Unfortunately, COVID has made a comeback in Australia, with cases rising to several thousand per day across most parts of the country. 

Hospitalisations are on the rise again, and lots of people are coming down with influenza, which is circulating as well. As a result, people are starting to feel wary about travelling on public transport and being in crowded environments again. This has put working from home back on the agenda. 

Should staff be working from home due to COVID in Australia? 

Australia’s Channel 9 reported in late July that “Employers have been called on to allow work from home and consider mask wearing in the office as a “very significant” COVID-19 wave infects hundreds of thousands of Australians each week.”

The increase in numbers has led Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly to call on “employers to allow work from home if feasible” and for people to consider wearing masks during the winter Omicron wave.

However, the Health Minister and Chief Medical Officer have stopped short of issuing or pressing for lockdown or work from home mandates. At this stage of the pandemic, businesses and individuals are encouraged to make independent decisions. 

Some major companies have taken the initiative to have staff working remotely again. Amongst them are telecommunications company Telstra and major bank Westpac; both have advised staff to work from home if possible. According to Telstra, those who do not work from home are encouraged to wear a face mask in the office, and the company is providing employees with face masks as well as rapid tests. 

Meanwhile, the Australian Council of Trade Unions is calling for work from home policies for all who can, N95 masks for indoor workers, fully paid sick leave for all who are isolating and ventilation/air purification indoors. This comes partly on behalf of hospital workers, who are perhaps the people most badly and enduringly affected by this pandemic. 

The choice is yours

The Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese is yet to issue a firm directive around working from home or mask mandates in Australian workplaces. He has been quoted as saying, “Businesses will continue to make those decisions. They need to make them on the basis of safety, but also for some people we need to recognise that they can’t work from home.”

As a company that employs Australians, it is up to executives and team members to decide what’s best for people and what’s possible. 

Before you make a decision, it’s worth reviewing government-issued guidelines in the states where your workers live. In the state of New South Wales, for example, businesses are reminded that they have a legal responsibility to maintain a safe and healthy workplace, and manage the risk of COVID-19 to workers. Guidelines say businesses can allow staff to work from home at their discretion and must continue to follow public health orders, including the rules for people, businesses and self-isolation. 

When it comes to vaccines and boosters, some workers still need to be vaccinated but it does depend on the work they do and their workplace. You can see more information about mandatory vaccination in Australia here.

Along with working from home and asking people to wear masks, the other thing to consider is allowing staff time off work so they can go and get a booster shot. According to advice from the Fair Work Ombudsman in Australia, where an employer can require an employee to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (for example, because of the operation of a public health order), the employer should cover the employee’s travel costs and give the employee time off work without loss of pay if the appointment is during work hours. 

Finally, as a business, you still have to accommodate isolation rules for those who do test positive for COVID. Under current guidelines, someone who tests positive must stay at home for at least seven days or until they have no symptoms. 

You’ll find information about the current orders for people who test positive for COVID here.

When in doubt…

If you’re unclear about how to respond to Australia’s current COVID wave, you can always speak with your PEO. We are always up to date with the latest news, mandates and recommendations. 

Need to get in touch with a PEO in Australia? Contact APEO today.