Vaccinations and work

Who may be required to be vaccinated

Some health and disability sector employers may require workers to be vaccinated. This is because workers come into close contact with people likely to get seriously ill if they get COVID-19.

Information for employers and workers

Employers can choose to require workers to be vaccinated as a condition of their employment.

Employers must carry out a health and safety risk assessment and consider all other public health measures they can use to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in their workplace.

Vaccination requirements may only be appropriate if the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19 at work is higher than in the community.

Before you decide if vaccination requirements are appropriate for your workplace, we encourage you to read guidance on the Employment New Zealand and WorkSafe New Zealand websites:

COVID-19 controls at work | WorkSafe (external link)

Vaccines and the workplace | Employment New Zealand (external link)