Vaccinations in the workplace and navigating mental health in the COVID era

Vaccinations in the workplace

As NSW nudges towards the 70% double vaccination target and lockdown restrictions start to ease, employers will be looking for guidance about whether staff should be fully vaccinated before returning to the workplace in person. To assist law firms and legal practices, members of the Law Society’s Employment Law Committee have written an informative article examining the legal framework surrounding mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations and the workplace, which has been published in this month’s LSJ.

The article provides guidance about a range of issues, and the key points are:

• The Fair Work Ombudsman has published guidance for employers and employees.
• Currently, some employers in certain industries can require employees to be vaccinated.
• Generally, an employee cannot refuse work because colleagues are not vaccinated.

As public health orders start to lift and the legal landscape on this issue evolves, we will continue to keep you updated on major developments in this area.

Mental Health Month

During Mental Health Month this October, the Law Society is hosting a range of skills-based webcasts to help you understand and achieve good mental health in your personal and professional lives. We have a Staying Well in the Law event planned for each week of October including the annual Charles Richard Xuereb AM Oration on Monday 11 October. This year’s oration, Navigating mental health in the COVID era, will be delivered by the internationally renowned researcher in clinical psychiatry, Professor Ian Hickie AM.

In other events, experts will share practical, evidence-backed strategies to help you stay focused, enhance your wellbeing, and support the resilience of your team. These initiatives form part of our ongoing commitment to supporting your health and wellbeing and hopefully go some way to making the conversations we have about mental health a little easier. 

Join a Law Society committee

Don’t forget that expressions of interest for members wishing to join our policy and regulatory committees in 2022 close this Friday, 1 October 2021 at 5pm. These committees really are the heartbeat of the Law Society, participating in the vital regulatory work the Law Society is responsible for, and helping to shape and inform the extensive policy submissions and advocacy work that we undertake on behalf of the profession.

October Long Weekend

Finally, a reminder that due to the October Long Weekend Public Holiday there will be no Monday Briefs next week.  I hope you all take the opportunity to ‘down tools’ and reset this long weekend.

 Until then, stay safe and stay well.

Juliana Warner, President, Law Society of NSW