If required by the type of activity, employers may require employees to be vaccinated. This is what the director of the Office for Personal Data Protection says.
On August 16, the chief epidemiologist said that while vaccination is not compulsory, employers who work with vulnerable groups may require workers to be vaccinated.
Caregivers in schools, social welfare centers and nursing homes asked about the sources and legal regulations on which this possibility is based. The issue emerged this morning at the regular meeting of the epidemiologist’s consultation group with representatives of the municipal social services and the Association of Social Welfare Enterprises. The human resources authority at Reykjavík City Hall is looking at the case.
Can workers be required to be vaccinated at all?
“It depends on the type of business. In some cases it is justified to request a vaccination certificate, ”says Helga Þórisdóttir, director of the Office for Personal Data Protection. “One example is people who deal with the most vulnerable groups of people, such as seniors” – explain.
For example, there is a statutory right to request information about the vaccination from people working in certain professions, such as healthcare professionals. There are also professions where those who carry them out must undergo drug testing.