Teachers who have refused to get vaccinated against Covid-19 will lose out on thousands of holiday pay following the introduction of a new jab rule.
Unvaccinated educators across Victoria's state schools were given just a week to get jabbed or miss out on their full leave entitlements.
On December 10, teachers and other school staff were told that if they didn't show proof of vaccinated by December 18, they wouldn't be paid for the school holidays.
Those who didn't upload proof of vaccination by Saturday would not be paid from December 18 to January 27, the entirety of the summer break.
Educators were warned of the significant pay cut in an email from Tony Bugden, an executive director at the Department of Education.
He previously told staff in October that those who refused the jab would not be able to set foot on school grounds from October 18.
Unvaccinated educators were additionally told they would not be able to take leave from January 18 and would ultimately get the sack by April 28, 2022.
In October, unvaccinated teachers were reassured they would be paid over the school holidays, a hefty pay cheque that could number in the thousands.
'Should you update your vaccination status during the school holidays to show that you meet the vaccination requirements, your pay will be reinstated and the expectation is that you will resume duty at the commencement of the 2022 school year,' the email from Mr Bugden read.
Unvaccinated teachers who are not medically exempt can either refuse the jab and not return to school, or get vaccinated and be backpaid their school holiday leave.
A couple, both of whom worked in the state system for years, told the Herald Sun they would miss out on a combined $10,000 over the four-week break.
Another man who worked full-time for nine years said he can't get both his shots in a week and claimed there was no legal basis for being asked to do so.
The teacher said he offered to do daily PCR tests but was denied by the department.
The Education Department said the school workforce is almost entirely vaccinated.
'Staff have overwhelmingly supported this important measure to protect themselves and their school communities,' it said.
'Teaching service and school council employees who work in schools must provide evidence they are fully vaccinated or medically excepted by December 18.
'If they do not, they will be considered unvaccinated from that date and will not receive pay during the school holidays.'
It's not that our Western education system is very useful in that regard ...