Advice for business: managing household or close contacts in the workplace

Household and close contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case without symptoms are no longer required to isolate. However, household and close contacts must follow the NSW Health Household and Close Contact Guidelines for 7 days from the last time someone in their household tested positive for COVID-19, or as otherwise directed by NSW Health if you’re a close contact.

Please read the NSW Health Household and Close Contact Guidelines for full details, including guidelines on arrangements for work and attendance in the workplace.

Households are one of the highest risk settings for spreading COVID-19.

A recent study from Denmark found 32% of fully vaccinated household contacts became infected with the Omicron COVID-19 variant. Because household contacts are more likely to contract COVID-19, they present a risk to others in the workplace and to business continuity.

Employers should take a risk-based approach and continue to apply practicable control measures such as physical distancing, mask wearing, good hygiene and regular cleaning to minimise the risk of COVID-19 exposure within the workplace.

Employers should refer to keeping workers safe for more details on COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW), employers are responsible for providing a safe work environment and minimising the risk of workplace COVID-19 transmission so far as is reasonably practicable.

Employers should therefore implement measures to manage the risk of workplace transmission of COVID-19 from household and close contacts.

There are no changes to advice for people who test positive to COVID-19.

If an employee tests positive for COVID-19 they must self-isolate for 7 days from the date of their positive test and follow the testing positive to COVID-19 and managing COVID-19 safely at home advice. 

Employers can refer to the guidance for businesses with a worker who tests positive for COVID-19.