Morrisons under fire over its vaccine policy

‘If Morrisons is cutting sick pay it is more likely staff will continue working and infect fellow workers’

MORRISONS has been accused of taking a “dangerous and retrograde step” after it cut sick pay for unvaccinated staff in an effort to encourage jab uptake.

The grocer risks legal action after saying it intends to slash the amount paid to those who had not been vaccinated and had been told to self-isolate, lawyers and union chiefs warned. The cut will not apply to those who have not been given the chance to get two vaccine doses or those who have Covid-19 symptoms.

Morrisons intends to save money and encourage vaccine uptake by changing the policy, but unions said there is a risk staff will avoid isolating when they should do so. Rob Miguel, national health and safety adviser at Unite, said: “Unite absolutely encourages people who are able to get vaccinated, but we also strongly believe the process should be voluntary as there are many people unable to be vaccinated for legitimate reasons. Such strong-arm tactics will result in issues around equalities, human rights and ethical breaches.”

Mr Miguel said the policy risks being counter-productive. He said: “The pandemic has taught us that workers who can’t afford to self-isolate will be tempted to continue working, as the economic consequences of not doing so are dire.” Lawyers said the company could also face discrimination claims over the move, in particular from those with disabilities who were medically able to get the vaccine, but had opted not to.

Mandy Perry, at Simmons & Simmons, said: “It’s all new, so we’ve got no case law.” Matt Gingell, a specialist employment lawyer, said any decision would likely come down to how contracts with staff were drafted.

Other supermarkets said they would not be following Morrisons move.

A spokesperson for the supermarket said: “From 1st October, following Government confirmation that all adults have had the opportunity to get double vaccinated, we will no longer be paying full sick pay for pinged colleagues who have chosen not to be vaccinated”.