Back to office | Can unvaccinated staff be forced to wear masks?

Currently, those aged 25 and over are allowed to receive their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, however while this is now available, individuals have the right to refuse to take the injection.

If this is the case, employers will likely have an HR headache on their hands as they try to navigate around employees who choose not to receive the jab.

With this in mind, could employers force unvaccinated staff to wear masks? According to Charlotte Farrell, Associate Solicitor in the employment team at Paris Smith, “there is no specific standalone legal right that all employers can rely on to require workers, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, to wear masks”.

In a recent interview with HR Grapevine, the legal expert explained that there are certain businesses however that can instruct employees to wear masks, such as jobs that require employees to come into close contact with members of the public.