Supermarket giant Woolworths will make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all of its 170,000 staff, while fierce rival Coles is taking a similar path in the larger states as they join the growing ranks of large companies to take a harder line on the issue as restrictions in Australia ease.
The Woolworths mandate will apply to staff working in the company’s 1200 retail outlets across supermarkets and Big W discount department stores, those working in the group’s large warehousing and distribution centres and office support staff.
The company said it intends making the full vaccination requirement deadline January 31 in NSW, Victoria, the ACT, Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania will have a deadline of March 31, 2022. Woolworths joins other big companies including Qantas, Virgin, Telstra, BHP, Westpac and the Commonwealth Bank to make vaccinations mandatory.
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Read our article from last night with legal advice from RDA’s in-house legal counsel regarding employers legal issues with medical privacy and mandated vaccines.
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