Taxpayers funding a months paid leave for unvaccinated

The Herald reports:

Staff at a public agency who refuse to get vaccinated could be put on paid special leave for up to a month.

Government vaccine requirements started applying to some public sector employees today, including certain roles at children’s ministry Oranga Tamariki.

Any health practitioner working for OT is supposed to have had their first jab by today, and their second by New Year’s Day.

But those who refuse will either be redeployed, or put on special leave.

The vaccine rule also applied to all staff whose work required them to be present at an OT secure residence.

It’s not immediately clear how many other agencies were offering paid special leave as an option for people who refused vaccines or redeployment.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she did not believe it would be very widespread.

This suggests she doesn’t know.

I’m not sure you need a vaccine mandate for OT staff. But if you have one, you don’t reward those who refuse by giving them a month’s paid holiday at taxpayer’s expense.