Kia ora Erika

 

Thank you for your information request in relation to Covid-19.

 

Repeating your questions below, the University’s responses follow:

 

1. In 2022 how many staff were terminated for failure to comply with the
covid-19 vaccination policy?
Four in total.
2. How many affected personnel left Lincoln University before receiving a
termination notice during the introduction of the vaccination policy?
None that the university is aware of.

3. How many of the affected personnel were working in each operational
area or departmental function (e.g. management, registry, IT, finance, HR,
etc)? Please provide this disaggregated by job title or function to the
extent reasonably practicable.

Impacted staff were from Student Health, Student Accommodation and the
Office of Mâori and Pasifika.

4. How many of the affected personnel were offered alternative positions,
roles, or accommodations (e.g. remote work, redeployment, or other
adjustments) as an alternative to termination? Please indicate whether
such offers were made before or after termination notices were issued.

Three of the roles terminated were unable to be completed at home as they
required the staff member to be on campus. One role was offered an
alternative to work from home but declined.

 

There were also 5 other unvaccinated employees that were able to work from
home during this time.

5. What was the total amount paid out by Lincoln University to resolve
matters with these affected personnel, disaggregated (as far as reasonably
practicable) into categories, including:
* back-pay
* redundancy payments
* settlements
* ex gratia payments
* sick leave or annual leave entitlements paid out
* any other categories of compensation or financial redress

Please also provide any contextual information necessary to interpret the
figures (e.g. timeframes of payments, possible overlap between categories,
or explanatory notes on classification methods used).

 

There were no additional payments made to the affected personnel. They
were paid out their standard entitlements, including outstanding leave and
their notice period.

6. Were any external parties (e.g. Ministers, the Public Service
Commission, Tertiary Commission , unions, or legal representatives)
involved in the development of the vaccination policy leading to the
terminations If so, please identify them and the nature of their
involvement.

[1]The university followed government issued public health, MOE and TEC
guidance (example attached).

However, advice was not provided from these external parties in relation
to Covid-19 related terminations.
7. Did Lincoln University issue any internal guidance or policy outlining
the process for implementing vaccine mandate-related terminations? If so,
please provide a copy of that policy.

No policy, but a procedure attached for staff with no verification of
Vaccine Pass.

8. Please share the "detailed risk assessment" for workplaces at Lincoln
University.
A risk assessment for staff and another for Contractors is attached

 

We trust this addresses your information request

 

You are advised of your right under section 28(3) of the Act to seek a
review of Lincoln University’s response to your request by the Ombudsman. 

 

Ngâ mihi

 

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Tim Lester

Kaiarataki â Tura | General Counsel

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Te Whare Wânaka o Aoraki | Lincoln University

------------------- Original Message -------------------
From: [2][FOI #34155 email]; 
Received: Thu Mar 19 2026 10:41:45 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
To: Domestic Enquiries <[3][email address]>; 
Subject: Official Information request - Terminated staff due to
vaccination status at Lincoln University in 2021/2022

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content is safe.

Dear Lincoln University,
On or around December 15, 2021 the Vice Chancelor announced  Lincoln
University’s COVID-19 vaccination policy :

"Tçnâ koutou
Lincoln University has decided to introduce mandatory COVID-19
vaccinations as a requirement for all students, staff, contractors,
tenants and visitors to access campus, including all other
university-owned farms and properties, from 14 February 2022.
This has been a carefully deliberated decision taken by the Senior
Management Group (SMG) and Council, and reflects the University’s firm
belief that the health and safety of our community come first. It is
underpinned by a detailed risk assessment and university-wide consultation
with students, staff, contractors and tenants, which had the
support of a majority of the Lincoln community."

For the purposes of this request, the term “personnel” includes both
Lincoln University’s employees and non-employee workers, including
contractors, consultants, fixed-term staff, and agency placements. When
not explicitly limited to “employees”, the term “personnel” is implied and
refers to this broader group.

1. In 2022 how many staff were terminated for failure to comply with the
covid-19 vaccination policy?

2. How many affected personnel left Lincoln University before receiving a
termination notice during the introduction of the vaccination policy?

3. How many of the affected personnel were working in each operational
area or departmental function (e.g. management, registry, IT, finance, HR,
etc)? Please provide this disaggregated by job title or function to the
extent reasonably practicable.

4. How many of the affected personnel were offered alternative positions,
roles, or accommodations (e.g. remote work, redeployment, or other
adjustments) as an alternative to termination? Please indicate whether
such offers were made before or after termination notices were issued.

5. What was the total amount paid out by Lincoln University to resolve
matters with these affected personnel, disaggregated (as far as reasonably
practicable) into categories, including:
* back-pay
* redundancy payments
* settlements
* ex gratia payments
* sick leave or annual leave entitlements paid out
* any other categories of compensation or financial redress

Please also provide any contextual information necessary to interpret the
figures (e.g. timeframes of payments, possible overlap between categories,
or explanatory notes on classification methods used).

6. Were any external parties (e.g. Ministers, the Public Service
Commission, Tertiary Commission , unions, or legal representatives)
involved in the development of the vaccination policy leading to the
terminations If so, please identify them and the nature of their
involvement.

7. Did Lincoln University issue any internal guidance or policy outlining
the process for implementing vaccine mandate-related terminations? If so,
please provide a copy of that policy.

8. Please share the "detailed risk assessment" for workplaces at Lincoln
University.

Yours faithfully,

Erika Whittome

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