Employers urged to accommodate young workers to get vaccinated
Taoiseach Micheál Martin at Páirc Uí Chaoimh for his second vaccine. Countries are in a race between vaccination and a Delta-driven wave of infection. File picture: Denis Minihane
Employers are being urged to be flexible in accommodating the vaccination of their staff so the immunisation programme can proceed as quickly as possible.
Business group Chambers Ireland said the issue was particularly important as the country is in a race between vaccination and a Delta-driven wave of infection that is spreading quickly through the younger, unvaccinated population.
“The positive impact of vaccination is clear and has been crucial in allowing society and the economy to reopen further," Chambers Ireland chief executive Ian Talbot said.
"However, this progress remains fragile until case numbers return to low figures. The least disruptive way to achieve that is through vaccination."
He said young adults are the least protected members of the population and are often working in customer-facing and shift-based roles, which may discourage them from taking their earliest available vaccine appointment.
“We can see in other jurisdictions how widespread infection can negatively impact business – even in those with highly-vaccinated populations. Given the rapid increase in cases here over recent weeks, we must all redouble our efforts to avoid such a scenario developing in Ireland.”
Mr Talbot's comments follow the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, who said this week that staff should name and shame any employer who makes it difficult for them to take time off to get vaccinated.
He said the vaccine programme was going so well that people were getting appointments within two days when working shifts may have already been made out.
The Tánaiste urged employers to "have a heart" and accommodate workers and not deduct pay or force them to take annual leave.
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