Mandate welcomed for ‘contact’ workers

A vaccine mandate for hospitality and ‘‘close contact’’ workers is being welcomed by industry leaders, despite the challenges it is likely to create.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood outlined a range of measures to help protect workplaces and workers from Covid-19 yesterday.

Under the changes, vaccinations will be mandatory for staff at any business where vaccine passports are required for customers, including hospitality, hairdressers and gyms.

A new law will simplify the risk assessment process for employers to follow when deciding whether they can require vaccination.

Non-vaccinated workers in roles requiring vaccination will be given a four-week notice period to get vaccinated before their employment can be terminated.

When the vaccination mandate comes into force would depend on when the country moved to the Covid-19 Protection Framework or ‘‘traffic light system’’, Wood said.

Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois said ensuring business owners could legally enforce vaccinations was a positive step to ensuring safe and healthy workplaces.

In a September survey of its members, 40 per cent of respondents indicated they would be willing to put in a vaccination policy while 25 per cent were unsure.

‘‘Feedback has shown some concerns around enforcing a policy that could make employers liable for discrimination on the basis of vaccination status,’’ Bidois said.

‘‘While mandating a policy is a welcome step towards helping to keep businesses safe and operational, there is still an ongoing concern around losing valued employees to the mandate.

‘‘We need to remember that our industry is still suffering a skills shortage and so rolling this out is going to have to be carefully managed to reduce the risk of losing a percentage of our workforce.’’

Liz Barry, owner of Christchurch restaurant Strawberry Fare, said a mandate was ‘‘utterly necessary’’ and she was glad to have some more clarity.

‘‘I think most staff will be very pleased.’’

Barry, who had been a nurse for 20 years, expected most customers to her restaurant would be fine with the mandate as well.