Are your workplace documenting that you've been vaccinated?

[HaveYouMetMyMateStanley]

My workplace has requested that we send the dates of our vaccinations to our line manager and HR "for their records". In a large team, two are undecided as to whether they will have the jab. Various reasons and their decision. They have said that they are feeling pressure from the line manager to make a decision. I was talking to my DP who works elsewhere about this pressure and vax vs unvax etc which led to a discussion on the ethics of my workplace documenting this as its personal medical information. I have no idea what they are doing with this information and why they need it as assumed it was the norm.

For what it's worth, his workplace will be hybrid going forward and have still not discussed going back to the office whereas most of us have worked in office all the way through with my employer somehow getting "key worker" status which we absolutely are not.

Are your workplace documenting this and do you think it's ethical?

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo

Under GDPR regulation health data is considered highly sensitive, they can collect it as long as they can provide the legal basis under which they need it, and evidence that they have conducted a Data Protection Impact Assessment which considers how they'll secure the data.

Can they do those things?

and "for our records" is not a legal basis for holding the information.

It was mentioned in a staff meeting once. I later asked how they would be using the information, how long they would keep it and whether they were proposing to treat vaccinated staff members differently from unvaccinated staff. I haven't heard it mentioned again.

My workplace is in the process of drawing up a policy on this and it currently includes asking for employees' vaccine status, but not making vaccination a condition of employment. The draft policy includes the proposed justification in terms of data protection legislation which is basically around the information being pertinent to risk assessment for staff who work in the field, and organisational resilience because pretty much anyone might have to work in the field at some point. I'm reasonably ambivalent but interested to see how the proposed staff consultation pans out.

@HaveYouMetMyMateStanley

My workplace has requested that we send the dates of our vaccinations to our line manager and HR "for their records". In a large team, two are undecided as to whether they will have the jab. Various reasons and their decision. They have said that they are feeling pressure from the line manager to make a decision. I was talking to my DP who works elsewhere about this pressure and vax vs unvax etc which led to a discussion on the ethics of my workplace documenting this as its personal medical information. I have no idea what they are doing with this information and why they need it as assumed it was the norm.

For what it's worth, his workplace will be hybrid going forward and have still not discussed going back to the office whereas most of us have worked in office all the way through with my employer somehow getting "key worker" status which we absolutely are not.

Are your workplace documenting this and do you think it's ethical?

I work for the NHS and we do ask people to disclose their vaccination status. Everyone has a risk assessment once a year and this is one of the questions. If you haven't had your vaccine, you're at higher risk of catching and becoming ill with COVID, so this may affect where you can work. People do have the option to decline to give the information though.

Yes, we’ve been asked to let them know the dates of each vaccination. It’s to help them going forward with opening up the office etc apparently. Knowing the type of company they are I wouldn’t be a bit surprised that if you catch Covid and haven’t been jabbed then you won’t be entitled to sick pay. There is always a reason behind everything they do.

I don't work, my husband's workplace haven't, but he's not in contact with anyone at work.

My workplace is, but only because we are a gov organisation opposite a vaccination centre. As such we have an arrangement that any spares they call us and we trot over.

So we are asked for a simple yes/no if we have been vaccinated elsewhere, so time isn’t wasted calling a load of people that don’t need it.

A business would do well to advertise 100% vaccinated staff wouldn’t they?

I would hope a scumbag company like that would fail.

No and I wouldn't supply it if asked.

I've just started a new job. They haven't asked anything. It's with the NHS. Pretty sure if they can't make the case for holding this information no other organisation can either.

I do feel uncomfortable with saying that I don't want to disclose the information. I don't want to be the difficult employee within the team but this company very much seems to forget they don't own us.

Everyone who has said they wouldn't disclose, when asked directly what would you say? I have planned a response from the previous responses along the lines of questioning why this needs to be recorded and then stating it's sensitive medical data etc.

I'm very pro-vax and actually told my boss (who is also the CEO) when I had mine, but would still feel uncomfortable about an employer recording this information on file (unless directly related to the job e.g. NHS/social care) because as others have said, what's next? Would they want to know what medication you're taking too?

www.gov.uk/personal-data-my-employer-can-keep-about-me This page explains what information employers are legally allowed to hold. They can only keep your health information with your permission.

Yes, third sector, head office wants to collect the information. I haven't responded

Yes, LA, education request and follow up to check that we have entered the dates of jabs. Quite a strict expectation.

Got to laugh at all the armchair lawyers on here.

Here's the actual law
www.xperthr.co.uk/faq/can-employers-ask-employees-if-they-have-had-a-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination/165940/

I’ve been asked but have ignored it.

@paniniswapx3

Yes, we're tracking it in the HR system. It's not mandatory to have the vaccine nor is it mandatory to tell them but so far everyone is fine with providing the information. Helps us plan much better, especially those in client facing roles.

Plan much better for what exactly? Having the vaccine doesn't make any difference. You can still catch it and pass it on.

We've not been asked and I doubt we would be as I think they would struggle to say why it was needed. i work in an office.

I wouldn't want medical info like this on my record. I'm also not asked if I get the flu vaccine each year either.

@BluebellsGreenbells

Yes and the people who can't have it for medical reasons shouldn't have to disclose those reasons

They may be asked to provide exemption certificates

A business would do well to advertise 100% vaccinated staff wouldn’t they?

Does the NHS actually issue exemption certificates?

I’ve been asked and I let my boss know the dates. I work with people who have learning difficulties and associated physical problems. It didn’t really occur to me not to let them know. Plenty of my colleagues have refused the jab so they too have also let management know.

If we're asked... are we legally obliged to tell the truth?

Yes, it was for insurance apparently.

Mine was provided through work if we wanted it.

So they know who is and isn't.

Some have since done it through nhs - they haven't asked these people.

As I work for an NHS Trust and they are the ones who gave me both pfizer doses I'm pretty sure they have a record that I'm vaccinated.

@Freshandtasty

Yes, we’ve been asked to let them know the dates of each vaccination. It’s to help them going forward with opening up the office etc apparently. Knowing the type of company they are I wouldn’t be a bit surprised that if you catch Covid and haven’t been jabbed then you won’t be entitled to sick pay. There is always a reason behind everything they do.

Sounds familiar. I guess you also understand the difficulty in being the one to say No.