Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I join?

  Start by finding which union you need to join here.

  Once you have selected the union you wish to join, click I want to join, it'll take you to the join page. Make sure to look at the price and billing frequency suitable for you.

  Click enter your details, enter your email and click submit.

  Now fill out your details and click continue.

  A payment window will now appear, follow the prompts, enter your billing details and pay.

  After you've paid, you will be redirected to a final page where you will be asked to register a password. Please register the email you just used to sign up and a strong password of your choice.

  Then you're all done! Welcome aboard! 

• Which association should I join?

  Find your association here: https://www.redunion.com.au/

  If you are a nurse or midwife in Queensland, join NPAQ.

  If you are a nurse or midwife outside of Queensland, join NPAA.

  If you are a teacher in Queensland, join TPAQ.

  If you are a teacher outside of Queensland, join TPAA.

  If you are a transport worker (including aviation) anywhere in Australia, join PDAA.

  If you are a doctor, other medical professional or work in the health industry anywhere in Australia, join AMPS.

  If you are a Police Officer or corrective services officer (or fire fighter or SES for now) anywhere in Australia, join SOPAA.

  If you are any other worker in Australia, join IWUA.

• I just joined and need help with the mandate, what do I do?

  After registering your login, which you can find a guide for above, please login to your member dashboard.

  Once that is done, please go to the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Support section and follow the steps that are clearly written there.

• What is a risk assessment and why do I need to complete these steps?

  Under the Workplace Health and Safety Act, an employer owes certain duties to their employees. The first duty is to provide employees with a safe workplace, the second, is the duty to consult employees with regard to any significant workplace changes, like mandatory vaccination.

  As a part of these duties, your employer must have consulted you with regard to their directives. If you weren't consulted and have workplace health and safety concerns, you may wish to ask for a risk assessment by following the steps above.

  What is a risk assessment? A risk assessment must be performed on a PCBU ie business unit basis (ward by ward, classroom by classroom etc). It must be performed by your line manager and must have assessed not only that COVID-19 is a risk but also show what your employer is offering as a solution. Your employer must look at all options (Personal Protective Equipment, Alternate Deployment, Vaccination, Rapid Anigen Testing etc) and determine the pros and cons of each. They must then have arrived at a conclusion, in this case mandatory vaccination is the conclusion. Then, they must risk assess the solution they are proposing on individual staff within the PCBU. This means they must show the working out for any risk the solution may pose to you, particularly if you have an underlying medical contraindication.

  This is also why consultation is important, many employers haven't consulted with their employees, and as a result, are failing to meet a reasonable middle ground that protects you and your broader PCBU or workplace.

• Where can I find the risk assessment steps?

  The initial steps may be found at one of the following locations depending on your association:

  https://npaq.redunion.com.au/whsinfo

  https://npaa.redunion.com.au/whsinfo

  https://tpaq.redunion.com.au/whsinfo

  https://tpaa.redunion.com.au/whsinfo

  https://pdaa.redunion.com.au/whsinfo

  https://amps.redunion.com.au/whsinfo

  https://sopaa.redunion.com.au/whsinfo

  https://iwua.redunion.com.au/whsinfo

  Additional steps and letters may be found on the Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Support section of your member dashboard. To find your member dashboard you should go to your union's website and login.

• I've completed all of the risk assessment request steps, what do I do next?

  If you have completed the risk assessment steps, hold fire, you've done all you can. If you are required to send an additional letter, we will communicate this. If you are asked to attend a meeting or are terminated see the relevant section below.

• I've been terminated or threatened with termination, what do I do next?

  If you have been issued a show cause, threatened with termination or have been stood down without pay, you will find letters corresponding to your individual association and state here. 

  If you are unsure what applies to you, please read our definitions here.

  If you have been issued a show cause, in addition to sending our template response, please also fill out the show cause form (if you haven't already) on the COVID-19 mandate support section of your member dashboard.

