Sunbird Hotels and Resorts has told its employees that they must get vaccinated by September 18 in order to be allowed to access the workplace.
The company’s Chief Human and Capital Development Officer Edward Chunga issued a memo yesterday on staff vaccination.
He said all staff members who are not vaccinated must do so by Saturday, 18 September 2021 and Human Resource office will keep records of all vaccinated employees.
After 18 September, employees will only be allowed to enter Sunbird premises if they present vaccination card or a negative Covid-19 certificate for a test done within past 4 days at the employee’s cost.
“Colleagues, vaccination is in the best interest of all of us, including our customers, suppliers, families and work colleague. So, let’s act responsibly by getting vaccinated,” said Chunga.
The company also issued a similar directive in May but implementation was affected by lack of vaccine.
Dunga in yesterday’s memo argued that vaccine is available in vaccination centres across the country.
Sunbird owns several hotels and resorts across the country, including include Sunbird Mount Soche, Sunbird Nkopola Lodge, Sunbird Livingstonia Beach, Sunbird Ku Chawe and Sunbird Lilongwe. The company employs hundreds of workers.
Some companies have also issued similar ‘no vaccine, no work’ directives over the past weeks, raising concerns that the vaccine which is supposed to voluntary is now becoming mandatory.
Rights group Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) said on Monday that it is a human right violation to force people to get vaccinated.
CDEDI demanded the Minister of Health to explain on mandatory covid-19 testing and vaccination.
