Do you have to use annual leave to get vaccinated?

BluePlanet

Just wondering if you are obligated to use some of your accrued annual leave in order to get vaccinated?

Went through my company's HR documents and found nothing about it.

cdeb

It depends on your employer and how long it takes.

I was in and out in 35 minutes for example - you could do that on your lunch break if push came to shove.

Any reasonable employer would classify it as medical leave though.

Strumms

Email them and get it from the horses mouth in writing...

I’d imagine it’s at your employers discretion...

It’s a medical appointment that’s 10000% necessary to you and your employer it’s in their interest too so they should be kind about it.

Just give you a few hours and say no more.

if I was a manager and considering all that’s transpired I’d be happy to facilitate somebody to get the vaccine... any reasonably staffed company can take a person going to get vaccinated out of the operation for a half day over their holiday allowance..

It would be an appropriate gesture of goodwill...

monkeysnapper

Our work place just have the leave and get vaccinated and come back ..... roughly an hour / ish as its a 15 min drive ...

I think that's reasonable myself .... a few of us brown noses worked on and made time back ....

BonnieSituation

BluePlanet wrote: »

Just wondering if you are obligated to use some of your accrued annual leave in order to get vaccinated?

Went through my company's HR documents and found nothing about it.

Mine unexpectedly took over 2 hours with queuing etc.

I submitted it as a doctor's appointment.

Saint_Mel

In my work we were given time off for vaccine appointments
If you were sick from any side affects etc though then that was treated like regular sick leave with a doctors cert if out more than 3 days

Wilmol

cdeb wrote: »

It depends on your employer and how long it takes.

I was in and out in 35 minutes for example - you could do that on your lunch break if push came to shove.

Any reasonable employer would classify it as medical leave though.

Yes I'll use my break to get the vaccine. If the employer is that petty, I'll walk.

Minier81

It really should be given to you and not be annual leave or time you owe back. Fair enough don't take long lunch or coffee break after it.
I got my 2 on Saturdays, so it was on my time. I had to travel to work to get mine though as a healthcare worker, pity it was on a day off but I was happy to get it!!

L1011

My place give you the day / rest of the day (depending on time of the appointment) off and also any time you need to bring family members to get it - but I don't think there's any legal requirement to give paid leave to go for your own.

andyduefrine

I know of a few people that on the day of their appointment, went hours before their allotted time ( they went before work ) and got the vaccine without issue.

Chris_5339762

Any good employer should just say take it as medical leave, or to just say nothing and go. Its within the employers interest afterall.

If an employer prevaricates, its a very good sign of what they are like, and its time to start looking elsewhere.

cdeb

Wilmol wrote: »

Yes I'll use my break to get the vaccine. If the employer is that petty, I'll walk.

Oh I agree. But at least you'd walk with one day's extra annual leave in your final payslip.

Mrs OBumble

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Any good employer should just say take it as medical leave, or to just say nothing and go. Its within the employers interest afterall.

However in most workplaces medical leave isn't a thing, and sick leave is unpaid.

You may prefer to use paid leave.

NIMAN

My employer gave us all time off to get vaccinated.

Most should, it's in their interest to have as many of their workforce vaccinated surely?

Sleeper12

BluePlanet wrote:

Just wondering if you are obligated to use some of your accrued annual leave in order to get vaccinated?

Pat Kenny had an employment legal expert on his show a month or so ago. He said employers 100 percent have to allow paid time for vaccine. He explained it that your employer is legally responsible for your welfare while working. You can catch Covid-19 during working hours so if your appointment falls during working hours then you are entitled to the time off and get paid.

Sleeper12

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Pat Kenny had an employment legal expert on his show a month or so ago. He said employers 100 percent have to allow paid time for vaccine. He explained it that your employer is legally responsible for your welfare while working. You can catch Covid-19 during working hours so if your appointment falls during working hours then you are entitled to the time off and get paid.

Surprisingly, the lawyer’s advice is at odds with both Siptu and Government opinion on the matter. While both encourage employers to allow employees paid leave for vaccination, neither states that “employers 100 percent have to allow paid time for vaccination”

https://www.newstalk.com/news/hugely-shortsighted-businesses-forcing-workers-to-take-unpaid-leave-for-vaccine-appointments-1196745

Mrs OBumble

Dav010 wrote: »

Surprisingly, the lawyer’s advice is at odds with both Siptu and Government opinion on the matter. While both encourage employers to allow employees paid leave for vaccination, neither states that “employers 100 percent have to allow paid time for vaccination”

https://www.newstalk.com/news/hugely-shortsighted-businesses-forcing-workers-to-take-unpaid-leave-for-vaccine-appointments-1196745

The lawyer might be right if there is a substantial risk that you'll catch it at work.

But with proper ventilation and some sensible measures, the risk is limited in many jobs.

The Continental Op

Interestingly my Postman said he could have had the day off with full pay if he had any reaction to the vaccine.

