The firms cutting Covid-19 isolation sick pay for unvaccinated workers

The number of firms announcing cuts to sick pay for unvaccinated staff forced to self-isolate as a close contact of a positive coronavirus case has grown.

Amid surging staff absences, companies have made changes to their policies meaning whether or not workers have had the jab affects how much they will be paid if they must be absent.

For those who have opted against the vaccine, it can mean being paid hundreds of pounds less while off work.

In Scotland, those who test positive for Covid-19 must self-isolate for at least seven days.

Any close contact who is not fully vaccinated with three doses still has to self-isolate for ten days and take a PCR test.

High street retailer Next is the latest business to confirm it has cut sick pay for unvaccinated staff who are self-isolating after being exposed to Covid.

Employees will get full company sick pay if they are Covid positive, whether they are vaccinated or not.

But if they are Covid negative, unvaccinated and are only having to self-isolate because they have come into contact with someone who is positive they will receive statutory sick pay.

Online grocer Ocado has adopted the same policy as Next.

On Monday, Swedish homeware company Ikea announced it had changed its rules around what it called a “highly emotive topic”.

For workers who have not been jabbed, instead of their normal sick pay being equal to a full wage they will get as little as £96.35 a week – the minimum statutory sick pay.

Ikea said those who have not been jabbed due to mitigating circumstances, including pregnancy or other medical grounds, will get full pay.

Supermarket Morrisons cut sick pay for unvaccinated staff members forced to self-isolate in October 2021, with chief executive David Potts saying it was taking measures to limit the “biblical costs” of the pandemic.