  If you have been terminated, we now have a new termination form which you will need to fill out. Please login to your member dashboard, go to the COVID Mandate Support Form section, find the link to the termination form and fill it out. It is highly unlikely that your case will have successful prospects if you have not completed the risk assessment steps, so it is necessary that you complete these steps before you are terminated or issued your show-cause notice. Please note, dismissals have a 21 day time limit to be lodged in the Fair Work Commission, please fill out the termination form sooner rather than later so that your submission is able to be made in time.

  Please note the letters from stage 3 onward, including the different termination letters, appoint your union to act for you, if you are not a member, we cannot help you.

  Please note, you must have completed the risk assessment request steps or our ability to help you on an individual basis with your termination or threat of termination may be limited. Please note, our group actions may still affect you however. 

• I have been called in for a meeting, what do I do?

  Read our FAQ's for directed workplace meetings here.

  If you have been called in for a meeting, in addition to reading the above guide, please fill out the show cause form (if you haven't already) on the COVID-19 mandate support section of your member dashboard so we can organise a response or meeting attendee.

  Please note the letters from stage 3 onward, including the different termination letters, appoint your union to act for you, if you are not a member, we cannot help you.

• Where do I find the Zoom videos you have made?

  We post our zoom videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCASEKWxJJR0u-HBaNhGhCA/videos 

• What is the difference between a show cause notice, being stood down without pay, and other disciplinary action?

  To help distinguish what discipline documents you have been issued with and which template you should use from our database, we have provided definitions.

  It should be noted that a threat of termination of employment does NOT equal a show-cause notice. 

  SHOW CAUSE OR A NOTICE TO SHOW CAUSE: 

  A show-cause notice is an intention by an employer to take disciplinary action (i.e termination) if you do not show cause as to why your employment should not be terminated in 14 days.

  • Show Causes will request that you explain why or ‘show cause’ as to why disciplinary action (including termination) should NOT be taken against you. 
  • The show cause will allow you to put forth a submission as to why your employment should not be terminated.
  • They should also mention that failure to comply with the above, will result in an immediate decision being made on your behalf as to the penalty you face (this can include termination)

  OTHER DISCIPLINE DOCUMENTS OR THREAT OF TERMINATION: 

  Other discipline documents can still pose a threat of termination without being a ‘show cause’. Discipline documents that you have received may advise you that you are unable to return to work or that you have been ‘stood down’, with a looming threat of ‘potential termination’. 

  • Other discipline could also include prejudicial alteration to your employment such as:
  • Reduction in paypoint;
  • Reprimand
  • Formal warning(s)
  • Additional training;
  • Performance improvement plans or processes 

  The key difference between the two is that a show cause notice will pose an immediate risk to the status of your employment (in the form of discipline or termination) if you do NOT respond. Other disciplinary documents do not require an immediate response.  

   

  STOOD DOWN WITHOUT PAY

  If you have been stood down without pay (ie you are not allowed to attend work and have been put on leave without pay.

   

  Please note, being stood down without pay is different to being terminated or asked to show cause as per our earlier email. You are stood down without pay if you have not been terminated but have been asked not to attend work.

• (Queensland Health Only) How do I apply for discretionary leave?

  Many Queensland Health nurses are still waiting for their vaccination exemption to be processed and we hear that this could take months in some cases.

  There are some, however, who have had their exemptions denied and are now wondering what the next step is. 

  There are new provisions for internal leave for discretionary pay and how our members can access paid leave while you await the outcome of your exemption request.

  In most cases, we believe members will be eligible for this special discretionary paid leave inclusive of your shift allowances.

  You will need to submit a separate application each week because the discretionary payments will only apply until your application is processed. This could be some time.

  Please download this Leave Form, complete it and submit it to your Line Manager and local HR for processing. The leave category is “Other – Discretionary – Vaccination Exemption”. Please do not delay this action.

• (Queensland Health Only) My Exemption has been denied, what do I do next?

  If your exemption has been denied and you have followed all of our steps requesting risk assessment, we are currently in the process of responding on your behalf (if you have followed the steps) as letters come in and deadlines arise. 

   

• Which stage is the Private Sector up to?

