WorkSafe has fined a Christchurch restaurant $20,000 for multiple Covid-19 rule breaches.
The Lotus-Heart vegetarian restaurant, St Asaph Street, Christchurch. Photo: RNZ / Jean Edwards
The Lotus-Heart in the city's CBD failed to display My Vaccine Pass signs or put them in a prominent place, the workplace safety regulator said.
The St Asaph Street restaurant also failed to display a QR Code in a prominent place and did not have systems or processes to check diners' vaccine passes.
WorkSafe has issued three infringement notices to the business and warns it could issue another fine if it finds staff are not vaccinated.
General inspectorate head Simon Humphries said The Lotus-Heart penalty was the result of a sustained period of non-compliance.
"WorkSafe has been looking into this since September, and these infringement notices are the result of an unwillingness of the business to engage with WorkSafe or change their practices," he said.
"Despite the business refusing to communicate with us, our inspector has gathered enough information to determine the business isn't meeting even the bare minimum of what it's supposed to do."
The penalty for My Vaccine Pass breaches is $12,000, while QR Code and Vaccine Pass poster violations carry a $4000 fine.
The Lotus-Heart is advertised as a vegetarian, vegan and plant-based restaurant "dedicated to conscious living and healthy eating, striving to create a global cuisine naturally."
RNZ has contacted the restaurant for comment.
