US firm orders staff back to work and says: No jab, no pay

CONSULTING firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has threatened its US staff with unpaid leave if they don’t get their Covid vaccines within the next 75 days.

The New York business, which also employs more than 800 white-collar workers in the UK, has ordered all staff to ‘show up for work in our offices on September 7’.

They must provide proof of vaccination, an email sent to US staff stated. If they have not had both jabs, they should continue to work from home but must tell their boss about ‘their future vaccination plans’.

The email, posted on its website, added: ‘Unvaccinated employees have 75 days to get vaccinated and show proof of vaccination. Any remaining unvaccinated employees will be placed on unpaid leave of absence beginning October 31 for up to 6 months.’

It came as Australian airline Qantas told 26,000 staff to get vaccinated or risk being fired.

Frontline staff such as cabin crew and pilots will have until mid-November, while the rest have until March. A&M, which specialises in advising businesses which are struggling, said vaccinations were not mandatory for its UK workforce.

It has not ordered its UK staff to come back to their offices, spread across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Leeds, though many are understood to be returning under their own steam.

It said: ‘Local guidance and availability of vaccines varies country by country. In the UK, we are strongly encouraging full vaccination for our employees at the earliest opportunity.’

It added that in the US, exceptions would be granted for pregnant women. Wall Street has been much more forthright than its UK peers in efforts to get workers back to the office.

Citigroup and Morgan Stanley have ordered staff returning to be vaccinated. JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs have encouraged jabs – anyone who doesn’t must wear masks and get tested at least weekly.