Citigroup Adopts ‘No Jab, No Job’ Policy

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11 January 2022 | Updated 13 January 2022

Citigroup is the first Wall Street bank to mandate COVID-19 vaccines in the workplace.

According to a company memo seen by Reuters, employees in the USA will be placed on unpaid leave if they have not been vaccinated by 14 Jan 2022.

Workers can allegedly apply for exemptions on religious or medical grounds.

"You are welcome to apply for other roles at Citi in the future as long as you are compliant with Citi’s vaccination policy,"  the alleged memo reads.

"If you are not vaccinated, we urge you to get vaccinated as soon as possible."

Although other banks on Wall Street have adopted COVID-19 vaccine policies, such as Goldman Sachs requiring staff to disclose whether they have had the vaccination, none have mandated anything as stringent as this.

President Biden announced his intentions to legally require employers with 100 or more employees to ensure each of their workers is fully vaccinated or tests for COVID-19 on at least a weekly basis, in 2021. The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule will also require that these employers provide paid time for employees to get vaccinated, and ensure all unvaccinated workers wear a face mask in the workplace.

This policy, if it goes ahead, will affect 84 million employees.

What Businesses Have a 'No Jab, No Job’ Policy?

• Pimlico Plumbers  – The Chair of Pimlico Plumbers suggested in January 2021 that it would adopt a “no vaccine, no job" policy
• Care Homes – The UK government is passed an amendment to The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, meaning that vaccination against COVID-19 is required for those employed care settings in England
• NHS Staff – Health and social care workers, including volunteers who have face-to-face contact with service users, will need to provide evidence they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to be deployed in NHS settings in England
• Google - According to a memo obtained by CNBC, Google employees were asked to provide proof of vaccination or request an exemption by 3 December 2021

What’s Happening at IKEA?

IKEA, like Morrisons and Wessex Water, has introduced new sickness pay rules relating to the COVID-19 vaccination. Unvaccinated employees who have to self-isolate after being in close contact with a positive COVID-19 case will not be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

People who haven't had the COVID-19 vaccine and are contacted by Test and Trace must still self-isolate by law.

In an FAQ page on IKEA’s website, in answer to the question “Will IKEA vaccinate its co-workers?”, the response reads:

“IKEA monitors and complies with all government regulations. At the same time, however, we respect the personal choice of each of our co-workers.”

Workplace Vaccine Dos and Don’ts

Anil Champaneri, Senior HR Consultant and Technical Lead at Alcumus, has offered guidance on how employers can manage potential vaccination disputes.

You can explore the advice here.

Picture: a graphic showing a syringe and a viral spore

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 11 January 2022

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