Rights body receives vaccine complaints

FIJI Human Rights and AntiDiscrimination Commission (FHRADC) director Ashwin Raj says he has received complaints from employees and employers in relation to vaccines being enforced as a precondition for employment.

Yesterday, more than 20 workers from the Lyndhurst Group of Companies told The Fiji Times they had lodged complaints with the FHRADC and Employment Ministry.

Mr Raj confirmed some workers had expressed grave concern about being compelled by their employers to get vaccinated as a new condition of employment.

“While the HRADC will not disclose the names of these companies or the employees that have approached the commission because of legitimate concerns over reprisal and recrimination, the commission is in discussions with these companies,” he said.

“These employees believe that they must be afforded the right to make an informed choice rather than being compelled to get inoculated, acting under duress because of the fear of losing their jobs and imminence of unfair dismissals if they decide not to get jabbed.

“Employers, on the other hand, have also informed the commission that they have an obligation to ensure a safe and healthy workplace environment and that it is necessary to have all its employees vaccinated to effectively curb the spread of the pandemic which has already halted economic productivity and cost jobs and livelihoods.”

Mr Raj said any consideration about mandatory vaccination as a precondition for employment must take cognisance of the existing laws in relation to the constitutional safeguards against freedom from cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment.

“The employer must consider all reasonable alternatives to dismissal such as allowing the employee to work from home or allocate alternative duties for a specified period and make an assessment based on whether the employee works in a high-risk area which poses a real and imminent health and safety risk.

“Employers need to strike the right balance based on the nature of the industry, whether they are dealing with vulnerable groups and their legal obligations under the existing employment contracts.”

Mr Raj called on all employers not to compel but to encourage to employees to get vaccinated by ensuring they all had access to accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccine.

“This will enable them to make an informed decision.”