health Officer (CHO) Directions being revoked. There are now only five (5) CHO Directions in place. For further information on these, we suggest reading the CHO Directions in full here: https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/chief-health-officer-directions

Most importantly, employers are now not required to enquire about a worker’s vaccination status, nor are they required to maintain a register of that status. These were requirements in COVID-19 Directions (No. 52) 2022 which has now been revoked.

However, while employers are not required to make such inquiries, the decision for an employer to choose whether or not to hire a worker that is not vaccinated remains a policy decision for that particular employer. This will depend on the circumstances of the particular workplace involved.

We also note that face masks must continue to be worn in the following high-risk settings:

• Hospitals and health care facilities

• Aged care facilities

• Disability residential facilities

• Correctional facilities

• Family violence, sobering up and homeless shelters

• While on board an aircraft (but no longer in the terminal)

For further detailed information on COVID-19 please see https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/

Please feel free to call James Burke or Adam Stencel on (08) 8941 6355 or email james@bowden-mccormack.com.au or adam@bowden-mccormack.com.au should you wish to discuss any COVID-related employment issues.