COVID-19 vaccinations and your business

• Australian Capital Territory - external site
• New South Wales - external site
• Northern Territory - external site
• Queensland - external site
• South Australia - external site
• Tasmania - external site
• Victoria - external site
• Western Australia - external site

If you want your customers to be vaccinated as a condition of entry to your premises and it is not mandatory in your state or territory, you should seek advice before you take any action as there may be privacy and discrimination issues that apply.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations and federal discrimination law - external site  on the Australian Human Rights Commission website.

Some states and territories have issued public health orders mandating vaccination for certain industries or workers.

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia

Some states and territories have issued public health orders mandating vaccination for certain industries or workers.

It's important to stay up-to-date with the latest COVID-19 vaccine information and requirements in your state or territory:

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia

With new COVID-19 vaccine developments every day, it’s normal to have questions or concerns, and possibly feel hesitant about getting a vaccine. The Department of Health provides accurate, evidence-based answers to questions about COVID-19 vaccines.

Check out the Department of Health's COVID-19 vaccines - Is it true? information to help your employees make informed decisions.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has implemented arrangements to enable Australian businesses to communicate and incentivise COVID-19 vaccinations. The TGA is the Australian body that approves COVID-19 vaccines.

This means that some employers may offer practical support (including rewards) to employees or customers to incentivise getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Examples include store vouchers, discounts or free tickets to those eligible.

Learn more about lawfully communicating with your employees about COVID-19 vaccines and what rules apply when offering rewards on the TGA website.

Check out the Department of Health's COVID-19 vaccination business kit. The kit has resources to help spread the message of the importance of vaccination and encourage people to look for accurate information from trusted sources.

It's important to understand your rights as an employer and your obligations to your employees. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides answers to questions like:

• Can you make your employees get the COVID-19 vaccination?
• Do you have to pay your employees for the time to get vaccinated against COVID-19?
• Can an employee take sick leave to get vaccinated against COVID-19?
• Can employees take paid time off if they feel unwell after being vaccinated?
• Can an employee refuse to attend the workplace because a co-worker isn’t vaccinated against coronavirus?
• Can an employee refuse to be vaccinated?

Learn more about your COVID-19 vaccinations: workplace rights and obligations on the Fair Work Ombudsman website.

As an employer, you have obligations when collecting, using, storing, and disclosing employee health information related to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Find out more about COVID-19 vaccinations and privacy obligations on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has guidance for employers on the most frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccinations and Australian anti-discrimination laws.

Find out more about COVID-19 vaccinations and federal discrimination laws.

The level of exposure to COVID-19 to your business may depend on your business activities and the industry you work in. Safe Work Australia has industry specific information about COVID-19 vaccinations to keep your workplace COVID-19 safe.