Summary
Welcome to our new 2022 blog, Employment Law Horizon Scanning, that will focus on issues that are likely to impact employers throughout 2022, anticipating developments and proving practical advice and insight. This first post covers Covid evolving from pandemic to endemic, issues relating to vaccination status in the workplace, flexible working from day one and anticipated legislation later this year relating to sexual harassment.
Covid - pandemic to endemic
There is now a growing consensus that Covid-19 is moving from pandemic to endemic status. This transition coincides with the relaxation of Plan B measures, notably the advice to work from home and compulsory facemasks in public places (re-introduced in December 2021 in response to the Omicron variant). In addition, the minimum self-isolation period for those testing positive for Covid in England has been cut to five full days, provided that they receive two negative lateral flow tests on the fifth and sixth day. For employers, these changes should lead to less disruption in the workplace, not least in terms of staff absences.
The legal requirement to self-isolate when testing positive for Covid is set to expire on 24 March 2022. It appears likely that we will soon progress to a point where those who test positive for Covid may not even be legally required to isolate, merely encouraged, just as we see with the common cold, flu or other cold/flu-like illnesses. Effectively Covid-19 will be incorporated into our...
A pro-Tinubu group, the Asiwaju Media Team, has urged political stakeholders to focus on issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that it would challenge what it consider...