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Published 27 March 2020 | Updated 18 November 2021
Top COVID-19 questions
Our new Top COVID-19 questions page covers some common questions we’re asked about COVID-19. It includes vaccination issues like:
- A public health order says I have to get vaccinated to attend my workplace. What happens if I don’t want to get vaccinated?
- There is no public health order that applies to the business. Can vaccination be mandated?
- Can employees be asked to provide evidence of their vaccination status?
We regularly review and update this page to make sure it covers the key issues you’re contacting us about to help you save time.
Find out how to get in touch and what to expect when you contact us.
On this page:
Getting our help
When you contact us
We’re currently experiencing a high volume of enquiries due to COVID-19. Our staff work hard to resolve your enquiries. When you contact us, we expect that you are cooperative, courteous and respectful. Please note our staff may terminate a call that becomes unreasonable, abusive, or aggressive. Read more about what you can expect from us and what we expect from you in Our commitment to you.
What we can and can't help with
We can give you general information about coronavirus and Australian workplace laws under the Fair Work Act. This includes guidance about COVID-19 vaccinations and the workplace. Make sure you read our information before you call us. See popular issues like:
- COVID-19 vaccinations: workplace rights and obligations
- stand downs
- pay and leave
- ending employment and redundancy.
If your query is about COVID-19 vaccinations, please read our COVID-19 vaccination information first before calling us. This is the information that our staff use and will refer to when answering your question.
There are some vaccination issues we can’t help with. These include giving you a definite answer about:
- whether you are an essential or authorised worker (this is set by your state or territory – go to your state or territory government website)
- whether your or your employer’s direction to get vaccinated is lawful and reasonable
- whether you have been unfairly dismissed or adversely affected because of your vaccination status (the Fair Work Commission
can advise on the process for lodging an unfair dismissal or general protections application) - the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccinations or other health information about vaccines
- hypothetical situations.
can advise on the process for lodging an unfair dismissal or general protections application)If we can’t answer your question, we’ll do what we can to give you general guidance and information that’s relevant to you. This could include a referral to another government body or letting you know the options available to you if you’re experiencing an issue at work.
Contacting us
If you have an enquiry about your workplace obligations or entitlements, you can contact us:
- by phone on 13 13 94
- by submitting an enquiry online through My account.
We also have other ways you can contact us.
Stay anonymous
Know a workplace that isn’t doing the right thing but don’t want to get involved? Report it to us anonymously – in your language.
Translated information
You can read information on our website in your language using our website translator. Choose your language from the menu at the top of the page to translate the information.
Translated information about workplace laws is also available in our Language help section.
Translator service
If you or someone you know needs an interpreter when contacting us, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50. They will call us for you and interpret your question. Tell the operator the language you speak and ask them to call us on 13 13 94.
Need help resolving a workplace issue?
We have information and guidance to help you resolve a workplace issue. Visit Resolving workplace issues during coronavirus.