Will firms force jabs

And how will the policy hit you?

MORE than one in five companies are planning a “no Covid jab, no job” policy, according to new research.

A survey by Acas created headlines when it found

22% of employers planned to introduce a mandatory vaccine policy in the next year.

But what’s the position among the largest employers in Tayside and Fife?

We went to 40 companies who together employ tens of thousands of workers throughout Dundee, Angus, Perthshire and Fife.

We asked if they currently have a mandatory vaccine policy and also if they plan to introduce a “no jab, no job” rule for existing and new staff.

Here’s what they said.

ABERTAY UNIVERSITY

No current mandatory vaccine rules and no plans for “no jab, no job” for new or existing staff.

ANGUS COUNCIL

No plans for a “no jab, no job” policy.

ASDA

No mandatory vaccine rules.

The supermarket giant said: “We support the government’s Living with Covid plan and we will of course review our policies if official guidance changes.”

AVIVA

The Perth-based insurance firm said: “We are not making vaccination a condition of entry to our offices.”

BABCOCK

No response to whether there are current mandatory vaccine rules or plans.

The major Fife employer said: “Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Babcock has operated in accordance with the government guidance and will continue to do

so moving forward.”

BAKER HUGHES

“We don’t have a mandatory Covid vaccine policy and have no plans to implement one.”

BALHOUSIE CARE GROUP

No mandatory vaccine rules for existing staff, but Balhousie did introduce a mandatory vaccine stance for new staff last year.

Balhousie said: “For new staff, employment is conditional on agreement to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

“We require a commitment to getting the vaccine as soon as is practicably possible.

“We understand there may be valid health reasons why individuals feel they cannot be vaccinated, and these will be considered at the recruitment stage.”

BT

There are no current mandatory vaccine rules or plans for BT, which is making a multi-millionpound investment in a new Dundee office.

BT said: “We’ll continue to follow any public health guidance as you’d expect.”

CASTLE WATER

No mandatory vaccine rules or plans at the Blairgowrie business.

The firm said: “We would encourage staff to get a vaccine, but it remains a personal choice.”

CRIEFF HYDRO

The resort has no intention to insist staff have the vaccine.

D&A COLLEGE

“There are no plans for mandatory vaccines within any area of the college.”

DC THOMSON

“We do not have a mandatory vaccine policy.”

DIAGEO

It’s a case of vaccine encouragement instead of rules at the drinks giant.

The firm said: “We have strongly encouraged all our employees to take up their local vaccination programme, but do not mandate this.”

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL

The local authority did not confirm its current vaccine rules, but commented: “We are currently following the national Scottish Government guidance and vaccination advice.”

FIFE COUNCIL

Sharon McKenzie, head of HR, said: “We don’t have a mandatory Covid vaccine policy and have no plans to implement one for either new or existing staff.”

GLENEAGLES

“We don’t currently have a mandatory Covid vaccine policy in place.”

HC-ONE

The care home group introduced a mandatory vaccine policy for all staff last year.

It said: “This was the responsible step for us to take to protect the people we care for, as well as our colleagues, as the evidence clearly shows that vaccination cuts transmission and substantially reduces the risk of hospitalisation.”

NCR

No current mandatory vaccine rules or plans.

NHS FIFE

“While healthcare staff in Fife are very much encouraged to take up the offer of Covid-19 vaccination, it is not mandatory.”

NHS TAYSIDE

The health board said our inquiry should be directed to the Scottish