If you are an apprentice or trainee working in Group 1 or Group 2 industry(opens in a new tab) , or your course includes an industry work placement in Group 1 or Group 2 work sites, you will need to be vaccinated according to the Group 1 or Group 2 dates to start the work placement, or you may not be able to successfully complete the course.
If your course is conducted at a Tier 3 Health Care facility, you need to be fully vaccinated to attend any part of the program, including orientation. Information can be found on our Dental courses pages.
If your course includes a live works training component in an occupation that is affected by the mandatory vaccine policy, you will need to be vaccinated.
Check the relevant course page for the specific requirements of your course.
- The mandatory vaccination policy is to protect WA and safeguard essential services and businesses for the long-term.
Click for more information on the policy. - Vaccination significantly reduces the risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19 and helps to reduce the rate of transmission.
- Based on health advice, TAFEs are included in Group 2 industries and occupations because they are deemed critical to the ongoing delivery of services to the community.
- The VET sector has significant interaction with Group 1 and Group 2 industries and occupations through training of apprentices, trainees, schools and supervision of work placements.
- Any person who works on a TAFE campus must comply with the Public Health Act Direction. This includes TAFE employees, co-located services and contractors, and students doing ‘live works’ on campus in Group 1 or Group 2 occupations.
- TAFE employees must:
- Have their first dose on or prior to 31 December 2021 because from 12:01 am on 1 January 2022, a TAFE employee must not enter or remain at an TAFE campus if the person has not been partially vaccinated against COVID-19;
- Have their second dose on or prior to 30 January 2022 because from 12:01 am on 31 January 2022, a TAFE employee must not enter or remain at an TAFE campus if the person has not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19; or
- Have a medical or temporary exemption, as defined under the Directions.
- Students attending campus to study are exempt from this mandate unless they are doing ‘live works’ in a Group 1 or Group 2 occupation.
- The Public Health Act Direction makes mandatory vaccination a condition of the workplace to ensure TAFE campuses are safe places for the public to attend.
- There is no impact on visitors and students attending in a non-working capacity.
- Visitors will not need to be vaccinated to attend a TAFE campus.
- If a person attends a TAFE campus very regularly (ie. more than once a week) to carry out their work, they will need to be vaccinated in accordance with the requirements for Group 2 – first dose prior to 1 January 2022 and double dose vaccinated prior to 31 January 2022.
- This may include Department of Training and Workforce Development staff and contractors such as cleaners, hospitality workers, and maintenance workers.
- If a person is required to be vaccinated under the Public Health Act Direction, they will be excluded from the workplace from 1 January 2022 if they haven’t had their first dose by that day.
- In addition, if a person is required to be vaccinated under the Public Health Act Direction, they will be excluded from the workplace from 31 January 2022 if they are not double dose vaccinated by that day.
Yes, Jobs and Skills Centre staff working at TAFE campuses must comply with the Public Health Act Direction and be vaccinated in accordance with the timeframes for Group 2.
- The Public Health Act Directions provide for limited exemptions.
- Exemption on medical grounds must be obtained from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) using their IM011 form. This must be completed by your GP or specialist medical practitioners and submitted to the (AIR) for assessment. Where an exemption is provided by AIR, this must be provided to your employer as proof of exemption.
- A person may apply for temporary exemption from the Chief Health Officer. Applications and supporting documentation must be submitted to COVIDVaccinationExemption@health.wa.gov.au. A temporary exemption will only last for a limited time and may be subject to terms and conditions.
- You must upload your vaccination evidence to ESS. Human Resources can assist you with this if you are experiencing issues.
- We understand that information about your vaccination status is sensitive. The information will be secured in the HR system. It will only be used to meet the requirements under the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.
- De-identified reports on the vaccination status of the workforce will be produced to report on the level of compliance with the policy.
- We understand that information about your vaccination status is sensitive. The information will be secured in the HR system. It will only be used to meet the requirements under the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.
- The ESS system has a number of security protections in place as it is already the repository for sensitive employee information and is the most appropriate and secure place for data to be stored.
- No, the Chief Health Officer has approved the following forms of evidence as proof of vaccination against COVID-19:
- Documentary confirmation of COVID-19 vaccinations given by the Department of Health;
- A COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or Australian Immunisation Register immunisation history statement.
- A Certificate issued by the Australian Government confirming you have received an approved COVID-19 vaccine overseas.
- Employers will advise employees who are temporarily seconded outside the VET sector or on extended leave of the requirement to be vaccinated under the Public Health Act Directions.
- Information will be provided so that employees understand the requirements and what they must do to comply once the secondment or leave ends.
- In certain circumstances an adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine resulting in injury/disease may be covered by workers’ compensation.
- Workers’ compensation claims are considered and assessed by an approved insurer on the merits of the individual claim. We are unable to provide advice as to the likely outcome.
- The WorkCover WA Bulletin – 21 October 2021 provides general information on the issue of COVID-19 vaccine injuries in the Western Australian workers’ compensation and injury management scheme.