As Omicron-related absences continue to hinder employers, Swedish furniture retailer Ikea has become the latest big-name employer to cut sick pay for unvaccinated workers.
Following media reports yesterday, the company confirmed that unvaccinated workers without mitigating circumstances who have to self-isolate because they have been in close contact with a positive case would only receive statutory sick pay.
The retailer added that it appreciated there were “many unique circumstances” and that it would consider all incidents “on a case-by-case basis”. Unvaccinated employees who test positive for Covid will still receive full sick pay.
Ikea's decision to change its sick pay policy highlights a shift in the way that many employers are now handling the pandemic, says Philip Richardson, partner and head of employment law at Stephensons.
Richardson predicts that many firms are likely to follow suit as they try to manage the recent surge in cases. “Many have reached a point of intense pressure when it comes to staffing and costs,” he says.
But what are the legalities of such a move? Businesses looking to emulate this policy need to be aware of the risks. Jules Quinn, employment partner at King & Spalding, warns: “Any two-tiered sick pay policy for the unvaccinated is a legal headache.
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