The Times today (16.02.21) reports on Covid vaccine passports, with the government admitting it is open to individual businesses to decide whether they only let those who have had the vaccine come to work or use their services.
The government cannot force someone to have the vaccine so is it a reasonable management instruction to require an employee to have it? There would be a number of factors to consider in each case, not least the nature of the employer's business, the employee's role and the reason for any refusal. Further, the employee could have protection under the Equality Act 2010.
Businesses often forget that service users may also have protection under the Equality Act 2010 and a blanket policy could fall foul.
A fully vaccinated workforce is undoubtedly attractive, but with vaccines not offering 100% protection, it is not necessarily the answer.
Pressed by BBC Breakfast about reports that businesses are considering pressing ahead with their own passport schemes anyway, [the Vaccine Deployment Minister] replied: “It’s up to businesses what they do, but we don’t yet have the evidence of the effect of vaccines on transmission.”
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/third-of-social-care-workers-have-not-yet-been-vaccinated-against-covid-86vvzxcv5
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