Monday, 15 November 2021
On behalf of the employer community, the South Australian Business Chamber Chief Executive Martin Haese enthusiastically welcomes today’s commitment from the Government of South Australia for no further statewide lockdowns, no LGA-specific lockdowns, and every effort to keep business doors open going forward.
“The good news is that when the state borders reopen, arrivals who are double vaccinated will not have to quarantine. From a business perspective, opening the borders is great news for our economy to help fill the skills shortages we currently have across the state.
“We understand from today’s announcement that post-23 November if a customer has been in your business premises when positive, the employer will be contacted by SA Health and asked to identify if this was a casual or close contact.
“Business owners will be asked to self-assess these two categories of contact based on variables including the time spent, whether indoor or outdoor, if masks were worn and other variables. Any potential quarantining or closure will be determined from this self-assessment, and while it is not an exact science, it will give businesses more autonomy going forward in determining the outcomes for their business.
“The main message we took away this morning from the Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier was her call for employers to consider mandatory vaccination seriously.
“Here at the South Australian Business Chamber, we have encouraged the government to widen the mandate for vaccination of more customer-facing sectors. In the absence of this mandate, we strongly encourage all employers to start conversations today with their staff to determine who is/is not vaccinated. All employers have a duty of care for their employees as required under the Work Health and Safety Act — and to manage this duty, they must understand their current circumstances and the inherent risks if not all staff are vaccinated.
“You need to start your contingency planning now. If you are in a business where you can roster your staff in two shifts or have some staff working from home, then this is what you could be considering. However, we equally recognise that this does not work for all businesses.
The South Australian Business Chamber supports the state government’s push to get our workers back into their offices, particularly in the CBD. Employers need to be working out how best to do this whilst being sensitive to the needs of their employees.
“While we are still working through the details of this announcement, it is clear that business owners still need to remind customers of their obligations. It remains critical that everyone is using the QR check-in and wearing masks.
“One positive for business owners today is that there will be no requirement for the SA Health ‘deep-clean’. This removes a significant financial burden for business owners who are at risk of a positive COVID-19 case. We are also pleased to hear that the government has not ruled out further monetary support for those businesses forced to close the doors for a time due to staff isolation measures.
“We look forward to receiving more clarity over the coming days and intend to run a webinar with SA Health this week for South Australian businesses to help clarify the industrial relations and customer service issues that they may be facing from 23 November.”
The South Australian Business Chamber’s Business Advice Hotline is available for all businesses with questions: 8300 0000.
