COVID Winter Guide for employers

As we move out of an emergency response towards COVID-19, employers have essential obligations to manage over winter. Our peak body in Canberra, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, highlights specific workplace matters for employers like supporting someone with long COVID and updating risk assessment assessments.

Supporting a worker with long COVID

You are legally obliged to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that workers and other persons are not exposed to risks to health and safety arising from work carried out by the business or undertaking. In terms of managing a worker with long covid, this might include:

• ensuring a safe working environment without risks to health
• reasonable adjustments being made for workers with symptoms of long COVID. It may be possible to fulfil the safety criteria by implementing minor reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
• considering individual circumstances against the inherent requirements of the job.
• determine the risk (eg increased fatigue symptoms and operating machinery) and take action to eliminate or minimise the risk as far as reasonably practicable.

To comply with relevant anti-discrimination legislation, it is crucial that you adequately consider reasonable adjustments in the workplace for workers experiencing long COVID symptoms.

What are ​‘reasonable adjustments’?

Reasonable adjustments are modifications to a job or task that enable workers to perform their duties more effectively in the workplace. They are implemented following discussions with the worker and a needs assessment. They may include:

• changing some aspects of the job or work tasks (eg splitting big projects into several smaller activities)
• changing the workplace or work area (eg moving a worker to a quieter work area)
• offering flexible working arrangements (eg variable start and finish times)
• purchasing or modifying equipment.

The ACCI COVID Winter Guide contains specific suggestions to discuss with the worker concerning specific symptoms or difficulties they may be experiencing, such as: 

• fatigue
• ‘brain fog’
• concentration and memory issues
• heightened emotions.

Risk management

It is timely for employers to review any risk management plans they have had in place, especially as circumstances change. Here in South Australia, we have had the updated modelling forecast a doubling of daily cases by the end of this month (source: SA Health) therefore we should expect increases in community transmission numbers and need to plan for the resulting impacts on your operations.

Have you identified high-risk employees? Do you have an outbreak management plan or ​‘plan B’ in place? Have you consulted recently with workers, or those you share a premise with such as contractors, landlords or tenants?

If you have had new employees commence recently, you should ensure they are familiar with the policies and procedures of your organisation and the control measures in place. Similarly, a refresh for existing employees will support adherence to the policies and procedures.

Some examples of control measures include working from home, ventilation and filtration, physical distancing, cleaning and hygiene, masks and PPE, vaccination, 

We encourage you to read the full guide available on the ACCI website >