Shock penalty for unvaccinated teachers

Teachers at Victorian state schools have been given a weeks’ notice of a new jab rule that will have major financial consequences.

Unvaccinated state school teachers will miss out on thousands of dollars in pay over the summer despite being assured they would receive their full holiday leave entitlements.

The staff members were given just one weeks’ notice of the decision not to pay them for the school holidays, which has left many struggling to buy presents and pay rent just before Christmas.

On December 10, unvaccinated teachers and other school employees were told they had to be vaccinated by December 18 or they would not be paid for the summer break. The email from Tony Bugden, an executive director of the Education Department, said teachers who did not upload proof of vaccination by December 18 “will not receive pay for the duration of the school holidays, from 18 December 2021 until 27 January 2022”.

“Should you update your vaccination status during the school holidays to show that you meet the vaccination requirements, your pay will be reinstated and the expectation is that you will resume duty at the commencement of the 2022 school year,” the letter said.

State school teachers who haven’t had their vaccine won’t get holiday pay. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Back in October staff were told by Mr Bugden that unvaccinated teachers could not work at schools from October 18, could not take leave from January 28 2022, and would lose their jobs by April 28, 2022.

But they were assured that “from 18 December 2021 until 27 January 2022, normal school holiday provisions will apply”.

The move is understood to be designed to address workplace shortages due to the number of unvaccinated teachers. There are around 50,000 state school teachers and one survey found 98 per cent have received one dose.

One couple, who are both long-serving state primary school teachers, say they will lose up to $10,000 together for the four-week break.

“We had a contract signed until January 28,” a teacher who has worked full-time in a primary school for nine years said.

“We can’t get double jabbed in a week and there is no legal basis for asking us to do so,” he said.

He said he tried to negotiate by agreeing to do daily rapid tests but this was not accepted by the department, which has now ceased any contact. Primary school students who were close contacts were allowed to use rapid tests so they could return to class as soon as possible.

Another permanent teacher who had 12 years continual service said her medical exemption wasn’t accepted by the department.

“It’s a very heavy-handed and uncompromising approach,” she said.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said that from December 18, unvaccinated teachers “will not receive pay during the school holidays. This is in line with the directions of the chief health officer.”