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Bosses who demand that their staff receive the coronavirus vaccine in order to work would not be breaking the law, ministers believe, which could pave the way for ‘a hit for a job’.
It is believed that companies that insist that workers get vaccinated against Covid-19 and take action against those who refuse for non-medical reasons would be covered by health and safety laws that require them to have a duty to care for their staff.
The idea of employers forcing staff to be beaten is controversial, and Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi previously called it “discriminatory.”
Charlie Mullins, the high-profile founder of pipe-unlocking giant Pimlico Plumbers, is one of those who has said he would insist that his staff have the opportunity to protect his workers and customers.
The issue has reportedly divided Whitehall, with some ministers supporting the forced vaccination plan in the interests of “public health,” while others believe it would encourage discrimination, The Telegraph reports.
It is feared that it could discriminate against minority communities where acceptance of the vaccine has been lower.
But a source told the newspaper: ‘If someone is working in an environment where people have not been vaccinated, it becomes a public health risk.
‘Health and safety laws say you have to protect other people at work, and when it comes to protecting other people, the argument grows stronger.
“If people have allergies or other reasons for not getting punctured, then of course they should be exempt, but when it’s an unwarranted fear, we have to help people get to the right place.”
North Shields key worker Mark Reid receives the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination center at the Center For Life in Newcastle on January 9, 2021
Charlie Mullins, the high-profile founder of pipe-unlocking giant Pimlico Plumbers, said he would insist that his staff have the opportunity to protect their workers and customers.
The source added that those with a medical reason not to get vaccinated, such as an allergy, should be exempt from the scheme, and that ministers had considered introducing new health and safety legislation.
Yesterday, Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi spoke out against the prospect of ‘vaccine passports’, which would provide state-issued evidence that a person had been vaccinated, suggesting that documentation would lead to discrimination. .
When asked if the government is considering issuing passports for vaccines, Mr. Zahawi told Sophy Ridge on Sky News: ‘No, we are not. One, we do not know the impact of vaccines on transmission.
‘Two, it would be discriminatory and I think the right thing to do is to make sure people show up to get vaccinated because they want to, rather than making it mandatory in some way through a passport.
‘If other countries obviously require some kind of proof then you can ask your GP why your GP will keep your records and that can be used as proof that you have received the vaccine. But we don’t plan to have a passport in the UK. “
Although there is little precedent for companies to be taken to court over the decision to fire unvaccinated employees, courts have previously ruled in favor of bosses who have fired staff for failing to isolate themselves with an infectious disease, The Telegraph reports. .
Nick Wilcox, a partner at BDBF, labor law specialists, told The Guardian that mandatory vaccinations “could be a problem,” and advised employers to consult workers about beatings rather than imposing them.
Data from the Department of Health shows that Britain recorded 15,845 cases yesterday, 25 percent less than the 21,088 cases last Sunday. The number of daily Covid-related deaths fell 36 percent weekly, from 587 last Sunday to 373 today, the figures show.
The debate comes as the number of people in the UK who have received a first dose of a vaccine surpassed the 12 million mark, with injections given at a rate of nearly 1,000 per minute over a one-hour period during the weekend. of week.
The figures showed that another 373 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Sunday, bringing the UK total to 112,465.
Companies calling for a no jab and no work approach could indirectly encourage other forms of discrimination.
According to an analysis of NHS England vaccination data by the Royal College of General Practitioners, mixed ethnic minorities, Asians, and blacks, respectively, are approximately only 33, 47, and 64 percent more likely to receive the vaccine than white people.
Pimlico plumbers plans to adopt the ‘no prick, no work’ vaccine rule for workers, but boss says he will not fire staff who reject it
By Faith Ridler for MailOnline
A London plumbing company is considering introducing a ‘no puncture, no work’ policy that requires all its workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, its founder revealed.
Charlie Mullins of Pimlico Plumbers says he has been speaking with his lawyers about making the vaccine mandatory for all new hires within a few months.
The firm is also exploring how it could modify existing staff contracts, he said, although he insisted that no one would be forced to receive a vaccine or be fired over the issue.
The government has pledged to vaccinate 15 million people in Britain by mid-February, and Boris Johnson promised that 200,000 doses would be administered a day before the weekend.
Charlie Mullins (pictured) of Pimlico Plumbers says he has been speaking with his lawyers about making the vaccine mandatory for all new hires within a few months.
The vaccines will soon be available on the High Street, along with around 50 centers set up in venues across the UK in a bid to bring the jab to as many Britons as possible.
However, Mr Mullins told the BBC that he was willing to pay for private vaccinations for the Pimlico Plumbers, should they become available.
He added that he has set aside £ 800,000 to pay for the vaccinations of more than 400 workers.
“We wouldn’t dream of forcing anyone, but I’m pretty sure 99 percent of our staff would seize the opportunity,” Mullins said Thursday.
The firm is also exploring how it could modify existing staff contracts, he said, although he insisted that no one would be forced to receive a vaccine or be fired over the issue.
“Who in their right mind would reject a needle or prick that could save their life?”
When asked if there was a contradiction between saying that contracts could be modified to require vaccines and at the same time saying that no one would be expelled, Mullins presented the issue as a matter of persuasion rather than coercion.
“It is not a contradiction because I think you will find if you encourage people and advise them … I am happy to pay anyone who works for us to get vaccinated,” he said.
The head of Pimlico Plumbers added that he believes private vaccines will be available within a few months.
He also said he doesn’t think people find a “no punch, no work” policy controversial.
“No one is complaining now that you have to get on a plane with a negative Covid test,” he said, referring to new rules that require passengers arriving in Britain to provide proof of a negative test performed less than 72 hours before travel. .
Many other countries have had such requirements for months.
However, despite Mr. Mullins’ plans to adopt a ‘no jab, no work’ policy, lawyers have suggested that this move could lead to allegations of discrimination or constructive dismissal.
