The Federal Government has聽finalised the details of a no fault聽COVID-19 Vaccine Claim Scheme following extensive consultation with the peak medical,聽healthcare, business and insurance sectors, to ensure a comprehensive National Scheme.
The Scheme will provide Australians with quick access to compensation for COVID-19 claims聽related to the administration of a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved COVID-19聽vaccine delivered through a Commonwealth Government approved program.
From 6 September 2021, Services Australia will accept claims on a no-fault basis for anyone who聽suffers from severe side effects that may rarely occur from either the Pfizer or the AstraZeneca聽vaccine.聽
This means that employers who want to encourage employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine will聽be protected by a new compensation scheme for anyone who suffers from the exceptionally rare聽but sometimes serious side effects of coronavirus vaccinations.聽
The scheme will only cover verified claims valued above $5,000 by a team of independent聽experts. It will pay out compensation based on their recommendations.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Scheme will be backdated to February 2021 and provide聽Australians with an alternative, administrative option to seek compensation, rather than a聽complex and costly court process.
Members can obtain further information regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine Scheme by clicking on聽this .
For the avoidance of doubt, Master Builders advises that in the current absence of a Public聽Health Order (PHO) generally making vaccinations mandatory for all workers, members should聽assess, on a case-by-case basis; whether they can lawfully and reasonably direct an employee to聽receive a COVID-19 vaccination.聽
Please note that the current PHO prescribes certain vaccination protocols being applicable to聽 residing in .