Business Seeks 'No Jab, No Job Mandate'

Auckland business locked down and locked out with their health, financial, and mental wellbeing held hostage by a minority of vaccine holdouts, have signalled that they want a no jab, no job regime to keep workplaces, employees, and the community safe, but they need Government backing to get on with it.

Auckland Business Chamber CEO, Michael Barnett said an overwhelming 90 per cent of small and medium enterprises that responded to the leading business organisation’s latest survey endorsed mandatory workplace vaccination.

“We have received legal advice that businesses could demand their employees are all vaccinated based on the likelihood and consequences of Covid exposure and spread to colleagues, customers and the community,” he said. “But, unlike Air New Zealand’s no jab no international flight rule or no jab no entry for non-citizens, business can’t just demand mandatory vaccination without testing it legally and that would be costly and drawn out.

“Business needs clarity and Government should help business help themselves by endorsing and enabling mandatory vaccination to provide safe and healthy workplace environments.”

“If an employer determines that there is a high health and safety risk of an employee having the virus, being exposed to it, or spreading it to others, it is reasonable to require that employees who perform the work are vaccinated. No employer wants to be responsible for a community outbreak that could cause serious harm or be fatal,” Mr Barnett said.

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