Article explores the question — How can law firms, particularly those with a global footprint, implement policies such as a mandatory vaccination requirement on an international scale fairly amongst their lawyers and staff? — and what would that mean for UK employers. One issue in particular stems from the use of the term "unvaccinated" in the United States for those who are not vaccinated, and how that culturally does not translate well in the UK. "No-one really aspires to be a 'non' or an 'un' anything, so ‘unvaccinated’ is an interesting choice of term to a UK audience, with its overtones of secondary class and perhaps being on the receiving end of less favorable rights." Legal concerns in the UK relate to 1) the risk of discrimination claims, for example on the grounds of disability, pregnancy, religion or belief, age, etc. if a vaccination policy causes a person with such characteristics a disadvantage, and the policy cannot be objectively justified (in the eyes of the law); and 2) the GDPR requirement that an employer must have a clear and necessary reason in order to request and keep vaccination records.
Global Vaccination Policies: Do They Work for UK Law Firm Offices?
London
