PwC demands all 8,000 Australian staff get a Covid vaccine before Christmas party

One of the globe’s big four accounting firms has demanded their Australian staff get vaccinated against Covid-19 if they ever want to go back to the office or attend their work Christmas party.

PwC will reopen its offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Parramatta and Newcastle at the beginning of November, but only to workers who’ve had the jab.

The auditing and consulting giant sent out a memo to its 8000 Australian staff on Monday, The Australian reported, informing them of the mandatory vaccination policy on the same day NSW emerged from 106 days in lockdown.

PwC will reopen its offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Parramatta and Newcastle at the beginning of November, but only to workers who’ve had the jab

‘From the date of reopening, all partners, staff, contractors, clients and visitors wanting to access those offices will need to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19,’ the Australia head of people and culture, Catherine Walsh said.

‘Similarly, partners, staff and contractors located in these locations will also need to be fully vaccinated to undertake any work-related travel, visit any client sites or attend work-related events’.

She said the decision to compel its army of bean counters to get double-dosed was based on the firm’s commitment to the ‘health, well-being and safety of our people, our families, our clients and our communities, as well as government health directives.’

Internal surveys suggest that 97 per cent of the juggernaut’s staff and partners were already planning to get the jab before December 31.

The police announcement follows a host of other major companies in Australia including Qantas, Virgin, SPC, 13Cabs and BHP, which have also introduced similar vaccination mandates.

Rival big four firm Deloitte is another to have brought in a compulsory jab program.

Internal surveys suggest that 97 per cent of the juggernaut’s staff and partners were already planning to get the jab before December 31 (pictured, Christmas party revellers in Sydney in 2020)

PwC said the decision to compel its army of bean counters to get double-dosed was based on the firm’s commitment to the ‘health, well-being and safety’. Pictured: A health care worker fills a syringe with a Pfizer vaccine

While EY and KPMG have championed the federal government’s ‘Vax Return’ campaign, they are yet to introduce a mandated scheme themselves.

‘Vaccination is essential if Australia is to emerge as quickly as possible from disruptive cycles of lockdowns and to commence the urgent task of re-opening our country,’ Deloitte Australia CEO Adam Powick said at the end of September.

‘As a firm and a profession, we are strongly encouraging and supporting our people to get vaccinated and the response to this call has been overwhelmingly positive.

‘We have now come together as a Big 4 group of firms to convey our collective support for the national vaccination program as this is a critically important foundation for the economic and social health of our nation.’ 

PwC (Sydney office pictured) have demanded their 8000 staff get vaccinated against Covid-19