Omicron is sparking a wave of disputes about workers' rights as people tussle with the relentless outbreak.
An employment advocate said he was busier with court cases than he'd been for a long time, but workers and bosses could avoid trouble by using common sense.
And a Government employment watchdogsaid companies should remember obligations to keep the broader community as safe as possible during the outbreak.
Employment advocate Danny Gelb said with so many people stressed out, workplace disputes escalating to court action seemed to be unusually common.
Many businesses were facing strain from the labour crisis, global supply chain issues and Omicron.
"If the employee believes that the working environment is either unsafe or unhealthy, then they can raise their concerns."
A fair and reasonable employer would listen to and assess those concerns, Gelb said.
"If they don't, then potentially you can argue that the employer has unjustifiably disadvantaged the employee if they say: We don't give a flying ... you have to work anyway."
There was also some debate about whether managers were entitled to call employees who were off sick.
It was generally fine for bosses to do so, but Gelb said whether an employee chose to take the call or not was another story.
Gelb said many employers had taken on debt or suffered from revenue downturns during the pandemic and might be more stressed than before.
"From an employer's point of view, they've got a business they're trying to run."
Anna Clark, MBIE workplace relations and safety policy general manager, said employers should prioritise looking after people, containing Covid, and protecting public health.