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記事

2021年5月18日

著者:
Nadjia Zychowicz, Kingsley Napley LLP

Commentary: Should staff be compelled to have the COVID-19 vaccine?

"Should staff be compelled to have the COVID-19 vaccine?", 14 May 2021

In the US, Brown University and other colleges recently announced that they will require students to be vaccinated before returning to campus. So far we have not seen UK universities impose similar requirements. However, the question of whether universities as employers can require teaching and administrative staff to have the Covid-19 vaccine is one that falls squarely in the debate that employers up and down the country have been having with lawyers and the government alike.

Pimlico Plumbers were one of the first UK employers to publicise a “no jab-no job” policy back in January, and since then we have seen care-home groups making the vaccine mandatory for staff looking after vulnerable patients. Yet, for most employers, the situation is less clear-cut.

There is currently no legal requirement to be vaccinated and the government has so far shied away from compelling people to be. Michael Gove’s review of the potential use of vaccine passports, expected in June, could alter the position. However, because of the potential for discrimination as well as infringement of people’s human rights, compulsory vaccination is very unlikely.

Employers can encourage staff to get vaccinated (as they may do with a winter flu jab, for example), provide access to medical information, allow paid time off to get the vaccine and provide sick pay for those suffering with side effects. However, insisting that employees are vaccinated could risk exposure to discrimination claims from those whose choice not to be vaccinated is attributable to a protected characteristic (such as a medical condition amounting to a disability, or a religion or belief) or unfair dismissal claims if employers discipline, dismiss or change employee’s contractual terms.

Requiring staff to be vaccinated would engage their rights under the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) and as public sector employers, most universities must act in a way that is compatible with the HRA, otherwise they could be subject to judicial review.

Employers are best advised to follow the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) guidance on creating a safe environment by implementing social distancing, frequent cleaning, adequate ventilation and good hand hygiene...

Whether employers can refuse unvaccinated staff entry to offices will depend on whether the requirement is necessary and reasonable...

However, blanket requirements for vaccination, and excluding staff from the workplace, are unlikely to be necessary where alternative solutions are available. The key is to ensure that alternatives are considered, such as extending remote working or introducing screens or PPE, before taking action against employees...