Browsing: Coronavirus, COVID-19 | Page 9

A commission has found a worker should not have been summarily sacked for breaching her employer's face mask rules for the COVID-19 pandemic, because her misconduct, when interacting with clients, was not wilful or deliberate.

A major UK study of COVID-19 vaccination rates has uncovered a concerning phenomenon: many occupations involving direct contact with members of the public or vulnerable people have low vaccination rates, while the rate is high among employees who can work from home.

• Sick leave restored under Qld's new COVID arrangements;
  
• WHS review targeting HSR provisions in Qld;
  
• "Injured" worker jailed over secret gig economy work; and
  
• Data-matching tools catching injury fraudsters.

The National Cabinet's agreement to reduce isolation periods for positive COVID-19 cases has been followed by the easing of work-related restrictions, including work-from-home rules, in several jurisdictions. One of these states has also clarified its ongoing WHS notification requirements for the pandemic.

By implementing the most effective psychosocial, organisational and environmental interventions created during the COVID-19 pandemic, a study has highlighted that organisations can continue to support employee wellbeing and reap the benefits of lower absenteeism and improved productivity.

The sacking of a worker who never received his show cause notice or letter of termination, because they were sent to the wrong address, has been found to be fair and reasonable, with a commission ruling his non-compliance with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate outweighed any procedural unfairness by his employer.

With recent disasters, ranging from floods to the COVID-19 pandemic, placing extreme mental health demands on business owners and workers, employers have been reminded of the need to create healthy workplaces "from the top", on the release of a free resource.

• Unprecedented COVID notice highlights broad WHS duties; and
  
• Main WHS risks and duties clarified after rise in electric shocks.

• High Court upholds WHS acquittals and COVID vaccine ruling; and
  
• NSW amendments and Regulations introduced for dust diseases.

An Australian study has found a strong psychosocial safety climate (PSC) at an organisational level reduces digital job demands for remote workers and reduces their work-life conflict. It highlights key steps employers can take to increase PSC levels to improve both worker wellbeing and job performance.