Award allows for ‘no jab, no work’

PHARMACY owners operating in jurisdictions where no legislation mandating staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 has yet to be implemented, can make it a requirement under the Pharmacy Industry Award 2020.

Speaking during a webinar last week, Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, Trent Twomey, noted that Public Health Orders (PHOs) mandating pharmacy staff to be vaccinated were in place in the Northern Territory, Victoria and Tasmania, while the governments of South Australia and Western Australia have indicated that they intend to implement neccessary legislation soon.

“Even though we have PHOs, the Commonwealth Government through the Fair Work Ombudsman has actually made it possible for individual employers, who are community pharmacies... to mandate nationally that it is compulsory for their staff to be vaccinated,” he said.

“It is not only within the right of an employer to mandate that it is a requirement of their [employees’] continuing employment in their business to be vaccinated, there are legal protections for you to do this.

“But you must follow these appropriate steps - you need to first make an assessment... based on the risk and the health and safety, not just of your patients, but of your staff.

“Then you must consult with your staff before you make a final decision, [and] you then need to warn your staff that you have reached a decision on balance, because of the assessment you’ve done, and after consulting with them, that you are going to implement mandatory vaccinations.

“If a certain staff member - after you’ve gone through this process does not want to be vaccinated then they are no longer allowed to be in your employ.”