WHEN TAFE NSW staff return from summer holidays next year they are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

TAFE NSW Managing Director Steffen Faurby emailed staff last week advising that by 31 January 2022, they needed to be double vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a medical exemption.

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The COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for Workers Policy is a mandatory policy.

Double vaccinations will be required not only for all teaching employees but for non-teaching employees, workers and contractors.

A TAFE NSW spokeswoman said, “COVID-19 vaccination, or a valid medical exemption, will become a condition of employment to work for TAFE NSW from 31 January 2022.”

The spokeswoman told News Of The Area the move comes after a consultation process with employees, unions, health and safety experts, government agencies and legal practitioners and is in line with other Government agencies.

“TAFE NSW’s Work Health and Safety consultation found that the overwhelming majority of employees favoured implementing a policy requiring all employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

“TAFE NSW has a duty to provide a safe workplace for its employees as far as reasonably practicable, and requiring employees to be vaccinated is one way to protect employees from the risk of transmission and severity of the COVID-19 disease,” the spokeswoman said.

In the communication to staff, Mr Furby explained the reason for implementing a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination.

“The decision to implement the policy is based on the advice of Health and Safety experts, legal practitioners, government agencies, as well as consideration of the feedback you provided as part of the WHS consultation with employees and unions.”

The communication explained that the policy did not extend to students however TAFE NSW are confident that the majority of their students will be vaccinated based on data that suggest more than 90 percent people sixteen years of age and over have been fully vaccinated.

By Sandra MOON