Ref: 227230
22 December 2023
Erika Whittome
Via FYI.org.nz
Tēnā koe Erika
Response to your request for Official Information
On 24 November 2023, you requested the following information from Te Kāhui Tika
Tangata | Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) under the Official Information
Act 1982 (“OIA”):
1. What number of staff did you terminate or place on any form of "extended leave"
due to any vaccination mandates or policy starting Nov/Dec 2021 and Jan 2022
onwards?
2. Please also share the total headcount as of 15 Nov 2021 and today (when you
answer this OIA).
3. How many Clause 9 and Clause 12A exemptions from COVID-19 Public Health
Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021 were received and approved for
unvaccinated workers by the HRC?
4. Kindly share how this order was promulgated to the HRC and specifically how
these exemptions were promulgated and discussed at the HRC. Please include
any meeting minutes discussing exemptions for clause 9, 12A and any other
"exemptions" or "exceptions".
We set out our response to each of your three requests below.
Request 1 – Staff termination/leave due to vaccination mandates/policies
In response to your first request, we confirm that the Commission did not terminate the
employment of any of its employees, or place any of its employees on “extended leave”,
in response to any COVID-19 vaccination mandates or policies.
Request 2 – Staff headcount
In response to your second request, we confirm the following headcounts of
Commission employees on the dates specified below:
• 15 November 2021 – 86 employees
• 11 December 2023 – 71 employees.
Requests 3 & 4 – COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021
As the outset of our response to your third and fourth requests, we confirm that the
COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021 (“Order”) did not apply
to persons in their capacity as employees of the Commission, as they did not at any
time fall within the definitions of “Groups of affected persons” under Schedule 2 of the
Order.
Accordingly, in response to your third request, we confirm the Commission did not
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receive any requests for exemptions under Clause 9 and/or Clause 12A of the Order
from unvaccinated employees.
In response to your fourth request, for the reasons outlined above, we confirm that the
Commission did not specifically promulgate the Order and its exemption provisions to
its employees.
Alternative avenues
If you are not satisfied with this response, under the Official Information Act you are
entitled to complain to the Ombudsman’s Office. Information about how to make a
complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or on freephone 0800 802
602.
Nāku noa, nā
Philippa Mitskevitch Kaitohu Ture | Legal Advisor
New Zealand Human Rights Commission | Te Kāhui Tika Tangata
