Description

Employment law and health and safety considerations

The New Zealand rollout of vaccinations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the question of whether employers can require their employees to be vaccinated and whether it is justifiable to dismiss an employee who refuses to be vaccinated.

This webinar will provide an overview of the public health order and case law developments around these questions, the general employment law considerations, and the extent to which the right to refuse to undergo medical treatment and prohibited grounds of discrimination apply to employers’ decisions.

The webinar will also consider WorkSafe’s guidance around health and safety risk assessments for determining whether vaccinations are necessary for health and safety purposes.

ORIGINAL BROADCAST DATE

18 November 2021

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendees will learn:

• An in-depth understanding of the extent to which employers can require employees to be vaccinated
• Key points from recent public health order and case law developments
• How to distinguish between three broad categories of employees when it comes to the ability to justify requiring vaccinations.

SUITED TO

This webinar is targeted at professionals at all levels who advise clients or their own employers/businesses on employment relationships and their issues.

PRESENTER

William Fussey, Associate, SBM Legal