  Private sector workers require a more tailored response. We have released the risk assessment request steps for most public sector workers, please follow these. If you are issued a show cause letter, please fill out the show cause support form located in the Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Support section. Likewise, if you are terminated, please fill out the termination form in the same location.

  Private sector workers can also draw hope from the group actions taking place on behalf of workers in each state or territory. Success in these cases may well have knock-on effects for the private sector. 

  Please read your state section for further information on this.

• Which stage is Queensland up to?

  Currently, we encourage you to follow the request for risk assessment process. Once completed you will then need to wait for your employers' response. Either they should consult with you and will call you in for a meeting, please find steps for this above. If you are given a letter threatening termination, please follow the steps in FAQ above.

  Overall in Queensland currently most government departments have backflipped on their mandates. NPAQ has taken Queensland Health to court and a trial date of 10 December 2021 has been set to try and force Queensland Health to comply with the Workplace Health and Safety Act. We currently encourage Queensland Health workers to apply for discretionary leave (see above). We are also releasing letters for people who have had their exemptions denied as they roll in.

  If you are a private sector worker, please continue to follow the steps detailed above. Success in the Queensland case, may prove to be beneficial for you too.

• Which stage is NSW up to?

  Currently, we encourage you to follow the request for risk assessment process. Once completed you will then need to wait for your employers' response. Either they should consult with you and will call you in for a meeting, please find steps for this above. If you are given a letter threatening termination, please follow the steps in FAQ above.

  Overall in NSW it is crucial that you continue to follow your risk assessment steps. If you have been terminated, issued a show cause, threatened with termination or stood down without pay, you will find letters available for you to send as template responses. Currently, many mandate dates have passed, if you have followed the steps and are no longer allowed to work, we believe we can help you.

  Our legal team is still looking into the success prospects of a "group case" like in NSW and Victoria, however, considering the difference in laws, at this stage, a case in NSW is more likely to be successful on an individual basis under OH&S laws rather than a collective action. 

  If you are a private sector worker, please continue to follow the steps detailed above. Success in the Queensland and Victorian case, may prove to be beneficial for you too.

• Which stage is ACT up to?

  Stage 3 letters for ACT are now available, if you have been issued a show-cause notice or have been terminated, please complete the show cause form on the COVID-19 mandate support section of your member dashboard. You will find your member dashboard by logging in. 

• Which stage is Victoria up to?

  Currently, we encourage you to follow the request for risk assessment process. Once completed you will then need to wait for your employers' response. Either they should consult with you and will call you in for a meeting, please find steps for this above. If you are given a letter threatening termination, please follow the steps in FAQ above.

  Overall in Victoria, we have responses prepared for all workers, please continue to send these in. We are currently in the process of taking employers that have threatened the employment of workers to the Fair Work Commission.

  If you are a private sector worker, please continue to follow the steps detailed above.

• Which stage is Northern Territory up to?

  All Northern Territory letters are now available, including letters for being stood down, disciplined or issued a show cause. 

  Please send these letters if they apply. If you have been issued a show cause, please fill out the show cause form on COVID Mandatory Vaccine Support section of your member dashboard. You can find your member dashboard by logging in.

• Which stage is Tasmania up to?

  All Tasmanian letters are now available, including letters for being stood down, disciplined or issued a show cause. 

  Please send these letters if they apply. If you have been issued a show cause, please fill out the show cause form on COVID Mandatory Vaccine Support section of your member dashboard. You can find your member dashboard by logging in.

   

• Which stage is South Australia up to?

  Stage 3 letters for South Australia are now available, if you have been issued a show-cause notice or have been terminated, please complete the show cause form on the COVID-19 mandate support section of your member dashboard. You will find your member dashboard by logging in. 

• Which stage is Western Australia up to?

  All Western Australian letters are now available, including letters for being stood down, disciplined or issued a show cause. 

  Please send these letters if they apply. If you have been issued a show cause, please fill out the show cause form on COVID Mandatory Vaccine Support section of your member dashboard. You can find your member dashboard by logging in.