Covid-19 Vaccination: Policy, Practice and Procedure Briefing for Employers
Time: 09:25 - 12:30 GMT (if you can't attend live, register to watch the recording)
Cost per attendee: £250 + VAT
Platform: Zoom - An encrypted zoom platform with password access. Click here for further information and to test access
All dates:
Tuesday 25th March - click here
As the Government's vaccination programme gets underway, employers and employees alike are looking forward to safer workplaces and a new normal.
However, a recent poll indicates that only 41% of 18-34 years olds will definitely take the vaccine and just 33% of ethnic minorities have committed to taking the jab.
As well as affecting herd immunity, employers are grappling with the legal, reputational and employment ramifications of these decisions: 'no jab, no job' may lead to greater customer confidence, but may also incur expensive legal claims for constructive or unfair dismissal and discrimination.
This intensive half-day briefing lays out the key issues, examines employer options and delivers key policy and practice guidance.
Expert speakers will address:
- key health and safety considerations and risk assessment
- what policy adjustments are necessary and legal
- how to practically implement those changes
- essential procedural considerations
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Which functions will benefit from attending
- HR, Health and Safety, Business Continuity Planning, Occupational Health, Contingency and Business Continuity Planning, Recruitment, Resourcing, Legal & Compliance, Line Management, Employee Relations, Security, Risk, Compliance, Strategy, Operations, and all directors and staff with responsibilities within this area.
Hear from
Schedule
Introduction and welcome
Mark Harris
Lead Crisis Consultant , Blindside Risk
As Blindside’s Lead Crisis Consultant, Mark allocates resources to ensure clients are serviced throughout the Crisis and Issues Management cycle from identification and preparation, prevention through planning and training, to response and recovery. Blindside’s crisis management preparedness and response services ensure clients are ready to face situations and events of a challenging nature, throughout the world. Over the last 24 years, Mark has worked at the forefront of crisis management and communications internationally and held senior positions with leading consultancies such Control Risks, and Burson-Marsteller. Mark has worked on over 150 incidents of kidnapping, extortion, and hostage taking around the world, and 19 cases of vessel hijack. He has also advised numerous companies as they have prepared to restructure, close facilities, or transfer operations to other countries. Mark regularly presents at conferences and is often invited to comment on news stories on a regular basis by news channels such as the BBC, ITN, Channel 4, CNN, NBC, and Al Jazeera.
Risk assessment
Mark Harris
Lead Crisis Consultant , Blindside Risk
As Blindside’s Lead Crisis Consultant, Mark allocates resources to ensure clients are serviced throughout the Crisis and Issues Management cycle from identification and preparation, prevention through planning and training, to response and recovery. Blindside’s crisis management preparedness and response services ensure clients are ready to face situations and events of a challenging nature, throughout the world. Over the last 24 years, Mark has worked at the forefront of crisis management and communications internationally and held senior positions with leading consultancies such Control Risks, and Burson-Marsteller. Mark has worked on over 150 incidents of kidnapping, extortion, and hostage taking around the world, and 19 cases of vessel hijack. He has also advised numerous companies as they have prepared to restructure, close facilities, or transfer operations to other countries. Mark regularly presents at conferences and is often invited to comment on news stories on a regular basis by news channels such as the BBC, ITN, Channel 4, CNN, NBC, and Al Jazeera.
- How normal a return to business will the vaccine really offer?
- Social media messages and disinformation
- key areas to consider in communication planning
- Identifying your health & safety risks: what can be removed or minimised?
- Encouragement versus insistence
- Identifying and implementing reasonable additional measures:
- social distancing
- hygiene
- shift patterns
- Mission-critical and front-line workers: key areas to cover in consultation
- potential workforce polarisation and internal grievances
- reputational risk and workforce relations
Vaccination policy: Essential elements to consider
Beverley Sunderland
Solicitor specialising in employment law
Crossland Employment Solicitors
Beverley Sunderland
Solicitor specialising in employment law , Crossland Employment Solicitors
Beverley has been a solicitor for 32 years and has a rare background of experience having spent time working in industry as a lawyer and also working as the commercial director of a Plc before finally returning to the City in 2000 to focus again on employment law. She is a highly experienced advocate in both the employment tribunal and the Employment Appeal Tribunal primarily representing employers in industries as diverse as charities, manufacturing, PR & advertising and Formula 1. The firm and Beverley are recognised as experts in their field by Legal 500 and Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession. In 2008 Beverley founded Crossland Employment Solicitors and has built a brigade of like minded lawyers and employees whose focus is on giving practical employment law advice aimed at resolving the matter as quickly as possible. The firm converted to an Employee Ownership Trust in January 2021 which cements Beverley’s view that a good employment law practice is built with a team and that everyone should benefit.
