Fair Work Amendment (Prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Discrimination) 2023

# Fair Work Amendment (Prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Discrimination) Bill 2023 ## What it does This bill adds COVID-19 vaccination status to the list of things employers legally cannot discriminate against when hiring, firing, or treating workers. It treats vaccine status the same way the Fair Work Act already treats discrimination based on race, gender, disability, or religion. ## Why it matters If passed, workers could take legal action against their employer if they're fired, denied a job, or treated unfairly because of whether they're vaccinated against COVID-19. This creates a new protected category under Australian employment law. ## Key details - **What's covered**: The changes apply across multiple sections of the Fair Work Act—covering hiring decisions, unfair dismissal claims, general protections, and dispute resolution processes - **Commencement**: The law would start the day after it receives Royal Assent (the Governor-General's formal approval) - **Definition**: "COVID-19 vaccination status" includes whether someone is vaccinated and to what extent (partly or fully vaccinated, boosted, etc.) - **Scope limitation**: Employers can still take action against workers for other legitimate reasons—the ban only applies to decisions based *because of* vaccine status **Status**: Currently before the Senate. This is an early-stage bill from three crossbench senators, so it hasn't been debated or voted on yet.