At midnight on 5 April 2020, the Government of Western Australia implemented a 'hard' closure of its state border. The closure prevents any person from entering WA unless they fall under the definition of an 'exempt traveller'.

'Exempt travellers' includes those working in national and state security and governance, health services, emergency services, courts, tribunal and commission, those with specialist skills not available in WA and of particular relevance to the energy and resources sector:

• Transport, freight and logistics services;
• FIFO workers who ordinarily travel to WA under their established work schedule; and
• Family of FIFO workers who are granted the State Emergency Coordinator's written approval to enter WA on compassionate grounds.

Transport, freight and logistics services will still run in and out of WA unobstructed, however FIFO workers must self-isolate at their employer's expense for 14 days immediately after entering WA. Family of FIFO workers are also subject to mandatory self-isolation for 14 days.

Unlike other States, WA's restrictions do not discriminate between FIFO and DIDO workers, with any person who ordinary enters WA for work purposes, for regular periods and according to an established work schedule classified as a 'FIFO worker'.

The hard border closure follows intra-state travel restrictions which took effect at midnight on 31 March 2020. The intra-state travel restrictions prohibit travel between nine defined regions in Western Australia, unless for exempt purposes.

In early April 2020, due to concerns about a spike in regional COVID-19 cases, the Government issued quarantine directions prohibiting travel between local government districts (LGDs) in WA's Kimberley and the Goldfields, and into remote Aboriginal communities in the East Pilbara. FIFO workers are also exempt from these regional travel restrictions.

Approval to travel across the state border and through intra-state restricted areas can be obtained through the 'G2G Pass' smartphone app, which generates a QR code allowing exempt travellers to pass through checkpoints. Alternatively, a paper-based form can be submitted to police along with supporting documentation (for example a letter from an employer).

The WA Government has strongly encouraged exempt employees to carry the appropriate documentation from their employer which supports their legitimate travel.

Managing impact on FIFO employees and rosters

Many employers with FIFO employees located interstate or who travel from Perth to regional WA will have been preparing for these travel restrictions for some time.

For those still planning their response, below are some options employers could consider to manage the impact on their business and employees.

• Ensure any employees required to travel within Western Australia or from interstate are registered on the G2G Pass app or carry appropriate employer-authorised documentation to ensure they can establish their exempt status and the destination of their travel.
• Implement a temporary roster to maximise employees' time on site and minimise the frequency of travel and reduce the need for quarantine periods. Employers should be mindful of the Fatigue Management Code of Practice and update their fatigue management plan to account for any changes to their usual rosters.
• Employers should also be conscious of extended periods on site triggering additional allowances or other payments under applicable enterprise agreements or modern awards.
• Investigate the use of temporary WA-based accommodation for interstate employees to use during their rostered rest periods, to prevent the need for travel outside of WA. This would prevent the need for those employees to quarantine on their return to WA but would need to be balanced carefully with employee mental health and well-being considerations, particularly for employees with families located interstate.

We recognise that COVID-19 creates many potential issues for businesses and have a group of specialists across the areas of Workplace, Insurance, Property and Commercial who are assisting many clients with these measures.