The Omicron XE variant of Covid may wreak further havoc in workplaces over the coming months, a leading HR expert has warned.

Damien McCarthy, founder of HR Buddy, said that because employers do not have access to medical information of their employees, they have no knowledge of employees’ vaccination status.

“Given that the new XE variant is more transmissible, there may be further pain for workplaces with regards to staff shortages due to covid related absenteeism,” said McCarthy.

The current advice from the HSE is that people should self-isolate for seven days if they have symptoms of Covid-19; get a positive PCR or antigen test result for Covid, even if they have mild symptoms or no symptoms; or were tested because they had symptoms and are waiting for PCR test results.

The HSE mandates seven-day self-isolation for the above reasons even if the individual is vaccinated or has had their booster dose.

In Association with

According to McCarthy (pictured above): “Businesses need to see a change to the isolation period. If that cannot be allowed for, the government will finally have to tackle the elephant in the room – the vaccination status of employees.

“The current isolation guidelines are unworkable for workplaces, given the fact that we seem to be faced with variant after variant and some are highly transmissible,” he added.

“Absenteeism is having an overwhelming impact on many of the small businesses who were already facing staffing challenges. The fact that employers are running the same risk assessments for different employees, some who are vaccinated and some who are not, is quite simply ridiculous and reckless. However, the employer’s hands remain tied under data protection law.”

In McCarthy’s view, many business owners are growing increasingly stressed and anxious because they can see another Covid wave as unavoidable.

“Many businesses quite simply will not be able to open their doors to customers or provide services if Omicron XE takes off in the community,” said McCarthy.

“The government should introduce legislation that would allow employers to carry out risk assessments based on their employees' vaccination status.

“This would help in making workplaces safe while preventing the spread of any current or future variants.

“The current risk assessments being carried out, despite the best of intentions, are quite frankly farcical. How can a risk assessment be carried out properly if you are not even aware as to whether the employees are vaccinated or not?”

HR Buddy provides outsourced HR consultancy and compliance documentation to employers who do not operate with their own in-house HR department.