In a context in which mandating COVID-19 vaccination is still a risky proposition, most employers are turning to voluntary vaccination or strong encouragement for vaccination policies with their workforces.

While this avoids the minefield that comes with seeking to make vaccination mandatory, it should not be assumed that there are not important legal and compliance issues to consider even under a voluntary vaccination approach.

These considerations include:

• What is the right approach to the accessing of leave or paid time away from the workplace for the purpose of employees receiving their vaccination?
• What method should be adopted by employers to codify the arrangements they are prepared to enter into to allow employees time to be vaccinated?
• What happens if employees become unwell as a result of having the vaccine?
• What privacy considerations and requirements regarding the retention and disclosure of employees' private medial information (i.e. that they have been vaccinated) need to be managed?

In this webinar, provided with the support of the Commonwealth Government and the Fair Work Ombudsman, Ai Group's experts in workplace relations and employment law discussed these and other important issues around employers' obligations concerning any COVID-19 vaccine policy.