Only problem was he only discovered after he had dragged himself around his round - he was well annoyed but will check the office notice board more often in future.

Mrs OBumble

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

The lawyer might be right if there is a substantial risk that you'll catch it at work.

But with proper ventilation and some sensible measures, the risk is limited in many jobs.

Apparently Government departments are among the employers insisting employees use annual/unpaid leave for vaccination. As long as employers adhere to HSA protocols in the workplace, it is hard to see how a successful claim is 100% guaranteed as claimed.

Dav010

Dav010 wrote: »

Apparently Government departments are among the employers insisting employees use annual/unpaid leave for vaccination. As long as employers adhere to HSA protocols in the workplace, it is hard to see how a successful claim is 100% guaranteed as claimed.

Apparently the Department of Education isn't among those departments, which means that about 80,000 teachers and special needs assistants get paid sick leave for vaccination appointments and subsequent reactions to the jabs.


https://www.education.ie/en/Education-Staff/Services/Breaks-Leave/coronavirus-covid19/info-note-tc-0013-2021.pdf

joeguevara

Got my first Pfizer vaccination shot 2 weeks ago in the Aviva. Appointment at 09.05 and out in 35 minutes later including the 15 minutes observation. No need for a/l.

daheff

joeguevara wrote: »

Got my first Pfizer vaccination shot 2 weeks ago in the Aviva. Appointment at 09.05 and out in 35 minutes later including the 15 minutes observation. No need for a/l.

Not all are so quick.

Check out the vaccine thread. Citywest has been very slow recently. Some people reporting 3+ hours for their jab.

No mention from my department of needing to take annual leave for vaccination appointments.

As it happens I got both my vaccines on a saturday at GP surgery, but if it had been on working day, i would have just clocked off when leaving for the appointment and clocked back on when I returned and claimed core time lost as a medical appointment. As you do with any doctor appointment.

Swaine

A paid day off in my workplace if you want it. Some brown noses who think the company will collapse in their absence came back after their vaccine, though.

Aurelian

In the present circumstances it would take a pretty horrible employer not to give you some time off to get vaccinated.

Where I work everything seems to be a give and take with the union. But, zero issues with time off for this.

Dav010

Dav010 wrote: »

Apparently Government departments are among the employers insisting employees use annual/unpaid leave for vaccination. As long as employers adhere to HSA protocols in the workplace, it is hard to see how a successful claim is 100% guaranteed as claimed.

Not sure where you've heard that, but I know multiple people across at least 7 different Departments and other PS bodies and none have had to use thier own leave.

thesimpsons

joeguevara wrote: »

Got my first Pfizer vaccination shot 2 weeks ago in the Aviva. Appointment at 09.05 and out in 35 minutes later including the 15 minutes observation. No need for a/l.

not everyone is so lucky to live/work so close to their vaccine centre. My work is 50mins drive to vaccine centre, 40mins in the centre and another 50mins drive back. work is still trying to work out if I am entitled to time off for it or not

dennyk

Swaine wrote: »

A paid day off in my workplace if you want it. Some brown noses who think the company will collapse in their absence came back after their vaccine, though.

There's really no reason not to come back to work after, unless the logistics of getting back to work don't make sense. If you do get hit with side effects, it usually won't be for hours after the jab. Taking an entire day off to get the vaccine if it doesn't actually take you the full day to make it out to the vaccination centre and back is sort of taking the piss. Anyway, you might end up needing the next day or two off if you do get some nastier side effects, so better to save your employer's goodwill for that...

LimeFruitGum

We log it as a half day’s sick leave. By the time I get the Dart to the Aviva and back, that’s an hour gone anyway.

fits

LimeFruitGum wrote: »

We log it as a half day’s sick leave. By the time I get the Dart to the Aviva and back, that’s an hour gone anyway.

But it’s not sick leave!

blackwave

My company have just told people to let your direct report know that you have the appointment and when it's for. When the day comes you just have to go and take as long as it needs as it's in the companies interest for people to be fully vaccinated. If any company or manager are giving out about taking time off for the vaccine they are extremely short sighted imo and I wouldn't be sticking around there long term.

shane b

blackwave wrote: »

My company have just told people to let your direct report know that you have the appointment and when it's for. When the day comes you just have to go and take as long as it needs as it's in the companies interest for people to be fully vaccinated.

My company are the same, however we are all on salary. Dont know if thats makes a difference.
I know one of the construction contractors on site are not covering the time off to be vaccinated. Their stance is that if your not on site/clocked in, your not getting paid.

Mrs OBumble

fits wrote: »

But it’s not sick leave!

Some companies, including the public service, allow paid sick leave to be used for medical appointments.

Some don't. This is OK, because in the Republic of Ireland, there is currently no legal requirement for paid sick leave. As some have noted, these are likely not employers you want to stay with for too long - but they may offer other benefits that are wanted.