It’s a brand-new year but if we were hoping that 2022 would be the opportunity to step out of the COVID washing machine cycle, we may have all been a tad premature in our optimism. 

A third COVID-19 vaccination is now required for workers within certain essential industries, and close contact isolation arrangements have also changed for food and beverage distribution workers, as part of Victorian Government pandemic orders announced today.

The Fair Work Commission has rejected an employer’s application to reduce redundancy pay after failing to prove the organisation had secured “acceptable” alternative employment for its departing employees.

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes the Victorian Government’s announcement today, which has given the green light for more workers within critical industries to be exempt from close contact isolation requirements.

Additional sectors will be relieved from close contact isolation requirements to ease supply chain bottlenecks and workforce shortages after an announcement today by the Victorian Government.

The .au domain name space is undergoing significant change in 2022. The Victorian Chamber recommends that businesses with an online presence join us for an explanatory webinar in partnership with .au Domain Administration (auDA), the industry self-regulatory body for the .au domain.

The Victorian Chamber welcomes the State Government’s extension of rent relief and protections for commercial tenants and landlords for another two months due to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regulations that previously required WorkSafe to be notified if an employee, contractor or a contractor's employee received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and had attended the workplace within their infectious period have been removed.

COVID-19 intensified the challenges faced by government and private sectors in delivering policy outcomes that balance public health, economic development, sustainability and social cohesion. Founded during the pandemic, York Park Group manages such complex issues and reputations through research, strategic communications and political counsel.

In a recent decision, the Fair Work Commission provided helpful insights into how its bullying jurisdiction works in practice, as well as offering some practical tips for employers when presented with the challenging task of performance managing staff.

In efforts to address current workforce shortages due to COVID-19 and aid Australia’s economic recovery, the Australian Government has amended visa conditions for student and working holiday makers.

The Small Business Energy Saver Program is supporting Victorian small business owners to save on energy-efficient equipment. It will deliver $5 million in discounts to small businesses across Victoria that invest in upgrading their systems.

The Victorian Chamber is pleased to extend an invitation to our members and clients to participate in a design workshop to help identify innovative and practical education approaches to improve equality in the workplace.

Welcome to our first edition of Victorian Chamber News for 2022. We know that staff shortages, supply chain issues, isolation requirements, density limits and lack of accessibility to Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) continue to cause difficulty and stress and the Victorian Chamber team is working hard to ensure your voices are heard and practical solutions can be found.

In partnership with Crown Melbourne, the Victorian Chamber is running free online seminars designed to help regional businesses bounce back after consecutive lockdowns and sparse tourism.

If you were lucky enough to get in a break over the school holidays, you would have noticed the crippling effect that Covid-19 is having on our small businesses across the state.