COVID-19 Information for West Auckland Businesses

Workplaces are open at Orange

Employees should talk to their employers about working at Orange.

Following My Vaccine Pass requirements

Most businesses and workplaces can choose whether they check My Vaccine Pass for customers and visitors. If they do not, they may have to follow some restrictions.

They can also switch between requiring My Vaccine Pass and not requiring My Vaccine Pass. This could happen in places such as funeral homes where they have different groups entering the venue after each other.

If a business chooses to switch:

  • there must be no mingling of groups
  • rooms must be well ventilated
  • high-touch surfaces, such as door handles, must be cleaned between groups
  • everyone, both staff and visitors, must be told what the vaccine pass requirements are—whether it is for people with My Vaccine Pass, or a mix of people with and without My Vaccine Pass.

Advice for businesses on checking and verifying My Vaccine Passes | business.govt.nz(external link)

Vaccination status for workers

Some workplaces may be covered by vaccine mandates. This means workers in businesses covered by the mandate need to be vaccinated.

This applies to food and drink services (excluding takeaway-only businesses), events, close-proximity businesses and indoor exercise facilities like gyms.

Workers in these businesses must be fully vaccinated, even if the business chooses not to operate with My Vaccine Pass requirements.

If a business is only offering takeaway food and drink, then workers do not need to be vaccinated.

Vaccine information for businesses

Visiting a business

If you enter a business as a visitor or customer, follow the My Vaccine Pass requirements at the venue.

Businesses may check your My Vaccine Pass, either by looking at it, or scanning the QR code on your My Vaccine Pass with the NZ Pass Verifier app.

Businesses that are subject to My Vaccine Pass requirements are expected to check My Vaccine Pass for people on their premises, including workers.

Scan in or keep a record of where you go

Scan the QR code or keep a record of where you go. This will help with contact tracing for any cases in your community.

Where you must wear a face covering at Orange

Face coverings help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

There are some places where you must wear a face covering:

  • on domestic air transport services
  • public transport
  • arrival and departure points of public transport services
  • retail
  • public venues/facilities (not swimming pools)
  • pharmacies
  • veterinary services and animal health and welfare services
  • courts and tribunals
  • specified social services
  • the public area of premises operate by NZ Post Limited
  • premises operated by a central government agency, a local authority, or NZ Police
  • anyone who is not a patient or worker of a health service other than pharmacies
  • public-facing workers (paid and non-paid) at food and drink businesses and services, including within events
  • workers (paid and non-paid) at close-proximity businesses
  • workers (paid and non-paid) at gatherings, excluding performers and formal speakers.

We encourage you wear a face covering whenever you leave your home, including at the gym, hairdresser, and at work.

At events, workers (excluding performers where it is impractical) are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings.

When to wear a face covering

Support for West Auckland Businesses

For those businesses impacted by the COVID-19 lockdowns in our BID area, there is support available via our partners at the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).

If you are currently still awaiting an outcome on your wage subsidy application please
get in touch with us so we can connect you with one of our local MSD advisors.

Please see the below information to see how the MSD team can help you:

If you can’t work at the moment, have lost your job, or are working fewer hours
• You may be able to get a benefit or some other financial help from Work and Income.
• If you’re struggling to pay your rent or your bills, you might be able to get some help
– even if you’re still working or on a low income.
• They can also help you look for work or training and help with the costs of getting started in a new job.

If you are sick or need time off work because of COVID-19
• If you’re being tested for COVID-19, it’s important you stay home until your results come back.
• If you can’t work from home, your employer may be able to apply for the Short-Term Absence
Payment to help them pay you.
• If you’ve been told to self-isolate because you or someone you’ve been in contact with has
COVID-19, and you can’t work from home, your employer may be able to apply for the
Leave Support Scheme to help them keep paying you.
Talk to your employer about the help that’s available so you can keep getting paid.
If you’re self-employed and can’t work from home, you can also apply for these payments.

If you need help with essential costs
Depending on your situation, there are lots of other ways Work and Income may be able to help you and your family. You don’t need to be on a benefit to get help, it’s also available to people on a low income.

They could help with:
• Food
• Accommodation costs (rent, mortgage, board)
• Power, gas and water bills
• Medical and dental costs

For more information please contact Work and Income
Even if you don’t think you qualify, call them on 0800 559 009 (Mon- Fri 7am to 6pm; and Sat 8am to 1pm) to talk about your situation.
You can also visit workandincome.govt.nz or click on “Check what you might get“.

Support available from Inland Revenue

The Resurgence Support Payment is available from Inland Revenue for businesses and self-employed people to get support with business costs like rent or fixed costs and can be accessed through the Inland Revenue website. Businesses can apply for the Resurgence Support Payment at the same time as the Wage Subsidy Scheme.

Businesses and organisations can apply for the seventh (the Transition) payment of the Resurgence Support Payment from 3 October to 9 November on Inland Revenue’s website www.ird.govt.nz. They are able to apply for payments even if they have received previous payments. Applications for the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th payments will close at midnight on 13 January 2022.

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