The decision by the UK government to require those working in the care sector in England to be vaccinated against Covid-19 this month has reignited the debate on the legality of ‘no jab, no job’ policies in other sectors. At the moment, Wales has no plan to make vaccinations mandatory for care workers or other sectors.
This same law across England will not apply to the rest of the working population, and the usual employee protections against discriminatory treatment and breach of contract will continue to apply in its absence.
There are also complex issues around data protection in keeping track of employees’ vaccination status. You should therefore consider these important issues before attempting to encourage – or even mandate – vaccinations amongst your workforce and, if in doubt, seek specialist advice.
Employers would in most cases be better advised to encourage, rather than oblige, their workers to be vaccinated.
For further employment law related advice, contact our team on 01792 468684 or email enquiries@pgmsolicitors.co.uk.
