Proposed Changes to Watercare’s
Vaccination Policy
20 October 2021
For internal use only – not for external distribution
Overview
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Purpose of this pack
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Reasons for change
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Proposed changes
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What do these proposed changes mean for me
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Next steps and how to have your say
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Key dates
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Where can I access further information
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Help & support
Purpose of this pack
• This pack contains information relating to Watercare Services Limited’s (WSL) proposal to implement a COVID-19 vaccination
policy
• The changes outlined in this pack are at proposal stage only. It is intended to be used as a platform for further discussion
• Your input and feedback is important and we strongly encourage you to review the proposal and provide feedback
• We have undertaken risks assessments which are available to review in Watercare’s COVID-19 information site.
• As part of the consultation process, we are asking for your feedback on the assessments and will also engage with our employee
Health & Safety Committees and our union partners for feedback
• The feedback that you provide during this consultation process will help to inform Watercare’s approach regarding the
requirement for any individual entering a Watercare site to be vaccinated against COVID-19
• We recognise that this may create uncertainty for some people, and encourage you to talk to your manager, your People &
Capability Business Partner, our Employee Assistance Provider – OCP, or a trusted Medical Professional for additional support
Reasons for change
• Keeping our people safe at work is our top priority. Vaccination remains one of best the protections against COVID-19 and the
impact of ongoing restrictions. Getting vaccinated means, you are far less likely to get really sick and have to go to hospital if you
catch COVID-19. You are also less likely to pass COVID-19 on to other people.
• The proposed Policy aims to provide our employees and customers with clarity regarding using vaccination as a tool to
protect against COVID-19 in our workplace
• Vaccination is our best protection against the adverse impacts of COVID-19. The vaccine reduces the potentially serious health
impacts ensuring
• operational continuity of our business as an essential service providing critical water and wastewater services to our
customers and communities
• reduced disruption to the service we provide to the community
• and significantly limits the spread of COVID-19 particularly where people have contact and interact with each other
Proposed changes
What is being proposed
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We are proposing that anybody entering a Watercare site must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19
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Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is defined as having received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (currently in
New Zealand this is the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine)
What do these proposed changes mean for me?
Who would be impacted by these proposed changes
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Anyone entering a Watercare site. This includes;
– Employees
– Contractors
– Visitors/Public
Which sites would this apply to
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All Watercare sites. This includes;
– Plants
– Depots
– Newmarket Office
– Construction sites
– Temporary sites established by our teams working in the field e.g., maintenance, sampling
When would these changes come into effect
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We are proposing everyone entering our sites will be required to have at least their first dose by 15 November 2021 and fully
vaccinated by 1 January 2022
What do these proposed changes mean for me
What if I am unable to access a site if I'm not vaccinated or don't provide proof of vaccination
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If the proposal goes ahead and you are unable to access the site because you choose not to receive the vaccine,
are not able to get the vaccine, or do not provide proof of having received the vaccine, we will work through
what this means for you on an individual basis
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There are a range of options that may be available, and these are likely to differ depending on your role and
individual circumstances
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Ultimately, if you remain unvaccinated and are not able to access the workplace this may impact your ability
to fulfill the requirements of your role. In these circumstance if we can’t find a suitable alternative your
employment may be terminated. It is important to note this would be a last resort, and we will fully explore and
consider other available options in discussion with you before reaching this outcome.
Next Steps – Consultation & How to have your say
• From today, Wednesday 20th October until Monday 1st November we will consult with our employees, trade union partners and
our contractors
• It is important that we engage with everyone who will be impacted and that these groups can provide feedback on this
important topic
• We want everyone to be able to ask questions and to have their say
• We will facilitate drop-in Q&A sessions via Teams. These will run over several days and be open to all employees
• Virtual Q&A sessions will be held at our operational sites
• Further information is available on the
Vaccination consultation information page via the COVID-19 tab on the intranet
• You can share your feedback with us via t
he Vaccination consultation feedback form, also accessible via the COVID-19 tab
• If you have questions regarding the proposal or the consultation process, please share these with us via
[email address]
• A team will be monitoring all feedback and questions that come through daily
• At the end of the feedback period, all feedback received will be considered before a final decision is made
Key Dates
Event
Start Date
Inform staff of intention to enter
15th October
consultation
Consultation period begins
20th October
MS Teams drop-in sessions & virtual
21st October – 26th October
roadshows
Consultation period ends
1st November
Consideration of feedback
1st November – 5th November
Confirm outcome
8th November
1st vaccination requirement commences
15th November
2nd vaccination requirement commences
1st January
These dates are subject to change depending on feedback received and to allow time to incorporate changes.
Where can I access further information
• Watercare’s COVID-19 information site can be accessed either through Teams by selecting the
tab or via
the link on the intranet. There you will find links to
– This document
– Frequently asked questions
– Risk assessments
– A summary of the feedback received grouped by themes
– General COVID-19 information and FAQs
– Links to useful videos including respected medical professionals discussing COVID-19 vaccination
• For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, please contact
– Your trusted medical professional
– One of Watercare’s Occupational Health Nurses – Kerry Granger or Carol Roberts
Help & Support
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We realise that any proposed change can be unsettling – if you have any questions/concerns please feel free to speak with you
manager, a member of the P&C or HSW team or if our employee assistance program is available to you through OCP:
• OCP – 0800 377 990 (confidential counselling service which is free of charge)
• If you have concerns regarding receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, please speak to your trusted medical professional such as your
GP or refer to the Ministry of Health website https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-
coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines
