19 March 2024
Ref: DOIA 2324-1827
Erika Whittome
[FYI request #25876 email]
Tēnā koe Erika
Thank you for your request of 25 February 2024 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(MBIE) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following information:
1. Would you please share the minutes, emails and any correspondence and policy documents
for the creation of template letters you supplied to organizations in 2021/2022 for an
employer to terminate an employee due to their vaccination status?
2. Kindly also share the template letters themselves you shared with organizations or businesses
for example, all letters template covering the following topics: "Notice of Termination of
Employment", "Mandatory Vaccine Order – Notice of termination of your employment",
"Termination letter", "Proposal to Terminate Employment ", "Requirement to Stand Down
(from Work) ", "Invitation to Meeting to discuss vaccination status" , "Invitation to attend a
meeting regarding the Public Health order that affects your current role/ tasks" , "Public
health order outcome order - Confirmation of variation of tasks". Please note that your
template letters may not have the same names as I have listed above, but I am sure you get
my drift on the kinds of letters I am requesting which you supplied businesses, organizations
and other crown entities eg to the Ministry of Education etc.
3. Please include any legal discussions and legal advice for the creation and feedback on these
letters, especially when the advice refers to specific sections of the Health and Safety at Work
Act 2015 and to specific sections of the Employment Relations Act 2000 as the basis for any of
the statements in the template letters.
MBIE does not hold any record of such template letters being developed or circulated from MBIE to
organisations or businesses. Therefore, your request is refused under section 18(e) of the Act, as the
document alleged to contain information requested does not exist.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any further assistance,
please 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 availab
le at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802
602.
Nāku noa, nā
Beth Goodwin
Manager, Employment Relations Policy
Workplace Relations and Safety Policy Branch