The Employment Rights Tribunal has handed down a landmark decision having ruled that companies cannot force employees to take covid-19 tests or get vaccinated in order to work.

The Tribunal was ruling on a complaint filed by Whyvonna Wiggins-Hoyte in relation to her employer Rubis Eastern Caribbean.

The Tribunal states in its ruling that the complaint of discrimination is well-founded and that the company’s policy which required the employee to present a Covid-19 vaccination certificate or a weekly negative Covid-19 PCR test result to work at its office was discriminatory and contrary to employment rights laws.

The company has been ordered not to reintroduce, revive or reinstate, implement or enforce such a policy or any variation of it without a mandate from the state.

General Secretary of the Unity Workers Union, Caswell Franklyn, who represented the Rubis employee, stresses the significance of the ruling.

Mr. Franklyn believes this is a strong signal to employers.

General Secretary of the Unity Workers Union, Caswell Franklyn.