TelOne has directed its unvaccinated staff to go on leave with immediate effect and withdrew the COVID-19 allowance for all those in the same category.
In an internal staff notice signed by corporate services director, Hopewell Zinyau, TelOne said it was decongesting its offices and there would be staff rotation to ensure the provision of essential services.
Under this arrangement, the landline and data service operator has divided teams into two groups with one group working from home and another working from the office using one-week rotation cycles. The notice reads in part:
As such, staff will be required to immediately take vacation leave starting with those that are not vaccinated.
This is especially because unvaccinated individuals are at the highest risk of the effects of the COVID-19 virus, while also posing a great risk to all other staff and the company’s business continuity.
Staff are advised that besides this being good protection for themselves, the company may soon take further measures against the unvaccinated in order to protect vaccinated staff members and the business.
The company has also suspended all physical meetings in favour of virtual proceedings in addition to strict social distancing requirements. It said:
Only client services sections remain open to clients with strict adherence to social distancing, masking and hand sanitising.
TelOne corporate communications manager, Melody Harry, told the Chronicle that the company was taking seriously the intensification of the COVID-19 situation in the country.
She said the company would continue to support affected staff members through facilitating testing and care in the event of testing positive.