No jab, no job: One in five employers will insist staff have Covid jab, survey finds

Mediation experts advise companies to get legal advice before introducing ‘no jab, no job’ policies

One in five employers plans to insist on coronavirus vaccinations as a condition of employment in the coming year, research suggests.

“No jab, no job” policies, intended to encourage take-up of vaccines and minimise the spread of Covid, were highly controversial when they were introduced at the height of the pandemic, and legal challenges were threatened.

Some critics claimed it was compulsory vaccination by another name.

Several large UK employers withdrew enhanced statutory sick pay from unvaccinated employees who had to self-isolate, leaving them eligible only for the statutory amount.

In January, health secretary Sajid Javid was forced to drop compulsory vaccinations for NHS staff, and two months later, the rule was scrapped for care workers after an estimated 20,000 left the sector.

The conciliation service Acas, which surveyed more than 1,000 employers, found that one in five employers would insist on staff having Covid jabs as a condition of employment.

Half would not insist, and one in five was not sure.

Acas chief executive Susan Clews said it was a “very tricky” area of employment law, adding: “Most workplaces are starting to navigate what working life should look like post-pandemic, and it is clear from our poll that most employers have no plans to require staff to be vaccinated.

Half of employers have no plans to insist on jabs but one in five intends to make them compulsory (Getty Images)

“It is always best to support staff to get the vaccine rather than insisting that they get it, and it’s a good idea for employers to get legal advice before bringing in a vaccine policy.”

In the US, some companies have faced legal disputes over “no jab, no job” policies.

Earlier this year, US bank Citigroup demanded workers be vaccinated or face the sack.

Acas said it advised employers to support staff to have a vaccine rather than forcing them.

It added: “There are some practical ways that employers could support staff such as paying them their usual rate of pay if they are off sick with vaccine side effects instead of statutory sick pay.

“Employers could also consider offering staff paid time off for vaccination appointments.

“If someone does not want to be vaccinated, the employer should listen to their concerns. Some people may have health reasons such as an allergic reaction to the vaccine and some employees may have other reasons for not wanting to be vaccinated.”