UK Considering Allowing Employers To Only Hire Vaccinated Employees

In a move that won't surprise a lot of people, companies in the United Kingdom may begin hiring -- and keeping -- only those employees who have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Right now, it seems to be only speculation, but that speculation is based on how things currently operate in the UK.

"The plan is to vaccinate as many people as possible and for UK adults to be vaccinated before July 31," wrote Lydia Smith of Yahoo News. "Those who have been vaccinated get a record card and the jab – like any other vaccine –≠≠ goes on their medical record."

While being vaccinated isn't mandatory in the UK, employers may soon begin making it that way, Smith added. And that idea came from justice secretary Robert Buckland.

But as long as companies can't do this legally, it could be lawsuit city in the UK. And as of today, UK companies cannot require vaccinations for their employees.

“The first thing that employers should bear in mind is that getting a vaccine for COVID-19 has not been made compulsory by the government, and indeed there does not seem to be any plans for them to do this," said Alan Price, employment law expert and CEO at HR software and employment law advice service, BrightHR. "As such, employers technically have no legal basis on which to try and enforce a policy like this, and if they want to do so, they will need to proceed carefully.”