Ikea slashes sick leave pay unvaccinated UK staff
The UK arm of the budget furniture giant has taken a strong stance against staff who refuse to get jabbed against coronavirus as cases there skyrocket.
Ikea has cut sick pay entitlements for some unvaccinated staff who need to take time off to self-isolate after being identified as a close contact of a Covid-19 case in the UK.
Current UK restrictions require anyone who isn’t doubled jabbed against coronavirus to isolate for 10 days from the date they came into contact with the infected person.
The rule doesn’t apply to people fully vaccinated or aged under 18, who are instead advised to get a PCR test.
Ikea, which employs more than 10,000 staff in the UK, has slashed the pay entitlements for unvaccinated staff with “high levels of absence” who need to isolate after being named as a close contact, The Daily Mail reports.
This means they may only be eligible for the minimum sick leave payment under British law, which comes to around $182 a week.
In contrast an average worker at Ikea can expect to earn between $765 to $855 working full time.
Ikea said the company would take into account any “mitigating circumstances” if an unvaccinated worker was required to self-isolate.
“We appreciate that this is an emotive topic and all circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis, therefore anyone in doubt or concerned about their situation is encouraged to speak to their manager,” a spokeswoman told The Daily Mail.
Other companies in the UK are offering inducements to unvaccinated staff to encourage them to get jabbed.
Supermarket chain Asda and financial services company Santander are both offering staff paid time off to get vaccinated.
In Australia, anyone required to self isolate — either because they have tested positive for Covid-19 or a close contact — are entitled to Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment of $1500 if they are unable to work.
Late last month Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled changes to Australia’s self-isolation rules.
Premiers and chief ministers in all but South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia have agreed to relax close contact definitions and isolation requirements.
A close contact of a positive Covid-19 case can now be defined as “a household contact, or a household-like contact, of a confirmed case only”.
This means that an interaction at a retail store, bar, restaurant or supermarket will no longer land you in isolation – you’re only a close contact if you spent over four hours with an infected person inside a household-like setting.
On Sunday Queensland and NSW announced it had relaxed the rules further to fight food supply chain issues.
Employees in the food logistics, manufacturing, transport, postal and warehousing sectors will be able to leave quarantine to attend work in NSW if they have no symptoms.
— with NCA NewsWire
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