It remains to be seen how quickly any of these vaccines will allow restrictions to be lifted. Employers will need to keep up to date with all guidance coming from the governments and it should be remembered that it is likely to take some time to vaccinate most of world, let alone the UAE.
Should the vaccines prove to be successful, it could result in social distancing and other measures being relaxed or abolished, however, given the way in which we have had to adapt to living with Covid-19 in 2020/2021, it is likely that working conditions may never fully return to how they were before the pandemic.
Many employers have discovered the benefits of remote working that previously they may have thought impossible, this has resulted in a cultural shift that is likely to continue into the future.
In my opinion, employers and employees should not expect to see a return to anything close to normality until autumn 2021 at the earliest. We also don’t know to what extent any vaccine will provide long-lasting protection against Covid-19, so there is a risk that any return to normality might be short-lived.
Can employers legally oblige employees to get vaccinated?
It seems unlikely that governments will make vaccination mandatory because of civil liberties and human rights challenges this can create. It is more likely that employers will encourage their staff to get vaccinated, especially those in regional positions or business development positions that would typically involve meeting with customers.
If governments did make vaccinations mandatory, employers may well then follow and make having vaccinations a condition of employment. You can easily imagine that certain sectors like hospitality or retail will be keen to advertise that all their staff have been Covid-19 vaccinated – expect to see this as a key theme in many marketing campaigns for years to come.
It seems unlikely that governments will make vaccination mandatory because of civil liberties and human rights challenges this can create
Imposing blanket requirements could bring a risk of discrimination claims in some countries, particularly on grounds of disability or religion.
Another risk for an employer requiring staff to be vaccinated where vaccines are relatively untested is that if side effects later appear, then the employer could be targeted with legal actions by employees who were forced into having first-generation vaccinations.
It is possible that some businesses might include clauses related to vaccination in employment contracts in the future, but I would expect employers to stop at strongly recommending their workforce be vaccinated.
Justin McGuire, co-founder & CEO – MENA & APAC of DMCG Global
by Staff Writer
More of this topic
Will a vaccine allow a return to normal working conditions?
Justin McGuire, co-founder & CEO – MENA & APAC of DMCG Global, looks at whether vaccines mean working practices will reset to normal
Justin McGuire, co-founder & CEO - MENA & APAC of DMCG Global
It remains to be seen how quickly any of these vaccines will allow restrictions to be lifted. Employers will need to keep up to date with all guidance coming from the governments and it should be remembered that it is likely to take some time to vaccinate most of world, let alone the UAE.
Should the vaccines prove to be successful, it could result in social distancing and other measures being relaxed or abolished, however, given the way in which we have had to adapt to living with Covid-19 in 2020/2021, it is likely that working conditions may never fully return to how they were before the pandemic.
Many employers have discovered the benefits of remote working that previously they may have thought impossible, this has resulted in a cultural shift that is likely to continue into the future.
In my opinion, employers and employees should not expect to see a return to anything close to normality until autumn 2021 at the earliest. We also don’t know to what extent any vaccine will provide long-lasting protection against Covid-19, so there is a risk that any return to normality might be short-lived.
Can employers legally oblige employees to get vaccinated?
It seems unlikely that governments will make vaccination mandatory because of civil liberties and human rights challenges this can create. It is more likely that employers will encourage their staff to get vaccinated, especially those in regional positions or business development positions that would typically involve meeting with customers.
If governments did make vaccinations mandatory, employers may well then follow and make having vaccinations a condition of employment. You can easily imagine that certain sectors like hospitality or retail will be keen to advertise that all their staff have been Covid-19 vaccinated – expect to see this as a key theme in many marketing campaigns for years to come.
Imposing blanket requirements could bring a risk of discrimination claims in some countries, particularly on grounds of disability or religion.
Another risk for an employer requiring staff to be vaccinated where vaccines are relatively untested is that if side effects later appear, then the employer could be targeted with legal actions by employees who were forced into having first-generation vaccinations.
It is possible that some businesses might include clauses related to vaccination in employment contracts in the future, but I would expect employers to stop at strongly recommending their workforce be vaccinated.
Justin McGuire, co-founder & CEO – MENA & APAC of DMCG Global
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