"Coronavirus: Cathay Pacific gets discrimination warning after firing unvaccinated aircrew; city confirms 1 imported case", 13 September 2021

Cathay Pacific has been warned by Hong Kong’s equality watchdog that it could be breaching discrimination laws after the carrier fired aircrew who failed to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

On Monday, Ricky Chu Man-kin, chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), said differences in the way the airline’s staff were treated could be regulated under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance depending on each case, adding some of those dismissed had already contacted the independent statutory body.

“If certain staff members feel they were treated differently or were being discriminated against – such as being let go – because they could not get jabbed and meet the company’s requirements, they can file an inquiry or complaint to us,” Chu told a radio show.

He said health-related concerns could be a valid explanation for not getting jabbed, adding that mediation, as well as legal action, could be possible if staff were deemed to have a valid case. [...]

Last week, Cathay said it had decided to “part company with a small number of aircrew” who had not received a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of August. The airline added that the workers had also not shown proof of medical exemption. [...]