COVID-19 and the workplace: Australia

Seven days isolation commencing on the day of testing. 

Workers can return to work when they have completed the isolation period and they don't have a sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath.

Employers only required to report COVID-19 cases to SafeWork NSW if a worker is hospitalised or dies as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the workplace.

Employers must advise other workers and contractors who may be a contact of the COVID-positive person (noting the privacy and confidentiality of the person who tested positive.

Close contacts will not have to isolate as long as they have no symptoms and:

• wear a face mask in indoor settings outside the home
• undertake daily RAT tests before coming into close contact with people outside their household, where practicable
• Notify their employer/educational facility that they are a close contact. It is also recommended that such people work from home where practical

Close contacts will need to comply with the above guidelines for seven days from the time a person in their household tested positive for COVID-19.

Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate for seven days after the date they got tested.

Workers can return to work once they have completed their seven-day self-isolation.

The workplace must identify and inform other workers who are contacts (including sub-contractors, but not customers).

Employers are required to notify the Department of Health if they have five or more persons diagnosed with COVID-19 within seven days.

Asymptomatic close contacts don’t have to quarantine for seven days if they:

• test negative using a rapid antigen test on five days of the seven-day period
• wear a mask indoors when outside your home
• notify your employer or education facility.

Symptomatic close contacts must quarantine for seven days. They must get tested as soon as possible and again on day six.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 must isolate for seven days from the date they tested positive. If they have symptoms on day seven, they must isolate until those symptoms have gone away. 

Close contact who have no symptoms do not have to isolate. They will however need to wear masks outside their home for seven days.

If a close contact is leaving home, it's recommended that they undertake regular testing (on day 0, 2, 4, 6).

It’s also recommended that such people work or study from home if they can.

If they return to the workplace, they must first notify their employer.

Close contacts with symptoms will need to quarantine for at least seven days.

A confirmed case of COVID-19 must isolate for a minimum of seven days. At day seven, if symptoms are still present, continue isolating until symptoms clear. If no symptoms, you can leave isolation - no testing required. 

Close contacts with no symptoms are not required to isolate but must if leaving home:

• undertake a daily RAT test and obtain a negative result
• wear a mask when leaving the house,
• avoid high-risk settings.

They are also strongly encouraged to:

• avoid non-essential gatherings
• work from home, where possible
• notify their employer/educational facility of their close contact status.

Close contacts with symptoms must continue to isolate until symptoms resolve and get tested.

Close contacts are not required to isolate but must if leaving home:

• take five rapid antigen tests (RATs) over a seven-day period following their exposure to the virus
• wear masks when outside the house 
• notify their employers or educational facilities of their close contact stat
• avoid non-essential gatherings

Such close contacts are encouraged to work from home, where possible. 

Symptomatic close contacts must isolate for seven days.

A confirmed case must isolate for seven days after their positive test result. If mildly symptomatic, they must isolate for a further three days. 

Asymptomatic close contacts are not required to isolate for seven days.

If however they leave the home, they must:

• test for COVID-19, daily 
• wear a face mask in all indoor settings when outside the home
• not attend high-risk settings
• inform their workplace that they are a close contact

Symptomatic close contacts must isolate for seven days.

Everyone who is diagnosed with COVID-19 must isolate for at least seven days (day of test collection is day zero) until cleared to leave isolation by ACT Health.

Asymptomatic close contacts do not have to isolate. They will however need to:

• advise ACT Health they are a household contact
• wear masks in all indoor spaces outside their home for seven days
• work or study from home, where it is practical to do so
• notify their employer and/or educational facility that they are a household contact
• if attending work or study, close contacts must undertake COVID-19 testing and return a negative result in the 24 hours prior to returning to work or study and then every 48 hours.

Symptomatic close contacts must quarantine for seven days.

A confirmed case who is fully vaccinated must isolate for seven days from the day they had their COVID-19 test and returned a positive test result. 

You can only leave isolation after the required number of days if you have no symptoms. If you have symptoms, you must remain in isolation until you don't. 

Close contacts who have had at least three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine do not need to isolate.

Such close contacts must:

• have a RAT test within three days of becoming a close contact and on day six of becoming a close contact
• wear a mask when indoors at a place which is not your residence for seven days
• wear a mask when outdoors when you cannot maintain a distance of 1.5 metres from other people for seven days
• inform your employer or school that you are a close contact.

Such close contacts are also recommended to work from home if they can.

Close contacts who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated (don’t have the three shots), must isolate for seven days.