Covid-19 crisis
Should a worker be fired for refusing to be vaccinated?
It was reported that a global bank in the US will fire its workers who refuse to be vaccinated. Report
I give my view on this issue.
I think that it is wrong for an employer to fire a worker over the refusal to be vaccinated. The health requirement should be specified by the health authority and not the employer.
If this requirement is in the public interest, it should be the duty of the legislature to pass a law to make vaccination mandatory, with specified exemptions.
If the legislation is not prepared to pass this legislation, after considering the matter carefully, the employer cannot take on this "dictatorial power".
The trade union has the duty to protect the worker against unfair employment practices. If there is no trade union, the labor minister has that duty to protect the rights of workers.
The employer should have the right to refuse to pay for the medical bills of unvaccinated workers for treatment of a disease that is caused mainly by the worker's decision to remain unvaccinated.
However, this right does not extend to the termination of the employment.
There is the argument that an unvaccinated worker may increase the spread of the virus in workplaces. The medical facts do not appear to support this argument. Vaccinated workers can still be infected and can spread the virus.
The main value of vaccination appears to be to reduce the severity of the illness when a person is infected. If the co-workers are vaccinated, they are largely protected.
The actual risk falls on the unvaccinated workers. If they are prepared to take this higher risk, and to pay for the expenses of their treatment, they should not be fired for choosing to be unvaccinated.
Tan Kin Lian
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I tq for your reply.
I generally agree with your comment except paragraph 5 from top.
In Singapore, our public is too meek, too indifferent and too spineless when the government made it impossible for unvaccinated people to return to their work places from 15 January 22 and for the employers to see to that is done.
At home, when the pap government resorts to bullying citizens who stand firm for whatever reason and totally within their rights, when employers suck up to the government and when uni
Simon Lim 11 Jan 2022