Covid: Knowsley Council ponders sick day rule for unvaccinated staff

Knowsley Council is considering treating self-isolation for unvaccinated employees like sick leave

A council's proposal for unvaccinated workers to use sick days if they have to self-isolate after contact with a positive Covid-19 case has been branded "bullying" by a union.

Knowsley Council said it was considering the change once double-jabbed workers were exempt from self-isolation.

It said it could be deemed "unfair" to give unvaccinated workers extra leave.

Unison said the policy would be "discrimination".

The union's branch leader in Knowsley, Karen Greer said the plan would "create a two-tier workforce and would potentially put unvaccinated staff at risk of dismissal".

"This is potentially bullying people into taking the vaccine," she said.

Throughout the pandemic Knowsley Council workers who have been forced to self-isolate after having contact with a positive Covid-19 case have had paid leave and not used sick days.

'Absent colleagues'

The local authority said it was "considering bringing self-isolation policy into line with the broader sickness absence policy", but "no decision had yet been made".

But Ms Greer said the change in policy would "bring into question the issue of equality" with unvaccinated staff being "treated a lot worse than other members of staff".

From Monday, double vaccinated people will no longer be required to self-isolate after being named as a close contact of a positive case.

They will instead be advised to get a PCR test.

Those who are double-jabbed will be exempt from self-isolation rules from Monday

Knowsley Council said it was considering options in light of the rule change because it "faced a situation whereby some staff will be able to continue to come to work, and some may not..and those who are in work will need to cover for their absent colleagues".

The local authority said it needed "to consider whether this is fair".

"No decisions have yet been made, and we are giving very careful consideration to the changing circumstances in which we all find ourselves," it added.

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