7 M arch 2022

Lisa
[FYI request #18503 email]

Dear Lisa

Official Information Request
Our Ref: OIA 2022-0012

I refer to your official information request received on 9 February 2022 where you asked:
“I request a refresh to OIA 2021-0076 for the period from June 2021 to now”.
OIA 2021-0076 request asked for:
“Al  communications, advice, reports, notes, agendas, meeting attendance lists, minutes, and
decision documents relating to any expectation or instruction from the commission regarding
covid-19 vaccination of public servants. This should include any communication to and from
public sector agencies and executives, and ministers on this subject. You only need include
information 2021.
For the avoidance of doubt, this should also include but not be limited to notes of all phone calls,
meetings, any text messages, emails, instant messages, notes in notebooks or any other
medium or form, and phone logs”

Information publicly available
As  noted in our earlier response Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission (the Commission)
issued guidance on COVID-19 workforce vaccinations under s95(a) of the Public Service Act 2020.  It
applies to public sector agencies and their employees. The Commission has proactively released this
guidance and a report on workforce matters relating to the COVID-19 vaccination roll out both of
which is listed in the table below along with the links of the website where they are located.

Item
Document Description
Website address
1
  COVID-19 Workforce Vaccinations Guidance
COVID-19 Workforce Vaccinations Guidance | Te
Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission
2
  Report: Guidance on workforce matters  Guidance-on-workforce-matters-relating-to-COVID-
relating to COVID-19  vaccination roll out:  19-vaccination-roll-out-Government-Workforce-
Government Workforce Policy Statement for  Policy-Statement-for-the-public-sector.pdf
the public sector
(publicservice.govt.nz)

Level 10, RBNZ Building |   2 The Terrace | PO Box 329
Wel ington 6140 | New Zealand
Phone +64 4 495 6600

Complying with al  required public health and social measures remains the bottom line for all
agencies while continuing to provide public services for al  of New Zealand.  Agencies continue to
engage with workers and unions on how they comply with the public health and social measures of
the COVID-19 response in line with Agency chief executives having the responsibility for deciding how
to apply this guidance in the particular context of their agency.
To assist for the period from November 2021 – January 2022, the Commission set up a smal  team to
support the operationalisation of the Public Sector guidance including agency vaccination policy
work. This team was responsible for:
•  supporting Public Sector agencies to implement the Government’s decisions on vaccinations
in the workplace;
•  building relationships with stakeholders to quickly achieve results;
•  working in partnership with HR and Employment Relations leads and the Health and Safety
community including the Government Health and Safety Lead, Unions;
•  working closely with agencies and Unions to ensure a consistent approach to the
implementation of the Government’s policy decision on vaccinations in the workplace across
the Public Sector.
Fol owing the introduction of the COVID-19 Protection Framework further guidance has been issued
by the Public Service Commissioner under s95(a) of the Public Service Act 2020 fol owing each setting
and phase change.   The latest guidance was published on 25 February 2022 and replaces our COVID-
19 Vaccination Rol out Guidance and previous COVID-19 Public Sector Workforce Guidelines.
The Commission has  also issued updated guidance  for agencies on vaccination policies and
associated dismissals. This was published on the Commission’s website on 4 March 2022.
Listed in the table below is the guidance that was issued on 25 February 2022 and 4 March 2022 and
the links to the website where it can be found.
Item
Document Description
Website address
3
  Public Service workforce guidance for the  https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/resources/publi
COVID-19 Protection Framework
c-service-workforce-guidance-for-the-covid-19-
protection-framework/
4
  Updated guidance for agencies on https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/resources/upda
vaccination policies and associated ted-guidance-for-agencies-on-vaccination-policies-
dismissals
and-associated-dismissals/

Information being released
Updates in relation to the COVID-19 vaccinations continue to be provided to the Public Sector Heads
of Human Resources (HR) group. Members of this group are the Heads of HR departments in public
service agencies, crown agents and crown entities.
As HR Heads of Profession, the Commission regularly coordinates meetings with this group to share
information on key public service wide activities and provide advice on topics of relevancy to the HR
community. Please find outlined in the below table the Heads of HR meeting Minutes that have
occurred since our response to OIA 2021-0076, that contain information which fal s within scope of
your request  as wel  as emails sent from the  Public Service Commissioner to  the Public Service
Leadership Team.

Item
Date
Document Description
Decision
5
  17 June 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
6
  1 July 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
7
  1 July 2021
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
8
  15 July 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
9
  15 July 2021
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
10
  29 July 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
11
  29 July 2021
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
12
  12 August 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
13
  12 August 2021
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
14
  20 August 2021
Special COVID meeting: Public Service Heads of HR  Released in part
– Meeting Minutes
15
  26 August 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
16
  26 August 2021
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
17
  9 September 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
18
  23 September 2021  Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
19
  23 September 2021  Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
20
  7 October 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
21
  7 October 2021
Wider Group of Heads of HR (Meeting Minutes)
Released in part
22
  13 October 2021
Email from the Public Service Commissioner –  Released in part
Supporting the vaccination effort
23

Open letter to Public Servants re supporting the  Released in full
vaccination effort
24
  21 October 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
25
  21 October 2021
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
26
  4 November 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
27
  4 November 2021
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
28
  18 November 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
29
  18 November 2021
Wider Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes  Released in part

30
16 December 2021
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
31
16 December 2021
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
32
22 December 2021
Email from Deputy Public Service Commissioner  -  Released in part
Our COVID-19 Vaccination policy and visiting Te
Kawa Mataaho from 10 January 2022
33
18 January 2022
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
34
18 January 2022
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
35
20 January 2022
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
36
20 January 2022
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
37
23 January 2022
Email from the Public Service Commissioner –  Released in part
Operating under the red setting
38
3 February 2022
Public Service Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
39
3 February 2022
Wider Group of Heads of HR – Meeting Minutes
Released in part
We have decided to release the documents listed above, subject to information being withheld under
section 9(2)(a) to protect the  privacy of natural persons, including  deceased people.  Where
information is out of scope, this has been noted accordingly on the documents.
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact
[email address].
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz  or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Please note that we intend to publish this letter (with your personal details removed) and enclosed
documents on the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission’s website.
Yours sincerely
Nicky Dirks
Manager – Ministerial and Executive Services
Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission

Document Outline