Employers may wish to talk to their staff about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine and the benefits of being vaccinated. Employers may wish to share:
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if staff will need time off to get the vaccine
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if employees will be paid for time off work related to the vaccine
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if the employer plans to collect data on staff vaccinations, and if so, how data will be protected
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if staff are required to be vaccinated to return to the workplace
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the government's latest vaccine health information
Having an open conversation with staff can help maintain a working relationship and avoid future disputes while supporting staff in protecting their health. It can also help agree on a vaccination policy between employers and staff.
Employers may wish to consider offering benefits to get the vaccine, including:
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paid time off for vaccination appointments
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paying staff their usual pay for sick leave due to vaccine side effects, instead of statutory sick pay (SSP)
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not counting vaccine-related absences in absence records or towards HR 'trigger' points in the employer’s Sickness policy
Where the vaccination status of staff is recorded, employers need to make sure that they comply with data protection requirements. For more information, read How to record the Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination status of staff.