As the rollout of vaccinations gathers pace, employers are eager to know whether they can order employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19
“The Department of Labour has published guidelines stipulating that Covid-19 vaccinations can be made mandatory by employers, but this raises a number of questions, including whether or not any organisation can implement such a policy,” says Louise Woodburn, GM of KBC Risk Solutions
She advises:
Companies will need to consider their particular circumstances, such as the type of work done and the number of employees
Any existing collective agreements with unions will take precedence – It is important for businesses to work with unions and communicate clearly
A thorough risk assessment, including remote work arrangements and travel requirements, must be done before any policy can be implemented
Companies need a plan to cover those who refuse to be vaccinated – there is a Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration precedent that a worker cannot be dismissed for refusing to be vaccinated, so employers must be prepared
This article was extracted from the local newspaper and was written by Margaret Harris
