Pimlico Plumbers' "no-jab, no-job" policy opens up an interesting debate
What is reasonable for employers to expect of their employees during a pandemic?
When it comes what employers can reasonably mandate their staff to do, opinions are split. The line tends to be pretty clear when it comes to things like conduct while wearing a uniform or core working hours; staff members having side-hustles or the use of surveillance tools to monitor performance tend to attract more debate.
The coronavirus pandemic has only intensified that discussion. Whether it’s rules about how many can stand in a lift at one time, or which toilet cubicle to use, firms are getting more involved than ever in what their employees can and can’t do whilst in the office.
Many have chosen to stick simply to the government’s Covid secure guidelines, whereas others have gone further. The pharma giant GSK told workers to switch off the NHS contact tracing app whilst in the office to avoid disruption to work.
