Guide to WA’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination rules

The WA Premier is standing firm on his COVID-19 mandate for WA’s workforce, with mandatory vaccinations required for almost all sectors.

Under the directive, workers are required to be partially and fully vaccinated by the prescribed dates in order to enter a specified workplace or facility. Any worker generally required to be vaccinated must provide proof of their vaccination status when required to do so by their employer.

Businesses are being held responsible for gathering information to ensure mandates are complied with and are also required to communicate those requirements to staff to ensure as many people as possible are vaccinated within the relevant timeframes.

Failure to comply with directions may result in penalties of up to $20,000 for an individual and $100,000 for body corporates.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA (CCIWA) has released a guide for businesses on WA’s mandatory vaccination rules to help understand the State Government’s orders and what steps employers can take to ensure they are compliant.

With the deadline for the majority of WA’s workforce to get vaccinated fast approaching businesses have many questions such as:

  • Do my workers need to be vaccinated?
  • What proof should I ask for?
  • What records do I have to keep?
  • What if my employees refuse?

The guide provides the answers WA businesses need, as well as template emails and letters to staff to enable them to prepare.

Businesses will also have information on who to contact for further assistance, as well as an up-to-date list of current COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Directions.

The rules applying are:

  1. Occupations in which risk is sufficient due to high transmission, vulnerability or necessary to avoid catastrophic risk to safety of the community must have first dose by 1 December 2021 and fully vaccinated by 31 December 2021
  2. Occupations deemed critical to the ongoing delivery of business and function of the community First dose by 31 December 2021 and fully vaccinated by 31 January 2022.

In the event of a lockdown nominated industries will be required to be fully vaccinated to attend work in the event of a lockdown or similar restrictions – this includes “critical primary industries”.

WAFIC is still waiting on clarification on the definition of critical primary industry, but that will become less relevant in the event of a lockdown.

The CCIWA guide can be found here.

The WA Government guide can be found here.