From this week, sick pay cuts will be implemented at Wessex Water and in the US several major companies have starting penalising unjabbed workers. It comes as firms struggle with mass staff absences and rising costs.
At Ikea unvaccinated workers who are required to isolate could now receive as little as £96.35 a week - the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) minimum. Average pay at Ikea is between about £400 and £450, depending on location.
Ikea, which employs about 10,000 people in the UK, said in a statement: “Fully vaccinated co-workers or those with mitigating circumstances will receive full pay for self-isolations. Unvaccinated co-workers will be paid in line with our company absence policy for self-isolation, with close-contact isolation being paid at Statutory Sick Pay. We appreciate that this is an emotive topic and all circumstances will be considered on a case by case basis, therefore anyone in doubt or concerned about their situation is encouraged to speak to their manager.”
In England, people who are vaccinated with at least two doses need not self-isolate if they have been in close contact with someone infected with Covid. Unvaccinated people contacted through the government’s test-and-trace system must still isolate by law.
Many companies complained of labour shortages throughout 2021, and now are seeing mass absences due to the more infectious Omicron Covid strain.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson repeated on Monday that the data continued to show those people most seriously affected by Omicron remained the unvaccinated.
Wessex Water’s sick pay rule change comes into force this week.
Last year, supermarket Morrisons cut its sick pay levels, while several companies, including banking giant Citigroup, introduced a “no jab, no job” policy. Delta Airlines imposed a surcharge on unvaccinated staff members of its healthcare plan.
Hmmm … that’ll raise some hackles …
However, as a vaccinated person, I support the policy - IMO, the unvaccinated are irresponsible and rapidly becoming a drain on society …
I am one of the " irresponsible drains on society" as you call it, but I have my reasons, and didn’t make the decision lightly, or because of anything to do with the anti-vax brigade.
I was taken off in an ambulance no less than 4 times over 3 weeks, because I reacted so badly to the first vaccine within 12 of having it. It really scared me.
Some months later, a consultant at the hospital asked me if I had had any more doses and I told him No, and explained what happened.
He listened quietly, and then said . . . “You’ve done the right thing.”
Never thought I’d hear that from a medical person, and I would sooner be guided by him than any layman.
Watching the news most of the hospital beds are taken up with un-vaccinated patients. Watched a story of a guy with a heart attack had to stay in a&e (Whatever that is) because there were no beds in the ICU. People without the vaccine are gumming up the works of trying to get this Big Blue Ball rolling again.
the unvaccinated are irresponsible and rapidly becoming a drain on Healthcare.
I’m not going to argue about that, Danny. And I admit I am scared about catching the dreaded Covid, but I am equally scared of being carted off in ambulances repeatedly once more. I didn’t make the decision just to please the anti-vaxers.
In what way are unvaccinated people a drain on society ?
Are you talking about the sacking of (approx) 100,000 NHS workers by any chance ? What are you going to do when the government makes a u-turn over this decision ? Will you still stick to your principles or side with the tories ?
Besides, the vaccines only last about a month or so, after that, by your definition its you and your mates on here that will be the drain on society.
Enjoy the perpetual jab jab jab for the rest of your life mate
What a new concept, something that does not last for ever & needs topping up or developing to take into account changes else where. In this case it’s covid that is developing & thus the vaccine needs to keep developing too.
Imagine it. Some people driving down the road in their well maintained vehicle & some others assuming that they have the right to take an unmaintained & thus potentially dangerous vehicle on the road. Just because they don’t see the point in preventative behaviour, or because they are selfish & simply don’t care about others.
Or how about those who think that gas boilers should not be maintained or a hospital that decides not to maintain equipment used on anti vaxers, because they don’t believe in anti vaxers right to health care?
You have evidence that everyone will need a vaccination every month!! Or is that just you being dishonest & trying to make a pathetic point by using lies & over emotive phrases to make a point, when you know you are loosing?
Viruses can’t be cured, only controlled to a certain extent. What’s the difference in having an annual Flu jab and having one for each iteration of Covid?
