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An employer was under no obligation to give an employee time to "become comfortable" with the idea of getting a COVID vaccination, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.

In September 2021, after Victoria's Chief Health Officer mandated vaccination for all construction workers, RTL Mining and Earthworks informed staff at its Yallourn mine site of the 15 October deadline for receiving their first dose.

When the employee failed to meet the deadline, the employer suspended him because he was no longer permitted on site. It urged him to reconsider his decision, noting the mandate was out of its control and that failing to comply risked dismissal...