kea has slashed sick pay entitlement for some unvaccinated staff forced to self-isolate after close contact with someone infected with Covid.
This means unvaccinated workers, who are required by the Government to isolate for 10 days after close contact, could receive as little as £96.35 a week under Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) obligations, a legal minimum.
Ikea, which has 21 large stores and more than 10,000 staff in the UK, said ‘mitigating circumstances’ would be taken into consideration.
A spokesperson said: "We appreciate that this is an emotive topic and all circumstances will be considered on a case by case basis, therefore anyone in doubt or concerned about their situation is encouraged to speak to their manager."
Ikea later said that the policy only affects unvaccinated workers with ‘high levels of absence’.
The retailer is among a string of companies such as Santander and Asda which encouraged employees to receive a coronavirus jab, offering paid time off for vaccinations.