- Advocating for compliance: what are the confines of the law?
- Employee rights: bodily integrity, privacy and autonomy
- Balancing duty of care versus employee trust and confidence
- Drafting reasonable and proportionate changes to your current policy
- Updating internal H&S policy: vaccine versus WFH
- Employee obligations under H&S workplace regulations
- 3rd party pressure from suppliers or funders: potential issues and solutions
- SOSR dismissals
- Potential litigious challenges and claims: where are employers vulnerable?
- Identifying and mitigating potential discrimination and unfair/constructive dismissal
- Making vaccination a mandatory part of a new job offer
Comfort break
Policy Q&A
Practice: key areas to examine to reduce employer vulnerability and ensure employee safety
Lara Flynn
Senior Associate , Osborne Clarke
Lara is a Senior Associate in the Employment and Benefits team at Osborne Clarke. Lara advises on a wide variety of contentious and non-contentious employment matters including managing poor performance, disciplinary and grievance issues , drafting settlement agreements and implementing redundancies. She has assisted employers in defending a range of employment tribunal claims including whistleblowing, unfair dismissal and discrimination. Lara is also experienced in advising on the employment issues that can arise in corporate transactions. Lara has assisted in cross jurisdictional matters and has spent time working with the employment team in Osborne Clarke’s Milan office. Lara studied Law at Cardiff University before going on to complete the LPC at BPP Bristol. Lara joined Osborne Clarke as a trainee in 2014, undertaking four seats including employment and employee incentives. Lara qualified into the Employment and Benefits team in September 2016.
- Disciplinary and dismissal procedures: where are employers vulnerable if they discipline/dismiss employees that refuse to be vaccinated?
- What are the data protection implications and considerations in relation to the processing of personal data relating to employee vaccinations?
- What are the alternatives? Testing programmes? Continued social distancing/health & safety measures etc.
- Risks and considerations associated with incentivising employees to be vaccinated.
- Can employers require proof of vaccination?
- What role will the Government play in legislation for mandatory vaccinations?
Practice Q&A
Procedure: practical approaches to manage potential challenges
Philip Landau
Employment Lawyer , Landau Law
Philip Landau is the founder member of Landau Law Solicitors. He is a specialist and experienced employment lawyer qualified for 30 years, and has a national reputation. Philip acts for employees and senior executives both in the City and throughout the UK in all industry sectors. He also acts for many high profile and well known individuals in relation to their employment law issues, which include celebrities and CEO’s.
- Grounds for refusal and how to manage them:
- religious/philosophical
- potential side-effects
- breast-feeding and pregnant women
- medical conditions and safety concerns
- Key misconceptions and fears: alleviating them in your workforce
- Discussion, support and talking points
- Pay implications and considerations for those who refuse: what are your options?
Panel debate and clinic
Duncan Spencer
Head of Advice & Practice , Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
Duncan is a recognised thought leader in the field of Occupational Safety and Health being a regular guest speaker at conferences, a published author on the subject and is presently working the Head of Advice & Practice for IOSH. He is experienced in applying a risk-led and evidence-driven approach to safety in many different sectors, leading organisations to develop effective safety management systems that are truly responsive, agile and flexible. Experienced in building health & safety governance processes and developing policy and strategy.
Dr Mike Tildesley
Professor , University of Warwick
Mike is a Professor at the University of Warwick, specialising in the modelling of infectious diseases, and is a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Modelling group – the modelling subgroup of SAGE (Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation), and has been working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic upon the development of models to inform a range of policy questions in the UK. He also advises the government on the transmission of Covid-19 in schools.
Beverley Sunderland
Solicitor specialising in employment law
Crossland Employment Solicitors
Beverley Sunderland
Solicitor specialising in employment law , Crossland Employment Solicitors
Beverley has been a solicitor for 32 years and has a rare background of experience having spent time working in industry as a lawyer and also working as the commercial director of a Plc before finally returning to the City in 2000 to focus again on employment law. She is a highly experienced advocate in both the employment tribunal and the Employment Appeal Tribunal primarily representing employers in industries as diverse as charities, manufacturing, PR & advertising and Formula 1. The firm and Beverley are recognised as experts in their field by Legal 500 and Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession. In 2008 Beverley founded Crossland Employment Solicitors and has built a brigade of like minded lawyers and employees whose focus is on giving practical employment law advice aimed at resolving the matter as quickly as possible. The firm converted to an Employee Ownership Trust in January 2021 which cements Beverley’s view that a good employment law practice is built with a team and that everyone should benefit.
- Industry-specific challenges: care homes and healthcare
- Public services
- Collaboration of OSH and HR professionals
- 'No jab, no job'
- Going forward: transition and implementing Covid controls
- How are other countries managing the issue?
- Outstanding questions and concerns
End of briefing
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