Not allowed to do my sales job until fully vaccinated

[VioletUltraViolet]

I delayed getting my vaccination due to a genuine fear of vaccines and having already gotten Covid antibodies from having the virus. I have decided to get the vaccine now because I just want this crap over and done with and I accept my role in getting society back to a level of normality.

I am booked for my first dose today at 14:30 and second dose is booked for 9th feb 2022.

I am an estate agent. My work sent a group message to say that any unvaccinated staff can not conduct any face to face appointments until they are fully vaccinated. This means no opportunity to earn commission by listing properties or selling houses, so my salary will essentially drop from roughly 43k to 24k. This is because I earn so much from doing the appointments and 24k is my basic. I have a daughter to support and I know everyone is going to say it’s my fault for delaying my vaccination but I just can’t believe this forced vaccination is spilling out in to non medical non clinical work.

For context, I booked my vaccine last week before I knew about the work changes.

What’re people’s thoughts on this kind of approach? My vaccinated colleagues are shocked by this too.

I have to say I'm with your employer on this.

Anyone who chosen to remain unvaccinated has done so knowing there is a very real risk of limitations being put on their social and work contacts.

I understand and respect that opinion. Maybe I am naive, but I would never have predicted it would affect my income considering I do not work in a clinical role. My daughters nursery fees are £900 a month and I rely on earning consistent commission.

It’s just a shock as I won’t be classed as fully vaccinated until Feb.

I think you could have predicted it if you had really thought about it. I'm sorry you will lose money, but it isn't long term and others have lost many, many months of salary completely throughout the pandemic.

Very common in the corporate world too. Largely people don't want to do business with non-vaccinated people. You do what you've got to do to protect your bottom line and so what you THINK is in best interest of the health of your staff.

I don't like it, but understand why it's happening.

@VioletUltraViolet

I understand and respect that opinion. Maybe I am naive, but I would never have predicted it would affect my income considering I do not work in a clinical role. My daughters nursery fees are £900 a month and I rely on earning consistent commission.

It’s just a shock as I won’t be classed as fully vaccinated until Feb.

Are you sure this is correct?

I struggle to see why an employer would mandate that you can't work until February, when even NHS workers have been given until then to be vaccinated, to allow for appointments to be booked and the correct time gap between jabs.

Who's the employer?

I understand you feel shocked and that you genuinely struggle with a vaccine fear, that can't be easy.

I guess all you can do is try to manage or somehow boost your income in another way?

I'm glad you're getting vaccinated now.

Your employers are trying to protect not only their staff but also the wider public by implementing these mitigation's. Are you the only employee who isn't vaccinated?
You need to see if you'll be entitled to any help whilst your wages are reduced.

Perhaps they see it as their responsibility to protect their staff? You would be in enclosed spaces(houses) for quite a while with various strangers day after day. Would they be liable if one of their staff fell seriously ill of covid, something that is very unlikely to happen to fully vaccinated staff members?
They should have given more notice to give more hesitant staff members a chance to get vaccinated if that is what they want.

@riveted1 yes I have had confirmation from senior management that this is with immediate affect. All appointments in my diary this week have been given to my vaccinated colleagues and they will subsequently earn the commission (fair enough as they are the ones now conducting them). But yes, until I am classed as ‘fully vaccinated’ I am not able to do any appointments at all.
The lack of notice is a shock. They had a zoom call with us all yesterday and the changes are effective from today.

I don’t want to name the employer, but they are large company with over 100 offices in the uk.

Well done for booking yourself in and accepting your role as part of the solution.

It must be really frustrating for you, but I have to say I can see where your employer is coming from on this.

Once everyone has been offered and had the chance to book a booster, the covid pass or whatever it’s called is changing so you’ll only be classed as fully vaccinated when you’ve had 3 doses.

Perhaps it’s a good idea to mention this to your employer now and ask if they will consider you fully vaccinated after that second dose provided you book your booster ASAP?

I think this is wrong. If I were a client concerned about Covid risk, I'd much prefer to meet with someone who was unvaccinated but had a recent negative LFT than a vaccinated person who didn't bother with testing.

I'm sorry this is happening to you, and in your situation I'd probably start looking for another job (I realise this isn't always a practical/workable suggestion for everyone!) The workplace culture wouldn't seem right to me.

If you think you’ll be classed as fully vaccinated in February after two jabs I have some bad news for you.

amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/15/no-10-plans-booster-jab-requirement-for-people-to-obtain-covid-pass

@glitterelf no, there are other employees who are unvaccinated so this will affect quite a few others in my region alone.

I would take legal advice on this. You are partly vaccinated and this is a unilateral change to your terms and conditions of employment. I do not think it is reasonable in non-healthcare/social care setting.

I also think it's up to people to get vaccinated to protect themselves, and leave other people to get vaccinated or not. The issue for the wider country is the pressure on the NHS, but I don't think that's an ethical conundrum an estate agency needs to worry about.

It would actually make more sense for you to test before every meeting, as vaccinated people can still transmit the virus.

I'm going to go against the grain, surely if your employers wanted a covid safe environment then I'd expect lateral flow testing to accompany this. I've now had 3 vaccinations and have regular lfts for my job.

You need to speak to your union. And if you are not in one (you should be!) then speak to ACAS or an employment solicitor. They may be acting unlawfully, but you need advice first.

[quote Aposterhasnoname]If you think you’ll be classed as fully vaccinated in February after two jabs I have some bad news for you.

amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/15/no-10-plans-booster-jab-requirement-for-people-to-obtain-covid-pass[/quote]
and this too! One does wonder if/when this will ever end!

A bit unfair to spring it on you without much warning.

While I do feel for you on a personal level this is just a perfectly predictable consequence of your decision

Oops posted at the same time as others, I think your company needs a re think. I wouldn't be put of viewing a property if you were unvacinated, I would prefer if you did a test before hand though.

Employers have been trying this nonsense in the US but many are moving away from it now as the courts have stepped in. I'd speak to ACAS OP, not sure this is even legal. Anybody going along with these disgusting practices needs to give their head a wobble.

@Mrsfussypants1

I'm going to go against the grain, surely if your employers wanted a covid safe environment then I'd expect lateral flow testing to accompany this. I've now had 3 vaccinations and have regular lfts for my job.

How realistic is it to expect all clients to d9 lateral flow tests and correctly report the results before viewings? Not very I would imagine. The OP would be meeting various strangers all in enclosed spaces, surely this is as much about protecting her as it is protecting clients.

I agree about the LFTs - I would be happy to test daily in the interim and I am just shocked that they are going to these lengths with no warning. Our company has stayed completely silent on Covid and their stance on vaccinations right up until 4pm yesterday when they suddenly announced these changes with immediate effect.
I understand their reasons for taking this stance to a degree but I think it’s been delivered and handled awfully.

I am not part of a union - I’m going to see what my options are.

I'm extremely surprised that they have announced this with immediate effect. NHS staff have known this is coming for a while and have had a decent lead in period to get vaccinated. You have not - I don't know, obvs, but the time frame they have given you may not be lawful.

Appreciate you maybe unable to afford legal advice. At the very least I would formally write to your employer stating that the time frame is unrealistic and potentially discrimatory.

I'm a solicitor but this really isn't my area! However, I am aware of a number of companies in the US taking this approach. I work for the UK arm of a US firm. In the US they demand vaccination - but people have been given months to comply.

Immediate effect just seems off to me.

A pp mentioned Acas - they are v good. Speak to them.