The Employment Court has given a Northland-based Department of Corrections employee terminated for refusing the Covid vaccination the green light to challenge her dismissal.
Shelley Goldie started work in an administrative role at the department’s Northland Regional Corrections Facility complex at Ngawha in 2017 and was told her position was covered by the Covid vaccination order for the department that came into effect from November 2021.
Goldie was told she had until December 8, 2021 to have the necessary vaccinations or else her employment would be terminated on four weeks’ notice.
She did not have the Covid vaccinations and lost her job. In early November 2021, after Goldie’s role was designated as requiring vaccination against Covid, she contacted an employment advocate.
The advocate advised her she could have a defence against dismissal and if it was for not taking the vaccine she could raise a grievance for unjustifiable dismissal.