The latest discussion in employment law is developing around this area. Pimlico Plumbers have already announced that any new hires who they take on must have had a jab. Some nursing home companies are following suit. Other companies are going even further and have plans to require current employees to have a jab.
The government gives no guidance and seeks to make no comment in this contentious area. The Prime Minister has said that there will be no compulsory vaccine passports which are seen as anathema to our expectation of moving around freely without ever showing paperwork. The CBI business group says there is no need for compulsory jabs when rapid testing is available.
So can some companies insist on this no jab, no job policy? Companies in the care sector or in services where operatives move from customer to customer are more likely to have good legal reason to implement this policy. For others, where alternatives such as testing are available, they run the risk of claims for discrimination but how these might be framed remains to be seen.
If you are an employer or employee and need legal advice please contact us on 0114 2256666 or at enquiries@shulaw.co.uk.